This weekend, hubby and I are in our University town to celebrate my nephew/godson's third birthday! So good to see some friendly faces for the weekend. I even ran into some friends from the elementary school I spent a lot of time at this past school year.
And you know what? It felt awesome.
Cross your fingers that I get hired at that same elementary school here this fall!
And, above all... enjoy the weekend! This is my last weekend off before starting full-swing with my summer day camp job, so I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest. Goodbye sleeping in, Full House, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and What Not to Wear; Hello going to bed and waking up early and kiddos grades K through 6!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Sometimes, He says "no"
I learned a difficult lesson last week that left me feeling, among many other things, humble.
For as long as I've wanted to be a teacher, I've wanted to be a teacher in my hometown at the Catholic school there. My faith is something very important to me, and the opportunity to incorporate it into my working life openly would be such a gift! So last summer, just a few months before my husband and I were going to tie the knot, when an opening for a teaching position at that school became available, I was ecstatic. However, hubby and I both agreed that our first year of marriage was not one that we wanted to live apart from one another. So, I tucked my cover letter and resume for them away and hoped that I'd get to take it out again another time.
Much to my excitement, that time came again this year. This time, for a Kindergarten position. But we were again greeted with that same reality: if I got the position, hubby would need to take classes at the University, and I would need to live in my hometown, 100 miles from him. We talked it over (and over, and over, and over), and decided that this time, yes. I would turn in my carefully written cover letter, resume and letters of recommendation. And that we would pray for God's will -- not our own -- to be done. That if His will was for us to be apart and for me to be a teacher at the Catholic school in my hometown, then that's what we would do.
So we prayed. And we waited. Until I got the call requesting an interview for the position. The interview went less-than-stellar from my perspective, and had assumed that that was God's answer. Much to my surprise, however, the principal called me back for interview, round two. I was a "finalist". At that point, the possibility of being apart or the coming couple of years not only became a reality, began to almost become likely. And we continued to pray -- God's will, and not our own.
I was scared. What would hubby eat during the week without me there to cook for him? What about starting a family in the next few years? Silly, I know. But seriously some of the concerns I had. So I prayed for God's will. And went to my interview, part two, and tried my absolute best. And it went great.
And for the next few hours afterward, I assumed what God's will was.
So when I received the phone call that the position was being offered to another individual, it was like the wind had been knocked out of me. And I cried, a lot. And I tried to figure out why it wasn't me this time. Why wasn't it my turn?
But after a (not so great) night of sleep, things began to make more sense and I started to connect the dots.
Here I had been praying for God's will, that if He wanted me there, then that's where I would be. But I never thought about if He didn't want me there. I was mad and sad and so many things all at one time -- but then I realized that sometimes, He says no. And I can either resist it and be angry and not look for the positives, or I can accept that this time, God said no. And that just means that He has something else for me.
And now, I can be with my husband. With my brothers and their families (whoo, niece and nephews, too!). With the friends I made at the elementary school I spent so much time at this last school year. And hopefully, in a classroom of my own at that elementary school.
And understanding and accepting that sometimes, God says "no", has made all the difference.
For as long as I've wanted to be a teacher, I've wanted to be a teacher in my hometown at the Catholic school there. My faith is something very important to me, and the opportunity to incorporate it into my working life openly would be such a gift! So last summer, just a few months before my husband and I were going to tie the knot, when an opening for a teaching position at that school became available, I was ecstatic. However, hubby and I both agreed that our first year of marriage was not one that we wanted to live apart from one another. So, I tucked my cover letter and resume for them away and hoped that I'd get to take it out again another time.
Much to my excitement, that time came again this year. This time, for a Kindergarten position. But we were again greeted with that same reality: if I got the position, hubby would need to take classes at the University, and I would need to live in my hometown, 100 miles from him. We talked it over (and over, and over, and over), and decided that this time, yes. I would turn in my carefully written cover letter, resume and letters of recommendation. And that we would pray for God's will -- not our own -- to be done. That if His will was for us to be apart and for me to be a teacher at the Catholic school in my hometown, then that's what we would do.
So we prayed. And we waited. Until I got the call requesting an interview for the position. The interview went less-than-stellar from my perspective, and had assumed that that was God's answer. Much to my surprise, however, the principal called me back for interview, round two. I was a "finalist". At that point, the possibility of being apart or the coming couple of years not only became a reality, began to almost become likely. And we continued to pray -- God's will, and not our own.
I was scared. What would hubby eat during the week without me there to cook for him? What about starting a family in the next few years? Silly, I know. But seriously some of the concerns I had. So I prayed for God's will. And went to my interview, part two, and tried my absolute best. And it went great.
And for the next few hours afterward, I assumed what God's will was.
So when I received the phone call that the position was being offered to another individual, it was like the wind had been knocked out of me. And I cried, a lot. And I tried to figure out why it wasn't me this time. Why wasn't it my turn?
But after a (not so great) night of sleep, things began to make more sense and I started to connect the dots.
Here I had been praying for God's will, that if He wanted me there, then that's where I would be. But I never thought about if He didn't want me there. I was mad and sad and so many things all at one time -- but then I realized that sometimes, He says no. And I can either resist it and be angry and not look for the positives, or I can accept that this time, God said no. And that just means that He has something else for me.
And now, I can be with my husband. With my brothers and their families (whoo, niece and nephews, too!). With the friends I made at the elementary school I spent so much time at this last school year. And hopefully, in a classroom of my own at that elementary school.
