A new era!

Hi Friends!!

It's been a few months and boy has life changed!  Please bear with me because this story is long and I'd like to share it so I don't forget!

Since 2008 I have taught workshops for Vernon ISD on various trainings I've attendended.  Typically I teach a refresher course on Capturing Kids' Hearts and the Social Contract.  (love contracts in the classroom!)  Last year there were SEVERAL 1st year teachers and I asked if they had an induction program.  They did...but weren't sure if they would teach it.  I offered to and VOILA!  I had a fabulous addition to our income throughout the course of the year!  I decided to get officially trained in it so I could teach it to various districts.

Throughout the summer I made contact with Childress's Superintendent and it didn't pan out...since budgets had been made already.  I was disappointed but knew I still had Vernon.  In May I noticed several teaching positions available (all English in Highschool or Middle School).  Justin and I toyed with the idea of me applying.  I prayed about it and felt that I would know when the time was right...and it would HAVE to be Social Studies.  Natalie has one more year of preschool...so we would talk about other teaching positions in 2014.

Mid summer I received an email from the Superintendent about a Special Ed position.  While I LOVE working with kids of all needs, I apologized and told him that the ONLY way I would leave my babies this year would be for a social studies position.  (i knew that wouldn't happen because most are for coaches).

In July I went on a 30 mile bike ride to talk with God after really feeling down in the dumps.  Thoughts of "What good am I?"  "Why am I a horrible mother?"  "Is this what I'm supposed to be doing?" etc were going on and quite frankly...I was unpleasant to be around.  I stopped midway through my ride to refuel and I checked my phone.  An email from the superintendent asking if I would be interested in interviewing for a social studies position was there!!  I immediately wanted to rush home to Justin...but I knew I needed time with God. I turned south directly into the wind and rode 8 miles.  In that time I asked Him what I should do.  I knew...he had thrown this opportunity to me because I asked for His help!  He answered quite loudly.  God whispers requests and shouts with answered prayers.

The interview (while nerve wracking) went GREAT and I got the job!  I am now a 5th grade Social Studies teacher at Childress Elementary School!  This is also Cole's school!  Amazingly, the lady across the street keeps kids and had 3 openings for Natalie, Brynn and Katy!!!  It is very affordable and almost TOO convenient!

We are blessed...I am humbled at how He always takes care of me.  At my weakest moments if I just ask...He is there.  It's not always huge answered prayers...but whispers...He is there.

~Janet

Funny Things

It's been entirely too long!  I WANT to blog...but I stay kind of busy!  I wanted to document some funnies before I forget!!

Katy

• On Tuesday, Katy was laying on my lap before Cole's baseball game.  I noticed some yellow "stuff" coming out of her ear.  For a second I thought it was ear wax.  I looked closer and saw some white things in her ear too.  To me it looked like a flower, LOTS of crazy wax, or a spider.  I ran her home and got the tweezers.  It was the middle of a flower.  SHEESH!
• On Wednesday she started screaming.  She was on top of a barstool.  Her poor knee was stuck in the slats.  It would NOT budge.  For the 2nd time I had to use butter to unstick her.  She still has 2 marks on her knee from it!!
• Thursday at Cole's last baseball game, the girls (Chandler, Natalie and Brynn) were "babysitting" katy.  haha.  I noticed her walk toward the back of the chainlink fence.  There is an opening to the field there, but the girls were with her and so was Justin.  He was on the phone but I figured he was watching.  Next thing I know, Katy is RUNNING to the middle of the field and stopping and laughing along the way.  The more I chased her, the more she giggled and ran.  Luckily one of the coaches grabbed her.  :)

Natalie

• When Natalie plays t-ball, she is SERIOUS!  She has  the ultimate game face and will NOT break a smile!  I LOVE IT!  She always looks for us and gets SERIOUS when batting.
• She gets out bed no less than 3 times to tell us she loves us, ask where she's going the next day, search for "kitty"...etc.
• One night I was sleeping with Katy because she wouldn't sleep.  I heard a rustle and then BAM..."WHAAAAAAAA!!!!"  Natalie had rolled off her bed.  hahahha.  Magically she went right back to bed.

Cole

• Cole got out for the first time this baseball season.  He had batted and hit it GOOD.  He didn't want to just throw his new bat down, so he tried handing it to the coach or sitting it softly...he got out at first base.  He didn't know what that meant, but when he had to run off field, he started crying.  Poor guy!  He hasn't been tagged out since though!

All three

• My abuelito died last week.  Cole and Natalie somewhat understood that he was gone and was in Heaven.  We let them view him at the viewing.  They handled it well.  That night they started a new thing, "Playing Heaven".  They showed my mom a pillow...they lifted it and underneath was a box with Ariel in it.  She had died and gone to heaven.  When Justin put them to bed he noticed the box with Ariel next to them and several horses with pillows on top of them.  It's kind of sad, but also neat how they are processing this.  (and kind of funny...you have to admit!)