Twelve years ago today I married the man of my dreams.
He was 21 and I was 19. I was a college sophomore, commuting one hour each way two days a week for college and working five nights a week at the local bowling alley. (Which incidentally, is where we met. My mom actually met Jimmy first and introduced us.) Jimmy was working six days a week for his dad at his service station.
We had been dating for four years. Our first date was on November 14, 1992. I was 15 and he was 17. We went to the movies.
During the movie we were shushed by the people in front of us for talking. After the movie, he took me home. We then talked on the phone for most of the night.
We were married in a baptist church surrounded my friends and family.
I know that many people thought it wouldn't last.
Nine months later when I was a college junior, I found out I was pregnant with Meagan.
When Meagan was 18 months old, I graduated from college with a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. I took several tests and became a certified teacher.
The stars must have been aligned correctly because I had a full time teaching job lined up the day I crossed the stage to receive my diploma. I was the first person in either of our families to have earned a college degree. I like to think that my parents' (and a lot of other people of course) dream came true that day.
Two weeks later I began to work at the school where I still work today. A few weeks after that I started school once again. This time my goal was to earn a Master's Degree in reading.
On December 6, 2002 our son Garrett was born.
On December 14, 2002 I crossed that stage once again, this time earning that master's degree.
Two days ago I was promoted to Reading Specialist.
Dreams really do come true for those that work hard and are willing to sacrifice things like free time and fancy cars and Jimmy was always there working (at work and at home) to make sure I was able to fulfill my dreams.
It hasn't always been easy but I always knew that I could do whatever I set out to because Jimmy was there behind me, standing just off stage, supporting me.
He is quiet to my constant chatter. He is patient and calm to my hot headedness. He puts clothes in the dryer for me and washes dishes and bathes kids and gives them medicine and brings me lunch and helps me grade papers (red pen only for him please!) and a million other things that I know I am forgetting here.
The point of all this? Jimmy, I love you and my life would not be complete without you. You are the reason I am who I am today and for that I will be forever grateful.
Thank you so much for being a wonderful husband and my best friend.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
My new title shall be . . .
Reading Specialist!
I got the job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got the news yesterday. My principal called me into the office at 2:00 or so and gave me the news.
When we go back from break (January 5th) we will start interviewing people to fill my teaching position.
Once the district hires someone, I will team teach with that person for a week or two and then get started on being the Reading Specialist.
We have two weeks off for Christmas so I plan on going in and organizing my room and packing up some of my stuff to get it out of the way. I won't pull everything that is mine out of my room right now. For one, I have no where to put extra stuff and two, it wouldn't be fair to my kids to take everything that they are familiar with away from them.
Hopefully by the end of January I can have classes of my own started. I am really excited to work with kids from all of the different grade levels. I have spent the last 10 years working with 8 -10 year olds and think I will really enjoy the change.
I will be working with dyslexic students using the Language! program that our district has adopted.
I don't know what room I will be in now. Our old specialist used part of the computer lab but that isn't the plan for me. I think we are going to move some things around in another room to give me a new classroom of my own.
I am really excited about it but I don't think it is going to totally sink in until I actually start setting up my new space and setting up groups and lessons.
I know that leaving the classroom full time is going to be hard. I cried on Wednesday when one of my students moved to Houston so I can only imagine how it is going to be to leave 19 of them at once!
I am also going to REALLY miss my teammates. I have posted before about how well we work together.
The good thing is that I will still be on the same campus. The more I learn about where I work the more I am convinced that there is truly no place like home.
I got the job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got the news yesterday. My principal called me into the office at 2:00 or so and gave me the news.
When we go back from break (January 5th) we will start interviewing people to fill my teaching position.
Once the district hires someone, I will team teach with that person for a week or two and then get started on being the Reading Specialist.