And understanding and accepting that sometimes, God says "no", has made all the difference.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
It costs how much?!
I had my annual dental appointment this morning and it put me in a relatively foul mood.
I have two cavities. Tiny ones, Mr. Dentist said. Which will take a mere 40 minutes to fill. No big, right?
Well, except for the fact that 40 minutes of his time costs me FOUR DAYS of pay as a teacher.
Holy Toledo!
I have two cavities. Tiny ones, Mr. Dentist said. Which will take a mere 40 minutes to fill. No big, right?
Well, except for the fact that 40 minutes of his time costs me FOUR DAYS of pay as a teacher.
Holy Toledo!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Group Exercise classes, here I come!
As mentioned in previous posts, I have been enjoying the opportunity to attend group exercise classes at the University as a "sponsored member" (thanks, hubby!). And I have loved every second of it! Every Monday and Wednesday was pilates and every Tuesday and Thursday was Body Blast (or more commonly known as "Body Pump"). I figured they were a good balance for the each other (pilates is more toning and lengthening -- Body Blast is lifting weights)... not to mention they were scheduled at a time that fit well into my life as a teacher : )
Now, I've never been one to stick with an exercise regimen at all. Probably two of the biggest reasons for that are that I, a: hate sweating, and b: hate being out of breath. The only time I've really been all that fit was when I trained to run a 5k a few years ago. Unfortunately, the moment I crossed the finish line was the moment my career as a spin-class junkie and runner ended. But these two classes I picked up I love. Pilates is so relaxing, calming, and at the end of a day filled with busy kids with high energy, it's an awesome thing to be able to slow down, focus on my breathing and forget about the rest of my day for awhile. And Body Blast is fast, intense, empowering, and set to music, which makes time go super fast. I find it so empowering, exciting and invigorating when I can move up in weight that I'm lifting.
Due to the fact that I've never stuck with an exercise regimen for long and my belief that I can't lift weights, I've never seen "results". I've never had biceps that show when I flex, never seen definition in my legs, or even known that muscles in my shoulders existed... wha?! But all of these things have changed in the past four months, and I can see the changes -- which is even more empowering. So when my hubby and I left our University town for the summer months four weeks ago, I was a little concerned -- no more pilates? No more Body Blast? My new-found muscles would be gone! Tragic. So I bought a pilates book and a weight lifting book and have been keeping up my exercise routine at home as best I could with these books.
That is, until TODAY -- when my hometown opened up their very first YMCA! So I decided to start a membership with the Y and take full advantage of their exercise classes. Today I attended a Yoga-Pilates Fusion class which was fine, but not as good as when I do it on my own at home or when I went to my former instructor. But that's probably because I have a strong distaste for the Yoga pose they refer to as "downward dog", and we kept going back to down dog for about ten minutes of class. And I have a bad habit of yelling at instructors in my head when I don't like the pose we're doing, so for that ten minutes, I whined and complained inside... but did it anyway, begrudgingly. Regardless, I'll go back. I paid for the membership, right? Gotta make good use!
Most exciting of all... tomorrow I will be attending "Cardio Pump" -- which should be very close to my Body Blast class. Wahooooo!! And best of all -- cardio pump should fit in nicely to my summer job schedule : ) So watch for me in those strong woman competitions, all oiled up, by the end of summer.
Or not : )
Now, I've never been one to stick with an exercise regimen at all. Probably two of the biggest reasons for that are that I, a: hate sweating, and b: hate being out of breath. The only time I've really been all that fit was when I trained to run a 5k a few years ago. Unfortunately, the moment I crossed the finish line was the moment my career as a spin-class junkie and runner ended. But these two classes I picked up I love. Pilates is so relaxing, calming, and at the end of a day filled with busy kids with high energy, it's an awesome thing to be able to slow down, focus on my breathing and forget about the rest of my day for awhile. And Body Blast is fast, intense, empowering, and set to music, which makes time go super fast. I find it so empowering, exciting and invigorating when I can move up in weight that I'm lifting.
Due to the fact that I've never stuck with an exercise regimen for long and my belief that I can't lift weights, I've never seen "results". I've never had biceps that show when I flex, never seen definition in my legs, or even known that muscles in my shoulders existed... wha?! But all of these things have changed in the past four months, and I can see the changes -- which is even more empowering. So when my hubby and I left our University town for the summer months four weeks ago, I was a little concerned -- no more pilates? No more Body Blast? My new-found muscles would be gone! Tragic. So I bought a pilates book and a weight lifting book and have been keeping up my exercise routine at home as best I could with these books.
That is, until TODAY -- when my hometown opened up their very first YMCA! So I decided to start a membership with the Y and take full advantage of their exercise classes. Today I attended a Yoga-Pilates Fusion class which was fine, but not as good as when I do it on my own at home or when I went to my former instructor. But that's probably because I have a strong distaste for the Yoga pose they refer to as "downward dog", and we kept going back to down dog for about ten minutes of class. And I have a bad habit of yelling at instructors in my head when I don't like the pose we're doing, so for that ten minutes, I whined and complained inside... but did it anyway, begrudgingly. Regardless, I'll go back. I paid for the membership, right? Gotta make good use!
Most exciting of all... tomorrow I will be attending "Cardio Pump" -- which should be very close to my Body Blast class. Wahooooo!! And best of all -- cardio pump should fit in nicely to my summer job schedule : ) So watch for me in those strong woman competitions, all oiled up, by the end of summer.
Or not : )
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