Bunnies, Rainbows and Balloons :)

As promised here is my blog entry with bunnies, rainbows and balloons. I don't really have many real bunnies, rainbows or balloons in my life! So I'll write about how those things reveal themselves to me in other forms: Kate, tenure and the College of Fine Arts Distinguished Teaching Award.

I've written most recently about sadness and accepting the past, learning from it, moving on and about being proactive in my life. I've neglected to mention in the most recent writings the wonderful things that surround me and have happened to me this year.

First, I spend everyday with a blessing from God--my Kate. She is truly an amazing being. She has the soul of a 90 year old and the heart of a child. She drives me crazy and fills my heart with love and adoration all at the same time. She is so smart and so caring and can be so full of attitude that my head nearly explodes! She's a wonder. After our prayer tonight I went downstairs to clean up dishes, etc. I few moments later I heard her little voice call for me. I went to the bottom of the stairs and asked what she needed. She said, "I need to talk to you." I went up the stairs to find her sitting in bed holding a small figurine. She showed it to me and I recognized it as an angel my sister, her Aunt Juju, gave her. She asked, "Is this an angel?" I said yes and told her, "Now to go to sleep." She then told me she had three angels and I noticed that her stuffed puppy, Lemon aide, had an angel next to him and Talkie, her baby doll, had an angel in bed next to her. She told me that she needed to talk to me about the angels. She told me, "I know these are not real but they will remind us of the angels that God has sent to surround us tonight." She was stalling! She's truly amazing and maddening at the same time!

After four years at the University of Montevallo and applying for tenure it was granted to me last May. Having tenure has been a blessing. I feel as if I know where I'm going to be for the rest of my career and I can really settle in to carving out my own area within the theatre department. Our playwriting group, The White Cardigan Club, is in its fourth year. It was my creation and I feel it's where I can really begin to make a difference in our department and with our students. We have produced three Original Play Festivals and are preparing for our fourth. Each year the student writers are better, more prepared and the work is interesting and worth of production. I definitely feel as if I'm in the place God intended me to be.

A great indicator that UM is the place for me is that I was awarded the CFA Distinguished Teaching award this past year. It was an amazing feeling to be given this award which is voted on by students. It meant the world to me to walk up on the stage with the students cheering to receive the plaque. Wow, the memory still takes my breath away.

Good things are happening and other great things are on the horizon. Kate and I live in a happy little house with 9000 stuffed animals and a fish named Rosy-Spot. Life is good. When I have bad days which we all have occasionally I remind myself of all the people who love and support Kate and me. When I think that thought my heart fills with love and my step feels light. It's a wonderful feeling to be loved as much as we are loved.