We have two weeks off for Christmas so I plan on going in and organizing my room and packing up some of my stuff to get it out of the way. I won't pull everything that is mine out of my room right now. For one, I have no where to put extra stuff and two, it wouldn't be fair to my kids to take everything that they are familiar with away from them.
Hopefully by the end of January I can have classes of my own started. I am really excited to work with kids from all of the different grade levels. I have spent the last 10 years working with 8 -10 year olds and think I will really enjoy the change.
I will be working with dyslexic students using the Language! program that our district has adopted.
I don't know what room I will be in now. Our old specialist used part of the computer lab but that isn't the plan for me. I think we are going to move some things around in another room to give me a new classroom of my own.
I am really excited about it but I don't think it is going to totally sink in until I actually start setting up my new space and setting up groups and lessons.
I know that leaving the classroom full time is going to be hard. I cried on Wednesday when one of my students moved to Houston so I can only imagine how it is going to be to leave 19 of them at once!
I am also going to REALLY miss my teammates. I have posted before about how well we work together.
The good thing is that I will still be on the same campus. The more I learn about where I work the more I am convinced that there is truly no place like home.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Gulp . . . I hope I don't regret it . . .
I just submitted a proposal for a reading conference in April. This conference is held each spring at the college that I graduated from. The man that talked me into getting a master's degree in reading is now running the doctoral program at this college. This is the college that I would love to go back to and attend the doctoral program. I actually enjoy going to school and attending class. I'm a nerd like that.
I think the proposal I typed up sounds good but what will they think?? I usually don't care too much about what people think but these are people that I admire for their education and impact on the reading community. My former professor is a past president of the International Reading Association. He's well known far and wide.
I haven't done anything with the college for the last several years because of my commitment to my school and kids. Lots of activities that the college does are at night or on the weekends. I tutor two to three days a week after school and on LOTS of Saturdays. I have been away from the academic side of my life for several years and lately I really find myself missing it.
One of the consultants that I work with through my school is currently working on her dissertation at the college so I love to talk school with her.
Maybe I'm finally ready to jump back into the world of academia.
I think the proposal I typed up sounds good but what will they think?? I usually don't care too much about what people think but these are people that I admire for their education and impact on the reading community. My former professor is a past president of the International Reading Association. He's well known far and wide.
I haven't done anything with the college for the last several years because of my commitment to my school and kids. Lots of activities that the college does are at night or on the weekends. I tutor two to three days a week after school and on LOTS of Saturdays. I have been away from the academic side of my life for several years and lately I really find myself missing it.
One of the consultants that I work with through my school is currently working on her dissertation at the college so I love to talk school with her.
Maybe I'm finally ready to jump back into the world of academia.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Playing around with the self timer on my camera
So what do you think?We had to try about 5 times to get this one and people were getting frustrated so I stopped with this one.
We went to church this morning - which is why we are all dressed up on a Sunday morning and my hair is done and I have make-up on.
After the service - which was very moving for me - I always feel like Brother R. can read my mind when he preaches - we talked to the pastor about Meagan being baptised. She has been wanting to for a while but I have been a slacker mom. Anyway, she will be baptised on Christmas Eve. How perfect is that? Like Jimmy said, I can't think of a better time to do it.
I am now doing laundry and trying to keep the kids quiet so Jimmy can watch the Dolphins. They are in the running for first place in their division which is FANTASTIC seeing as they only won one game all of last season.
I also need to do dishes so I can roll out, cut out, and bake the gingerbread men I want to send to Meagan's teachers this week. I borrowed my mom's heavy duty mixer and made one batch of dough last night. I love how all of the spices make the kitchen smell. I'll try and post some pictures of them when I am done with them - if anyone of them make it long enough to be photographed!
100th Post?? More job ramblings . . .
Who knows?
Anyway, I am still waiting for news about the job.
Let me fill in a little information about the job that I interviewed for.
