Great days are here

Last week was pretty stellar (and yet was so busy that I haven't had time to write about it).
Now, I do not want this to be read as me bragging.  But, shared joy is the best kind, right?  That's my philosophy, at least, and I have felt joyful.
I found out last Tuesday that I am returning to my summer job as Academic Dean of a gifted children's camp in Santa Cruz, CA.  I have been working for this program for years (this is year 7!), but last year was my first time on the West Coast.  I absolutely loved it, and am so pleased and grateful that I have been given the opportunity to return again.  So, from June to August, I will be in sunny beautiful Santa Cruz.  I am very excited and very much looking forward to another year with the program.

Just in case anyone forgot how beautiful Santa Cruz is...

And if that wasn't enough.  And I was pretty happy to begin with - I had thoughts of California dancing in my head.  I got an email from my department chair asking to meet with me to talk about next semester.  In the meeting, he asked me if I would teach an upper level history class at our university.
I was beyond thrilled.  Only advanced graduate students ever get to teach classes of their own at my school, and I never thought I would get asked to teach a class.  The chair said that they were particularly excited to have me teach.  Me?  I feel like I have spent a good chunk of my grad experience looking up to the big dogs - people who really seemed to have it together, and I always hoped that I would get to that stage at some point.  And apparently now, the department feels comfortable assigning a class to me.
I am really excited about getting the opportunity to teach at my own university.  This is going to be excellent.  And it is a relief too - because it shows that the people who know me best in academia feel that I can take the full reins of a class.  It is a great moment in my (young) career.

A few years ago, my dear friend Jenny sent me a poem she wrote as a means of assurance when I was going through a rough patch:

Life is funny sometimes,
Life is great,
Life throws you a curve 
to test your strength
Enjoy your victories
remember your lessons
Great days are here
Sometimes, we just have to look for them!


When she first wrote that, I couldn't believe it.  I felt like I had trouble finding great days.  But great days are here, and for that, I am grateful.  My running is going well (more about that in a separate post), my school stuff is going well, and I have good family and friends to support me.  Great days are here, and I am enjoying the victories too.