New Job

I have mentioned in a few posts that I have a new job. I have mentioned in a few posts some simple moments that led to my changes in my job. Here I am collecting those moments and combining them to tell the story. At this time over the last two years, I was a part-time middle school Social Studies teacher. I enjoyed it, loved the staff and students, and kept busy. I enjoyed my job. Then, last spring, my husband asked if I could see myself doing this job "forever". We discussed what else I might be doing: getting my certification and teaching Social Studies in a public school with 30 kids in each class, staying in the same setting, or trying for the full time elementary school teaching position I had desired all these years. I prayed on it and thought over it.
I came to the conclusion that I wanted a full time job, to contribute to our oldest daughter's college costs. I had always felt I was better at teaching elementary school, but was always told that I needed that "classroom experience" before I would be hired. I applied for every job under the sun in a 40 minute radius of us. I applied for any job I was certified for. And I was never called. So, my husband and I discussed that I needed to sub this year and get my name and face back out there. I went through the local subbing training again, as required. They said it would be a week or so before my information was put into the system, but they really needed subs so it shouldn't be too long. It ended up taking over a month! 
During this waiting period my husband's grandfather passed away. A chaplain did the service, even providing a short story for the little children in attendance. As we drove away my husband mentioned that he could see me becoming a chaplain. I was surprised, considering my faithful/service gift to only be with children, Sunday School and the like. He said he considered me warm with everyone. I prayed on it. We also discussed what doors I should close and open toward my future. I was feeling like the house that had been on the market for too long-there may be nothing wrong with it but people won't buy it because they wonder what is wrong with it. I had received many reference letters, and recommendations, votes of confidence from administrators, staff and parents that I had worked with over the last almost ten years. However, that job had just eluded me for so long... 
I was also in touch with an administrator who told me I was first on his list, etc. etc. Then he got me confused with my sister in law and called her for a long term substitute job. It worked out well for her. And in that time, I decided to clear my plate completely, to step away from teaching and see where it led me. 
I went into our church to discuss with them the chaplain program. I talked with someone from the Care Ministry division and she said she'd keep me updated. About a week later she called and said they were saying they were thinking about creating this funeral coordinator position since three-four people were all doing parts of it, would I be interested. I said I'd come in and talk with them about it. Then, over the next week and a day, our church held three funerals. Each were different, and required different things, and I got to be part of each, learning all I could. I took the job and am our church's new funeral coordinator. I am blessed to be able to help families in their times of sadness and need, giving them care and comfort. I truly feel it is a blessing-not once did I wonder if this job was really for me. I felt like it fit perfectly and made my heart full. I get nervous of course, because I want it all to go smoothly.
It's not the full time job I thought I was looking for. It does pay me, which is a blessing. Beginning this month I will also be leading a Bible Study for 8 weeks and beginning the chaplain program which will last until spring.
I cleared my plate and truly feel that God began to place items on it. I wonder what awaits me next!

Lately

Lately...

• I did get some running in, before the weather got frigid again. Ahh, the sunshine was wonderful. I'm looking forward to more of the bright stuff again tomorrow! Although the temperature will not show that the glorious sun is out, I'm afraid. :)
  
• I got to be a substitute teacher in a kindergarten class. Both morning and afternoon groups of children were wonderful!
• My photo/canvas arrived in the mail today. A dear blog friend took a wonderful photo of the beach (she is extremely talented!) and I asked her if I could have/use it. I had it made into a canvas that arrived today. My original intent was to hang it in the green laundry room, to make me think I was at the beach instead of doing laundry... However, I love the looks and colors of it so much, I wish I could repaint other areas of my house to match. Considering all the painting I've done lately, I'm guessing the husband will say-it should still hang in the laundry room, and no more painting for awhile! :)
• I am feeling terrible about neglecting something that I firmly believe in... Thank You notes. I always write them, but for some reason, the 2008 Christmas thank yous have not been written. How utterly awful of me.
• I have gone over my notes for the Thirteenth Tale, so that I will be ready to post discussions on it next Friday, the first discussion of the Well Read Ladies Online Book Club.
• I have The Hemingses here to start for our next discussion... It's size is daunting... the nonfiction-ness of it is intimidating... but I look forward to the brain-strengthening challenge.
• I have spent too much time on Facebook, even posting photos of high school this week. Some scary photos... :) But they were me, back then. :) I have enjoyed connecting with far-away family, that I probably wouldn't be able to keep in touch with very well, otherwise.
  