About three weeks into the school year our Reading Specialist was moved to central office to fill an open position in the testing department. As soon as I heard Mrs. S. would be leaving, I called my principal and let her know that I was interested in the job and that I have a Master's Degree in Reading and hold a Reading Specialist Certificate in our state. (She's new to our campus this year and I wasn't sure if she knew I had a Master's Degree.) I then contacted our personnel director and let him know of my interest in the job and sent him an official letter of interest with an attachment explaining my degree/certification.
Over Thanksgiving break I saw in our local newspaper that they were advertising for several open positions in my district. The Reading Specialist job was one of those positions.
When we got back to school after the break I called the personnel director just to check in and see what was going on with the position. He said that my principal should be holding interviews soon and hopefully a decision would be made before the Christmas holidays.
The very next day the secretary told me that my interview was scheduled for Thursday morning (the next morning!!) at 9:00!
I went home after school and couldn't focus on anything!! I brushed up on my dyslexia information and read some interview questions on the internet (you can find anything on there I swear!) and redid my resume. I finally went to bed around midnight. Walking to bed I remembered about some experiences I had working at the college that I did not include on my resume, so I set the alarm for 5:00 a.m. I woke up with my alarm and redid my resume.
I feel that the interview went well. At first my heart was pounding but as I started answering questions I relaxed. There was one question that I felt I really didn't have a good answer for but as I answered the next question it helped answer the other one. (I have NO idea if that sentence makes any sense.)
That was on December 4th. I know there were several other interviews.
Tomorrow starts the last week of school before the holidays. I would LOVE to find out before the holidays so that I can either move my stuff around (if I get the job!) and get my room ready for a new teacher to come in and take over my class (sniff, sniff, I can't imagine leaving my kids) OR so I can cry all of Christmas Break and adjust to the fact that someone else will be the Reading Specialist! :(
If I do get the job I will be working with small groups of kids who are at-risk in reading. I will be working with kids from all grade levels K-4 and with teachers to help them help their students. I will still write lesson plans but instead of lesson plans for whole group lessons they will be for small groups. I will also work closely with the teacher who takes my place to get her settled in and make the transition a smooth one for my students.
Anyway, I am still waiting for news about the job.
Let me fill in a little information about the job that I interviewed for.
About three weeks into the school year our Reading Specialist was moved to central office to fill an open position in the testing department. As soon as I heard Mrs. S. would be leaving, I called my principal and let her know that I was interested in the job and that I have a Master's Degree in Reading and hold a Reading Specialist Certificate in our state. (She's new to our campus this year and I wasn't sure if she knew I had a Master's Degree.) I then contacted our personnel director and let him know of my interest in the job and sent him an official letter of interest with an attachment explaining my degree/certification.
Over Thanksgiving break I saw in our local newspaper that they were advertising for several open positions in my district. The Reading Specialist job was one of those positions.
When we got back to school after the break I called the personnel director just to check in and see what was going on with the position. He said that my principal should be holding interviews soon and hopefully a decision would be made before the Christmas holidays.
The very next day the secretary told me that my interview was scheduled for Thursday morning (the next morning!!) at 9:00!
I went home after school and couldn't focus on anything!! I brushed up on my dyslexia information and read some interview questions on the internet (you can find anything on there I swear!) and redid my resume. I finally went to bed around midnight. Walking to bed I remembered about some experiences I had working at the college that I did not include on my resume, so I set the alarm for 5:00 a.m. I woke up with my alarm and redid my resume.
I feel that the interview went well. At first my heart was pounding but as I started answering questions I relaxed. There was one question that I felt I really didn't have a good answer for but as I answered the next question it helped answer the other one. (I have NO idea if that sentence makes any sense.)
That was on December 4th. I know there were several other interviews.
