Emma-ness!

Here are more Emma pics for those who have been asking! She's so cute. Despite some (typical) exhausting (for us) chewing habits, we are having so much fun owning a puppy. She's about 13 weeks old and we're guessing she weighs 25 pounds or so. She's growing so fast! She's learned to shake and sit and go to her bed. What a good girl...

The Hamners are doing quite well, these days. Garret just started his two-week spring break. He finished up a week of papers and oral exams, and after break he will continue with his English Classics seminar and begin a preceptorial in the novels of Vladimir Nabokov, specifically "Pale Fire", "Lolita", and "Speak Memory". He enjoys the readings and conversations. He's is also painting quite a bit--last month he sold two paintings at the gallery where he works. ((Yeah! WooHoo!!)) A few more paintings are in the works. They're looking great.

I've been keeping up (barely sometimes) with my 116 middle school students. Last week I attended two all-day trainings, which were helpful. A nice break from my students (I do love them so, but sometimes I just need space, you know?) while focusing on ways to improve my teaching, the learning environment of my classroom, etc. It's currently a lazy Sunday morning. Emma wakes us at 6:30, and it's nearly impossible to go back to sleep. This morning, we awoke to two inches of snow, which we have DESPERATELY needed. We've had hardly any snow all winter, and our fire season started with a 10,000 acre blaze in Cimmaron (northeast of Santa Fe) about two weeks ago. Needless to say, everyone has been worried, and this snow is like a deep, fresh breath. Very relieving. It's now about 4 inches deep, and Emma loves to play in it.

Again, here are a few cute pictures. One is from this morning, the others were taken over the last two weeks. She's a cuddly puppy. She loves our laps but is getting way too big to fit in them. Hope all is well with you, wherever you are!

It is interesting that the first post was about dogs. Little did we know when moving to the great state of New Mexico that we were soon to be owners of a puppy? Yeas we just god Emma two weeks ago. And after getting over the flue she is active and mischievous as ever, but so much fun as well. She loves to snuggle when she is not trying to turn your hand into a chew toy.
We are doing quite well over here. Sarah is still enjoying teaching though she has had problems with over-vigilant, controlling parents. School is going well, it really is a “liberal” arts program. Fun!! This has been a challenge and continues to force me to rethink notions of truth, interpretation and equity. I recently sold two paintings of my own at the gallery and that is encouraging. I have a lot of friend encouraging me to pursue my painting more seriously.