• My husband and I begin teaching Sunday School this weekend. I am very much looking forward to it! I'm EXCITED! :) Ahem... teaching does that to me, even if it is only an hour. :)
• I ordered my youngest daughter some small, inexpensive cookie cutters, so she can make these valentines for school. (It is our tradition for the kids to make their school valentines instead of buying character valentines. We like to be crafty like that. ;))
• I saw a video that was great. It was a 16 minute short movie, if you will, but worth every minute. It made me smile. I don't know how to post videos on my own blog, so you have to go to this site HERE to see it. The post that the video is on is called You... You are awesome. You should see it. :))

I hope you are having a wonderful day, and week, that is halfway over already! :) I hope, also, that you are smiling as you leave this blog. :))

Good news

Dr. seems to think it's not a stress fracture but is leaning towards shin splints! Yeah! :) The three days I took off seem to have had a positive effect. The husband and I ran a nice easy run yesterday for about half an hour and it went well. Just thought I'd update you!
Also, some good news, our family was baptized this weekend! I was "sprinkled" as a child, but the other three hadn't been. In our church the method of baptism is immersion, by your own choosing. So, my husband was first, and then he did the rest of us! It was amazing and a memory I will cherish forever! Just a wonderful blessing.
I finished To Kill A Mockingbird this weekend, while cooking for a reception we had here after the baptism (homemade apple coffeecake, two kinds of quiche/one with ham and one with bacon, a new muffin recipe, a fruit salad, and a different fruit salad with dressing were on the menu, as well as breakfast sausage, coffee, etc. :))
Anyway, I spent a lot of time Saturday cooking, and then got up early Sunday to finish up, and had downloaded the cds to my ipod. I listened and the time went quickly. I had read the book in high school, remembered that I liked it, but not the details and events. It was a fun "read" this time around, as well. :)

More Vacation Bible School

I'm in the midst of another awesome week of Vacation Bible School. Our church does three sessions, one evening session at our main campus, one evening session at our newly added campus, and one morning/daytime session at the main campus. I signed up to organize and run games for the two evening sessions. Now, we're in the second session! I mentioned a few posts ago that the last session I did was smaller than in years past. Well, this one is smaller still, but we're having fun in different, but still fun, ways. At our main campus, the only play area we have is inside the gym, which has slippery floors, so we can't play the water games. This second campus has areas outside where we can play water games! So, I'm picking up sponges for a water relay tomorrow and I think (being that it's supposed to be 94 degrees tomorrow!) they will thoroughly enjoy getting wet! Each game has a message to go with our week's Bible Points and theme, as well.
That's all for today; I just wanted to share the joy I feel over seeing kids be excited about God/Faith and singing with happiness. It's totally contagious and very fun to be a part of it!! :)

1 down, 2 to go

I finished my first online class today. I had to create a website for teachers/students and a "webquest" for kids to follow. So, I did, following each of the 12 steps. I had to email the teacher after each lesson, some reviews about articles she had students read (online, of course) and some additions to my site as I went along. The class was about computer integration into the classroom. The next two classes are multimedia and social studies standards.
My daughters had an early release from school, today, which means that they get out an hour early so teachers can have training of some sort. Currently, the youngest is practicing piano, for her lesson this evening, and the oldest is helping her. The oldest is also making art for the great grandparents who live in other states. They like the art and my daughters like to make it for them, if they are reminded to do so.
Last weekend the oldest daughter and I went on a middle schoolers' church retreat with 6, 7, and 8th graders Friday night through Saturday night, arriving home at 8:30 Saturday night. We had a prayer labyrinth with different stations to read a Bible verse and pray. It was very nice! We also went on an adventure walk with a low ropes course, and some getting to know you activities. It rained quite a bit and we were soaked clear through after our long hike. There were six adults, including me, the youth pastor and his wife, and 19 kids. We also had a prayer service and communion while we were there. We had a very nice time, but were both glad to be home.
I subbed yesterday and am scheduled to tomorrow, as well. I had two days last week and one scheduled for next week, too. Tomorrow's job, though, is with a student teacher who is doing most of the teaching, so I will be the back up teacher, so to speak.
I am currently reading "Chamomile Mourning" by Laura Childs, yes, I am continuing with the tea shop mysteries. :) I reserved the next one in the series from the library, also. We head to my husband's sister's house this weekend. We are to help her move out of her apartment and into her new, first house! It takes about two hours to drive to her current place, so I think I can get this tea mystery finished. :) Then next week we are going to visit my family and I will be finishing another then, I think. Which will mean I am caught up on the series.
As far as running goes, I only ran three times on our trip and since it's been sporadic. I ran 4 miles yesterday and am going to pop on the treadmill here in a few minutes. The wind outside makes me happy for the treadmill. :) I also walked a mile last night on it while I watched the American Idol results show. I was very pleased with the results. My daughters were very happy, too. :) I have given up other tv shows that we had been hooked into. Our vacation helped pull away from the tv. However, in the evenings, if the husband is working and my eyes are too tired to scrapbook or read, I have been watching reruns of MASH.
The girls have started the soccer season again, which means Monday, Wednesday and Friday have at least one soccer game scheduled, if not two. Also, Mondays and Thursdays hold piano lessons for the girls.
I have been trying to work in the evenings on the family 2006 album, and it's going rather well. I'm up to May 1st of last year! :) I usually put scrapbooking off so that I can get other things done... but there's always more to be done. So, I've been trying to get a page or two done a day at least.
The sun is shining on and off today, but was out all day yesterday! Still windy and chilly, but thankfully there is no snow!
Well, that is all for now. Hope all is going well with you!