Tomorrow starts the last week of school before the holidays. I would LOVE to find out before the holidays so that I can either move my stuff around (if I get the job!) and get my room ready for a new teacher to come in and take over my class (sniff, sniff, I can't imagine leaving my kids) OR so I can cry all of Christmas Break and adjust to the fact that someone else will be the Reading Specialist! :(
If I do get the job I will be working with small groups of kids who are at-risk in reading. I will be working with kids from all grade levels K-4 and with teachers to help them help their students. I will still write lesson plans but instead of lesson plans for whole group lessons they will be for small groups. I will also work closely with the teacher who takes my place to get her settled in and make the transition a smooth one for my students.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Pins and Needles
First of all, I am totally confused about my number of blog posts I have done. My archive says I've only posted 98 posts but when I log in my number reads 100. So, anyway, my last post might have been my 100th post or my next post will be. Whatever.
I decided to post tonight because I noticed I had 10 hits today! So, I guess a few people are actually reading my blog. If you could, I would LOVE for you to leave me a comment. Just click on comment under the post and follow the directions. You can click on anonymous if you do not have a blog or blog profile of your own. Thanks to Cindi for always commenting! You can check her blog out at Another Day in the Life which is listed on my blog roll on the left hand side of the screen. I would also love it if you added yourself as a follower. You can also do that on the left hand side of the screen.
So, now onto real news, Garrett's party at McDonald's was okay. Garrett was cranky because he fell on the slide and hurt his arm so he was shyer (is that a word?) than usual. The seating area that was reserved for us was really sunny and bright so not many of my pictures turned out that well. I don't think I took any pictures of the kids actually playing in the playground area. I have no picture of Garrett blowing out his candle because he didn't blow out a candle. This is because his candle broke as he was handing it to Jimmy to put it into the cake. (It had broken earlier in the day and I managed to fix it but Garrett dropped it again and it didn't survive.)
The great thing about the party was lots of friends and family showed up and had a good time (hopefully)! Garrett also got lots of great presents. He got some new jeans, a couple of shirts, a dart gun, some cash that he can't wait to spend, Hulk gloves, and Batman figures. I'm sure I'm forgetting some things. Thanks again to everyone who attended the party.
Now on to the pins and needles part of my post. Long story short, I interviewed for a new job last Thursday and I am still waiting to hear if I got the job.
I'll post more about the job in my next post.
I decided to post tonight because I noticed I had 10 hits today! So, I guess a few people are actually reading my blog. If you could, I would LOVE for you to leave me a comment. Just click on comment under the post and follow the directions. You can click on anonymous if you do not have a blog or blog profile of your own. Thanks to Cindi for always commenting! You can check her blog out at Another Day in the Life which is listed on my blog roll on the left hand side of the screen. I would also love it if you added yourself as a follower. You can also do that on the left hand side of the screen.
So, now onto real news, Garrett's party at McDonald's was okay. Garrett was cranky because he fell on the slide and hurt his arm so he was shyer (is that a word?) than usual. The seating area that was reserved for us was really sunny and bright so not many of my pictures turned out that well. I don't think I took any pictures of the kids actually playing in the playground area. I have no picture of Garrett blowing out his candle because he didn't blow out a candle. This is because his candle broke as he was handing it to Jimmy to put it into the cake. (It had broken earlier in the day and I managed to fix it but Garrett dropped it again and it didn't survive.)
The great thing about the party was lots of friends and family showed up and had a good time (hopefully)! Garrett also got lots of great presents. He got some new jeans, a couple of shirts, a dart gun, some cash that he can't wait to spend, Hulk gloves, and Batman figures. I'm sure I'm forgetting some things. Thanks again to everyone who attended the party.
Now on to the pins and needles part of my post. Long story short, I interviewed for a new job last Thursday and I am still waiting to hear if I got the job.
I'll post more about the job in my next post.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
100th Post/My Baby Boy's Birthday!!
I can't believe Garrett is six years old already!!!
This morning Meagan and I were gone to a DI training in Corpus so Jimmy took these pictures for me. I can't believe my baby has gotten so big! What is a mom to do??
I'll post more pictures tomorrow after his birthday party. We are having it at McDonalds.
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