I got a job!!!

We're moving in about a week and a half. I'm still in denial. Other than my classroom, I've yet to pack anything. I feel like I am still sorting through the emotions in my head. I'm having a hard time facing it. The biggest fear I have of moving is change. Everything changes. I hate change. I don't adapt well. I have always lived close to my family and I see them often. Not going to happen in Texas. I felt like by chasing Ken's education, my career that I worked hard for would potentially be put on the back burner because teaching in Texas wasn't looking like it was going to pan out.

• Teaching certifications are only good in the state they are issued in. Utah license + Texas school = no way you're getting a job. It took some time, tears, and frustration but I was able to get a one year provisional teaching license in Texas. This means I can teach for one year as long as I am working on becoming fully certified there. I have to retake some dreadful tests once I'm there but I do have a year to pass them. I may need a year too!

•  Applying for jobs in Texas while living and working in Utah is NOT convenient! Thank heavens for the internet! I checked daily and applied for all K-3 jobs that were within a 30 mile radius of where we'll be living - that's a lot of schools. I had over 85 applications in (complete with resumes and personal emails to each principal) but it's hard to want to interview someone who lives 20 hours away.

But this week I got a job!

Not just ANY job, but a job that I'm really excited about. I love the principal and teachers that I interviewed with. I can tell it's going to be a good place to work!

I will be teaching

at a school in Fort Worth!

In a nutshell, here's how it happened...

• On Tuesday of this week, I saw the position online and applied for it.I sent an email to the principal introducing myself and let her know I was interested. (I've done this 80+ times remember) She responded via email that afternoon and set up a phone interview for Thursday.
• She called on Thursday and we interviewed for about an hour. Other teachers were in the room and I was on speaker phone. We all talked our way through it.
• I felt like the interview went well and that I was as personable and honest as I could be.
• She told me that we'd have a second interview next week as she was still interviewing other candidates for the position. (Pretty standard) I was a-okay with it but wasn't getting my hopes up because it was a phone interview. Not being face to face is hard.
• The next morning I woke up to an email from the principal letting me know that the interviewing panel was very impressed and she had spoken with my former principal, checked my references and was officially offering me the job!!
• HOLY COW!
• About an hour later, the Human Resources department called and scheduled for me to have an interview with the district and sign paperwork on August 5th.

I am still in awe of having spent so much time on a ton of applications that this one happened so quickly and fell into place. From applied to hired was less than 4 days. I am having faith that this is the school where I need to be. There are people there that will greatly influence my life and if I am lucky, I too can have an influence on theirs.

I believe the Lord has had a hand in my life (always) and that although this move is testing my emotional strength, He will not let me down. I was so worried that all of MY hard work of my own college education was going to be spent working at some mundane job so that Ken could pursue his doctorate. I wanted to teach. I REALLY wanted to teach. But up until this week it wasn't looking too promising.

I am amazed at how many people have since said that they put my name on the temple roll, they were praying for me and Ken, etc. One of my friends even told me that she knelt in prayer right at 11:00 a.m. on the day and time of my interview. I am thankful that there are people who are pulling me through.

Third grade will be a big change from first grade. I have loved first grade. But I am also looking forward (okay, I am a little nervous) to teaching a higher grade.

Yippee! I have a job!!