Just a quick update, since not a whole lot is going on with us. I haven't started substituting yet. The economy has hit FCPS hard, apparently, and NO ONE can find a job. That makes me feel better about my situation at least. Anyway, there are so many substitute applications, I haven't been entered into the system. Hopefully sometime this week though. In the meantime, tutoring will be a regular gig. I had 2 sessions last week and was asked if I'd be able to pick up an extra one on that day and possibly one or two more on another day. At $15 each, heck yeah! Specials at CCCS are fun, too. The kids crack me up since they will all call out my name and wave whenever they see me not in the classroom, like they haven't seen me for a year or something. So funny!
Husband is keep busy. He should be interviewing for a promotion position at work sometime in the next month. Otherwise he's putting off buying that lawn mower ;) Not that I blame him though. I mowed grass once in high school as part of a service project. I'm good.
In other news, non-feed readers (if there are any) may notice a new badge. I'm pretty excited I figured out how to add that thing period! Way easier than I thought, by the way. Not worth the Google search. Anyway, it comes from My Happy House, a blog I recently started reading. She's on Week 2 of a 10-week cleaning challenge. Since that was part of my New Years non-Resolution, I figured a mid-year boost was in order. Obviously I'm starting a little late, but I think I can catch up. I think she's basing most of her steps on FlyLady. I've checked that out as well, but she just didn't do it for me. Here's to keeping this house cleaner than our apartment was!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Summer is really ending now
I have a job...and another job...and by early next week a third job. Alright God...I get it. Thank you. You can take a break! I received a call from my principal that she had a brilliant idea while talking with a candidate for Specials. They had worked out a schedule of 2 specials a day, 2 days a week so she could also sub in Fayette County. My principal starts having misgivings about hiring her anyway and finally smacks herself and says, "I bet A would do that!" She calls and apologizes for not thinking of that earlier. So I'm the new Art, Computer, Music, and Library teacher on Wednesdays and Fridays! Not much money, but definitely guaranteed. Now to figure out how to place all that on a resume (particularly since it's rapidly coming onto a second page...only 3 years out of college, might be a little much).
Before all of that went down I had spoken to a woman who runs a tutoring service specializing in dyslexia. The creator of the program they use spoke at a conference I attended last October and another teacher is tutor for them as well. I had tried to get in this summer, but they had everything covered. As the school year was starting I caught wind that they were looking for someone to fill in some gaps for after school so I gave her a call. Yes, they are looking for people, come in and we'll talk about it. Today I got an official start date of next week, with 3 sessions that day. I am very excited about this one. I have another 2 years before I HAVE to start my Masters' to keep my certification. I keep going back and forth between specializing in early childhood and reading/writing specialist. I'm not quite sure which would serve me better in the long run. I hope that this tutoring would either be helpful in early childhood positions (as dyslexia can be identified in kindergarten) or as a critical component in reading/writing (as most specialists in the schools have little or no training in this area...since it's not typically tested for...I might end up changing the world on that one...or at least vent a lot :)).
All of this combined with subbing the other 3 days a week. God will provide!
Before all of that went down I had spoken to a woman who runs a tutoring service specializing in dyslexia. The creator of the program they use spoke at a conference I attended last October and another teacher is tutor for them as well. I had tried to get in this summer, but they had everything covered. As the school year was starting I caught wind that they were looking for someone to fill in some gaps for after school so I gave her a call. Yes, they are looking for people, come in and we'll talk about it. Today I got an official start date of next week, with 3 sessions that day. I am very excited about this one. I have another 2 years before I HAVE to start my Masters' to keep my certification. I keep going back and forth between specializing in early childhood and reading/writing specialist. I'm not quite sure which would serve me better in the long run. I hope that this tutoring would either be helpful in early childhood positions (as dyslexia can be identified in kindergarten) or as a critical component in reading/writing (as most specialists in the schools have little or no training in this area...since it's not typically tested for...I might end up changing the world on that one...or at least vent a lot :)).
All of this combined with subbing the other 3 days a week. God will provide!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Pictures!
We have tons of pictures of our house to share. Come next summer, hopefully we'll have updated ones of the house actually furnished and decorated (thank YOU $8,000 tax credit). Come along on a virtual tour of our house, complete with decorating comments! Let us know if you'd prefer one in real life :)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Roller coasters
This past week has been a roller coaster to say the least. Our families showed up bright and early Saturday morning and helped us move. We all get along well together, so we ended up having tons of fun. After all the hard work was done and small projects were wrapping up, Husband and I treated everyone to dinner as a thanks. We couldn't have done any of it without them. Not only was moving part of the deal, but our dads (and brother and grandfather) had to hang ceiling fans, put furniture together, etc. Moms and grandmother helped put things away and supervised the boys (and talked about them when they weren't around. Shhh!) Tough jobs all around. We are so grateful to have such great families. Especially ones that get along together.