Treadmill and Grandma

YEAH! My treadmill finally arrived yesterday, and my wonderful hubby and oldest daughter put it together last night. I got home from youngest daughter's basketball practice and it was put together. I walked half a mile on it last night and then ran two miles on it this morning. It was so great! I love it. I am contemplating another run tonight! Just a little one. :) I have last month's Runner's World magazine to peruse while I'm running-to inspire me, too. :) Although, this morning's experience convinced me that my thighs have gotten a tad chunky and I have gotten out of shape very quickly. It's true what they say: it takes you half as long to get out of shape as it does to get in shape. If it takes me four weeks to get back into running shape, it takes me two to lose it. Yuck. Anyway, I informed my hubby last night that I was training for October's marathon, again, and he is unsure I will have the time...Although, now I have a treadmill. I can run anytime! :) A two hour run at four am? No problem. ;) Ok, maybe not anytime, I do value my sleep! :)
On other fronts, for the first time, we have allowed our girls to watch American Idol. It's on past their bedtimes, but we compromise and extend their bedtime a bit: the youngest goes to bed at 8 and the oldest is in bed at 8, but reads until 8:30. So, we let them stay up until 9. Idol isn't over until later, but they get to see who they missed on the "recap". We aren't good singers, but enjoy critiquing the contestants on the show. :) The girls have their favorites and hate to miss it.
Tonight I am heading to church, again, to make calls to members. My job is to tell them who I am, then ask if they have any informational changes, prayer concerns, concerns about our church or anything else they'd like the church staff to be informed of. Last week it took me an hour and a half to contact fifty people/families, and I enjoyed talking to the many people.
I sub again this Thursday and Friday, in the same classroom both days, for kindergarten. It's a class I've never subbed for before, but a teacher I know and respect will be right next door in the connecting kindergarten room for the morning.
Yesterday, I finished cataloging all my children's books into library thing. Phew! :) Now, I am ready for them to be used in a classroom!! :)
I am about to begin reading "In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing" by Bob and Lee Woodruff with my husband. It just sounds like a wonderful book! I will let you know after I've read it.
We headed to my husband's grandparents' this past weekend. His paternal grandmother has had some health issues, leading up to not remembering her sons, being belligerent at the hospital and having to be put in a 24hour care nursing home. At first her doctors thought it was a stroke or a series of strokes, then Alzheimer's, but they still weren't sure. They then thought possibly a deficit of potassium. Well, when she arrived at the nursing home, she was in a wheelchair and couldn't get up on her own. A week later, when we saw her this weekend, she remembered all four of us, the girls' grades at school, even and could walk by herself to the lobby and back! It was an amazing recovery thus far, and hopefully it continues. She was in excellent spirits and seemed very tenacious, and positive, to leave this nursing home "asap"! :) Her physical therapy (an hour a day for arms and leg strength and dexterity, as well as to regain better balance)has done wonders, and she really likes the man who gives her therapy for her legs. She says he's nice and funny. :) To "inform" (because my hubby is a very linear thinker and likes blogs to be for the world to share information :)) here are links about Alzheimer's Disease and potassium deficit.
That is all of my information for today. I hope you are well, reader.

Goals and Resolutions

I have begun: some women in my circle group from church have embarked upon a challenge to read the entire New Testament of the Bible throughout the year. There is a weekly schedule that is a chapter per day excluding weekends. To hold ourselves accountable, we are also emailing/having an "online discussion" about what we've read. So, I have read the first two chapters in Matthew's Gospel. I have read parts and pieces many times, but some I haven't read at all. So, this will be good for me and give me a goal every day. Our oldest daughter leaves school in the morning at an earlier hour than our youngest. As I sit in the front room and watch her walk to the bus, I read my daily devotional and now I can also include my chapters. :) It gives me a goal and a good feeling to start the day.

