crazy weeks

This last week was crazy, but in a fun-sort-of way. It was the local Mock Trial competition. This is a competition for high schoolers that is a sort-of trial where each team provides advocates and witnesses and lots of direct examination and cross examination goes on. I agreed to be faculty sponsor, as it sounded interesting and something I might enjoy doing. But, as the semester advanced, I struggled to get my mind around what the trial looked like and how I could help the students prepare. I did a lot of making copies, checking grammar and encouraging the students, but little direct involvement.

But now I have seen it in action. On Monday, we had 2 rounds: 415 pm and 615 pm. It was a looooooonnnnnnng day, with a normal school day topped with adrenaline filled competition. But for our first ever time to compete, we did pretty good. We certainly gave the first team, Midway, a run for their money and made them work. The second round wasn't as much fun, but we did well.  (BTW, I don't know what rounds we won and what we lost, though I hope to find out at some point). Tuesday was less busy with only 1 round at 615, and Wednesday had only 1 round at 6 pm. There was a pizza party Wednesday evening at 8 pm where they announced the finalists who competed Thursday evening.  The two schools who advanced, Midway and Waco High, we excellent teams and certainly deserved the chance to go to the state competition. But, in getting to compete with both at some point, I have a much better idea of how to help our students become even better. I had a ton of fun and am totally on fire to do this again next year if I can (schedule wise, etc). Add to a good performance that two of our students were nominated for "Best Witness" and another received "Best Advocate", and we feel we did the best we could of done.

However, it meant late nights (for me) each of three nights. For the students, as teenagers, it wasn't so bad, but poor preggy teacher was struggling. It was 1030 Monday night before I got to bed, 10 on Tuesday and 1030 or 11 on Wednesday. Compare that to my more normal 930 bed time! No dinners were made this week, I ate tons of junk food for dinner (pizza, chick-fil-a, granola bars -- none too bad in themselves, but not that good when that's all you're getting). And I was hardly ever home (or so it felt) this week. Its all done now, which a part of me quite glad of, and I was out cold by 9 pm last night and slept a good 10 - 10 1/2 hours.

And now that its back to a more normal schedule for me (but not Hubby, he's at a Philosophy of Religion conference for most of today), I will make my list for Saturday/Sunday and see what I can get done! Also, I hope to think about what I want to work towards in Feb (goals and sorts) and get a post up about that, but we will see.