Since then things have been...interesting. Husband has had the sniffles since before we moved, which has since turned into bronchitis. Super. My school ended up not having the numbers to split a class like they hoped, so it's back to subbing for me. Both things kind of fell upon us at once combined with the stress of moving and expenses that go along with it made for a very stressful past few days. I lost it at one point, not wanting to make Husband feel worse. I have since regrouped and feel much better about the situation. I now realize I've managed to forget the most important piece of news. *Disclaimer: I told you this blog was typed in my stream of consciousness. Please forgive the random insert!* CHARLIE HAS BEEN FOUND!!!! While we were in Canada, my parents had a message from Animal Control that they should come in and check out a cat that had been brought in. So used to false alarms, they weren't hopeful. Even after the vet there compared markings, they still weren't completely sure. After they got him home though, Mom got a glass of water with ice and at the sound of the ice dispenser, Maybe Charlie came running. It's Charlie! He's a little worse for the wear, having been found over a mile away, not in the neighborhood (part of why my parents didn't recognize him), but he's been eating steadily...when he's not curled up on Dad's lap! Barbara doesn't quite know what to do since she doesn't really recognize him either. Oliver is happy to have another playmate, although initially he took cues from Barbara and hissed. Those cats are a social experiment in and of themselves! So funny!
Anyway, back to what I was coming around to. With my prayer that God take care of Charlie and bring him home, that if God cares about the sparrows, He'd care about Charlie, I knew it would work out. God answered my prayer completely, which gives me even more faith that He will take care of me. I have several opportunities at hand with tutoring and substituting at both the public schools and a private independent school. I can't help but believe God used Charlie to show me that I will be taken care of, that He is working out a plan for me, even if it's not going the way I hoped or expected. Like I said, I've been rattled the past few days, but even through my tears, I held fast to that belief. Continue to keep me in your thoughts, prayers, whatever.
Since then things have been...interesting. Husband has had the sniffles since before we moved, which has since turned into bronchitis. Super. My school ended up not having the numbers to split a class like they hoped, so it's back to subbing for me. Both things kind of fell upon us at once combined with the stress of moving and expenses that go along with it made for a very stressful past few days. I lost it at one point, not wanting to make Husband feel worse. I have since regrouped and feel much better about the situation. I now realize I've managed to forget the most important piece of news. *Disclaimer: I told you this blog was typed in my stream of consciousness. Please forgive the random insert!* CHARLIE HAS BEEN FOUND!!!! While we were in Canada, my parents had a message from Animal Control that they should come in and check out a cat that had been brought in. So used to false alarms, they weren't hopeful. Even after the vet there compared markings, they still weren't completely sure. After they got him home though, Mom got a glass of water with ice and at the sound of the ice dispenser, Maybe Charlie came running. It's Charlie! He's a little worse for the wear, having been found over a mile away, not in the neighborhood (part of why my parents didn't recognize him), but he's been eating steadily...when he's not curled up on Dad's lap! Barbara doesn't quite know what to do since she doesn't really recognize him either. Oliver is happy to have another playmate, although initially he took cues from Barbara and hissed. Those cats are a social experiment in and of themselves! So funny!
Anyway, back to what I was coming around to. With my prayer that God take care of Charlie and bring him home, that if God cares about the sparrows, He'd care about Charlie, I knew it would work out. God answered my prayer completely, which gives me even more faith that He will take care of me. I have several opportunities at hand with tutoring and substituting at both the public schools and a private independent school. I can't help but believe God used Charlie to show me that I will be taken care of, that He is working out a plan for me, even if it's not going the way I hoped or expected. Like I said, I've been rattled the past few days, but even through my tears, I held fast to that belief. Continue to keep me in your thoughts, prayers, whatever.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
We are officially home-owners! We had a final walk-through yesterday afternoon to make sure all of the issues got taken care of, which they did save the grading/sod which will have to wait until we dry out a little. We could be waiting a LOOOOOONG time. Either way, it will get done. Closing went very smooth. It took maybe 45 minutes and I didn't get writers' cramp after. Moral of the story is don't listen to the horror stories on HGTV and TLC! We celebrated with Rincon (cute Mexican place). We debated taking our sleeping bags over and spending the night, but with no cable or internet (or basic necessities like toilet paper and breakfast) we opted for our soft bed instead.
We spent the better part of today at the house. We loaded up and went over to wait for our AV guy who installed our TV and component shelf, as well as the cable guy. I got sent to Lowe's, which is a story in and of itself, while Adam unpacked our first boxes/cleaned some stuff before heading back to the apartment to get a few more odds and ends to wrap up our technology day. We officially have cable and internet AND a flat screen mounted above our fireplace. We turned it to ESPN-U to test what we will see this fall...I didn't think I could be more excited about football season, but I am!
We spent the better part of today at the house. We loaded up and went over to wait for our AV guy who installed our TV and component shelf, as well as the cable guy. I got sent to Lowe's, which is a story in and of itself, while Adam unpacked our first boxes/cleaned some stuff before heading back to the apartment to get a few more odds and ends to wrap up our technology day. We officially have cable and internet AND a flat screen mounted above our fireplace. We turned it to ESPN-U to test what we will see this fall...I didn't think I could be more excited about football season, but I am!
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