We have begun family meetings, also. We decided to start them and have done one almost every week since December started. Tonight we have one, and I'm in charge of planning (first the husband planned and I was the "recorder", then oldest daughter was the "recorder" while younger daughter planned; we even had one in Chicago). We are making a "time capsule" and the girls, when we spoke of this, decided it should become an annual tradition. Anyway, we bought a cardboard tube of sorts at a craft store, a few strips of paper (for example, one that says baby girl and other pink sentiments, to show we've had two nieces/cousins this past year.) We will cover the container and fill it with items that provide memories of 2006. Then we will do one again next year. I also found a snack (we don't normally do snacks for the meetings; they only last about fifteen minutes...) that is a sugar ice cream cone dipped in melted chocolate and tipped upside down to resemble a new year's party hat. We'll have that and a scoop of ice cream. We'll also look over last year's resolutions and create new ones for next year.

We had a wonderful time visiting my family in my home state, although, as always, it flies by and we never see everyone who wants us to call. I always feel bad for not pleasing everyone, even though I know logically that's not possible. :) My sis in law has wanted to begin scrapbooking, so we sat down together for a bit on New Year's Eve and got her started; sorting pictures, putting them into the book in their chronological order, and starting her first four pages. Now she has an idea of how to tackle it on her own and is excited to do so. I was thinking while we did it, that I'm lucky my husband thinks it is a good hobby. He's supportive of it, compliments it when I'm finished and tells me how much more it will mean in ten years.

I have most of the gifts from this latest trip put away, just a few last things to go. I took the tree down the day after Christmas: we cut a live tree so it was beginning to drop needles and with our trip this past weekend, I didn't want to deal with it when we got back. So, it's been down for a week, and my snowmen collection is out. I love snowmen. Too bad we won't be getting enough snow to play in this year, so the reports go. Unless an unusual snowstorm appears and drops several inches on us.....ahhh, a snowday and reading in front of the fireplace, sledding and hot cocoa, tea or coffee with cookies afterward....a dream. :)

Speaking of cookies, my goals for this year are as usual: eat better, get back into marathon shape because I like the way my body looks and feels after such training, be more patient with kids and husband, back to daily Bible reading, update my resume and take my classes to renew my teaching certificate before they expire this summer.

I think that is all for today's post, and my dryer's buzzing that another load is ready to be folded.

Happy Holidays!

I sit here typing, drinking my Earl Grey tea with milk (an activity passed on to me by a dear, English friend :)) and waiting for my unusually, red painted nails to dry. It is the holidays after all, so red nails, it is. :)

I have five minutes to blog before we begin to create our salad and fondue for the Christmas eve dinner. We are going to church at 5:30, where we are the advent candle lighting family, which means we four each say something about the waiting of advent being over, let the joy begin, and then my husband will light the candles. My husband's parents and grandparents will also be attending with us, which is special and joyful. Then we all head back here, to our home, for dinner. We have a tradition with my in-laws, where we try to create something new each Christmas eve. We started doing this about five years ago. In the past, we've had crab cakes, monte cristo sandwiches, turkey artichoke paninis and I can't remember what else. So, tonight is beef, shrimp, dipping sauces, cheese fondue for bread and vegetables, and chocolate fondue with amaretto and hazelnuts-recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23052,00.html?rsrc=search
for fruit dipping. Then, to top it off, Rachel Ray's Eggnog Bread Pudding. Here, I inform with the recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32458,00.html?rsrc=search

We had a great time in Chicago, packing many activities into four days and three nights. We had some transportation snafus, but nothing major and we were all safe. We visited the American Girl Place, Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, The Field Museum (including paying extra to see the King Tut exhibit, which was a long wait to see each item, but worth it. The historical value was tremendous, especially for our girls who enjoyed it and learned a lot!) We also swam a number of times in our hotel pool, went to some good restaurants and shopped the Magnificent Mile. Then we came home, and tried to catch up on chores and shopping to be ready for the holiday.

I got the many cards, photos and letters out in time for Christmas, and have received many in return. It's nice to receive items from long lost friends, photos of children and catch up on busy lives.

I sold some items on ebay, made about fifty-three dollars and found it was a pain in the neck to try to get everything shipped out in time to head to Chicago. I did some great shopping via ebay, though, getting some original, and unusual gifts for family. I'm pretty sure I spent more than I made, however!

