Ok, how much fun did I have today? So much fun! I finally got to spend my Lakeshore Learning gift certificates today. I bought a ton of books on ancient civilizations and 6th grade math and writing. I also bought stuff for the walls. I love this stuff. I can't wait to get into my room to set up. I got my letter from my principal today with my calendar and welcome letter and went down to the DO and SIGNED MY CONTRACT! As soon as my fingerprints clear I will be officially employed. This is amazing. It was so fun to shop for an actual grade and start to plan out the year. Nothing else to report these days...

It is so nice to know that I have a job starting soon. At the moment I am floating between two worlds. I am running the A&C program at the Conference Center at the moment and they need me to work almost every day. I also need to get my paperwork filled out for my new job. Neither place is very happy with me because I cannot give them everything they want exactly when they want it.

I think I will be able to breathe in about three years when I have a better idea about what I am doing, have completed my BTSA, am tenured (if I stay in one place long enough), and Paul Bunyan and the Dungeon Master (my step son) are done with their first year of college. Whew!

It was about 3 am the other day when I found myself in the kitchen with two lists - one for the conference center and one for school. It's amazing how much it helps to just get out of bed and write a list. It still took a couple of hours to go back to sleep, but at least I got the ideas on paper. I have a feeling this will be something that happens quite often over the next couple of years.

My prays these days have consisted mostly of trying not to lose my marbles. I am not the most patients and emotionally level person in the world so it is taking a ton of work not to break down. Tim laughs at me because I am over compensating a little and I am significantly more perky than usual.

Off to do some crafting!

Gainfully Employed

I would like to start by thanking everyone for their prayers and their kind words. Today I was offered a contract with Colton Joint Unified School District. I will be teaching 6th grade and I start on July 30th. I will be year-round and I get three, month-long breaks during the year. I am so excited I'm not exactly sure what to do with myself yet. So many emotions...fear, excitement, anticipation, fear, trepidation...did I mention fear? I'm not sure what I am going to do with sixth-graders, but I have a month to get ready and three Lakeshore Learning gift certificates burning a hole in my wallet. I can't wait to build a few pyramids and mummify some chickens!

Ta!

So I wasn't going to tell anyone because I didn't want to jinx it, but I thought better of it and decided that I needed all the payer I could get.

I have two interviews next week. Wednesday with Colton (the one I want) and Thursday with Hesperia. On Wednesday I am interviewing with the principal of a great elementary school in Colton. The best part is that he was one of my professors at University of Redlands. The day after I posted my application I emailed him for advice and he was very kind and reassuring. He was actually my favorite teacher and we shared a lot of the same views on teaching. I would love to teach at his school and work with him. Of course I will take any school and any grade that offers me a job.

Chris, your mom was so sweet the other day. I was subbing for Nancy and your mom and I were in the office. She told the principal that she wouldn't leave her classroom next year when she retires unless they would guarantee me a job and her room. Of course we were all joking around, but it was really great to have her on my side. The principal laughed and looked a little pale, but he also had nice things to say so it went over pretty well.

I'm really nervous!! I've talked to several teachers and they all gave me some wonderful advice for interviewing. Mostly, not to act like I know everything about teaching because I DON'T.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

So, here I sit waiting and wondering. Waiting for anyone to call me back and wondering what it is about my application that is making people wait to call me. I even called to check on both applications and both places told me all I could do is wait for someone to call me. Round and round we go. So, my prayers have switched from a job to me being able to let go and let God take the wheel for this ride. UGH!!! Having only had two jobs in the last 18 years was good for the pocket book and not so good for the interview/application experience. I know a couple people that applied after me and have already been scheduled for an interview with Hesperia. Want a humbling experience? Apply for your dream job and see what it does to your psyche.

I'm too busy feeling sorry for myself to write much more.

Here I sit on a lovely, lazy Sunday morning. I dropped Tim off at the airport for his week-long trip to Mississippi. I'm glad to have some time to myself, but I already miss him so it's a double-edged sword. I don't envy him having to be in MS this time of year...humid and hot...blech!

I'm thrilled that Christina has an interview in Hesperia. Wouldn't it be great if we ended up at the same school? Maybe the mountain teachers will take over the High Desert. I know of several other new teachers that applied in or have been hired by Hesperia. I am still waiting to hear from Hesperia and Colton. I am going to apply in Redlands and Yucaipa as soon as they start posting jobs. The school districts seem to like the electronic, paperless application process. It's nice because I don't need to make a ton of copies. I just scanned all of my documents, uploaded them, and sent in my application. Technology is nifty. I'm trying to talk Tim into getting his credential too. I was so close when he found out that the Air Force ok'd the Lasik surgery, finally! He is so excited and is strongly, by strongly I mean STRONGLY, considering applying to be a boom operator on a refueling plane. He's like a little kid at Christmas. I haven't seen him this giddy in a long time. Looks like teaching might have to wait a couple of years.

Off to be lazy again!