Also, our church voted on the addition of the second campus, as I mentioned in a previous post. About two hundred people showed up for the vote. Thirty-one voted against, and one abstained. The rest voted for the merger, which is an exciting adventure for our church! :) Our recommendation was challenged at some of the question and answer sessions, but upon hearing our explanations, things were more well received.

Well, off to partake in cooking with my dear husband. He's the real chef around here. :) I'm the baker, he's the chef/creator. :)

Happy Holidays, dear readers, and be safe this season.

Church Presentation

Well, I am taking a break from a writing process. It's been a while since I had to write something multiple times/drafts, but it's been even longer since I had to present something in front of others. My church has the opportunity to take on another church in the area. The other church has a dwindling congregation, due to a pastor who has since left the religion to start his own church, and is in a changing area that has high diversity in its surrounding neighborhoods. Our church can vote, in a meeting next month, to help this church or not. If our church votes not to help, this other church will soon, probably, close its doors. If our congregation votes to take on the other church, our church will have all the business, funding, hiring, etc. aspects, but two campuses in two different areas of the city. I have been on a committee since August to research the current church's facilities, congregation, programs, surrounding neighborhood and nearby churches, to see what it would take/need to get it back in working order. Now, it's finally time to compile all of our data into a presentation/recommendation for our church to vote on. Now, I feel the pressure. I felt that our information gathering was purposeful, diligent and fun, but now, all eyes will be on this information and I've already written and rewritten my draft four times! We will meet tonight to put our pieces together, as well as another meeting next week, and then it will be Thanksgiving week and into the next month!
In other news, we will be heading to my home state on Thanksgiving for the annual deep fried turkey, too much other food, football and shopping in the wee hours on the day after Thanksgiving. I look forward to seeing one of my new nieces then, as well. I just can't believe November is half over and December is speeding towards us!!
I have been scrapbooking when I can, went to a "crop" (an evening of scrapbooking at someone else's house, as well as snacks and conversation) last night and am hosting a "crop" here on Friday. I must clean like crazy and make the snacks, as well.
Other than that, I've been substitute teaching, although not too many jobs this week, and running the kids around.
I think I forgot to mention that I had quit training for the marathon in August. I just couldn't fit the long runs in conveniently and sadly, I quit running altogether. I felt my pants getting tighter and began running again this weekend. Yesterday I didn't fit it in, but did a yoga DVD: my youngest daughter asked if she could exercise with me, so we did the video together and she asked when we could do it again! I just feel more like myself when I run/exercise! My husband started running and lifting again this week, too! That's about it from here....

Informative

My husband has informed me, as well as one of our "gadget intelligent" friends, that blogs should "only be used to share information", to "inform" people. They are a bad way for people to profile others and find out personal information. So, I have removed all our names in an effort to protect our identities. ;) I have removed most directional indicators, as well.
Now, to inform those who read my blog...what to inform readers on...hmmm.
Let's start with this:
In our Women's Circle at our church, we often discuss books on parenting. This year we have a small "tips" book that gives a little tidbit. One of us chooses one, we read it, and then all of us try to practice that all through the week. It's a great reminder; most are common sense, not new information, but great reminders. The book is called "Parenting at the Speed of Life: 60 ways to capture time with your kids" by Rick Osborne. There are ideas like leaving them notes, telling them about times they don't remember about themselves on their birthdays, to celebrate their entrance into our lives, hugging them 19 or more times a day, and telling them that you believe in them.
The book we read, not just for tips but for discussion, last year was "Power of the Positive Mom" by Karol Ladd. It is Bible/faith based parenting advice/information and we read a chapter every other week. Again, some of it is common sense, but they give you so much more in this book! The chapters are:

• Portrait of a Positive Mom
• Priciple #1: the Power of Encouragement
• Principle #2: the Power of Prayer
• Priciple #3: the Power of a Good Attitude
  
• Principle #4: the Power of Strong Relationships
• Principle #5: the Power of Your Example
• Principle #6: the Power of Strong Moral Standards
• Principle #7: the Power of Love and Forgiveness

This book really spoke to me as a believer in God, as a mom and as a wife. One reminder from the book that has stuck with me and that I liked was this:
"Some psycologists say that for every negative comment a person receives, they need to hear ten positive comments to overcome the effects of the negative one. Ten to one-now that's a lot of positive words, especially when you consider all the negative input our kids are likely to encounter during a typical day." I like that the book later points out our job as parents is to work on bringing that positive to our kids more frequently, as well as the other people we come in contact with.
Proverbs 12:25 says, "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up."
I needed to be reminded of this, because, in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, I raise my voice to say "hurry up!" more than I should, for starters. I don't compliment the positives as often as I should, either.