Big News and a Big Change!

If you’ve been reading here for long, you know that my life has been a bit upside down lately.  My husband accepted a job that required us to move from Rogers, Arkansas to Hot Springs, Arkansas.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Arkansas, that’s roughly 200 miles.  It took us from a town of a little over 50,000 people to a town of a little over 35,000 people.  We left the Ozark Mountains and moved to the Ouachita Mountains.  But – it took us from a town where we had very little family (though my husband’s aunt and grandmother are precious) to a town where we now live 10 minutes from my parents, grandparents and two sets of aunts/uncles.  If you have children, you know how incredibly important that can be.  My children are 6 and 2.  They need to be with family and we need to have a support system for days when we’re running in a million directions or someone has a fever.  We are now so incredibly blessed to have that.

This move was a giant leap of faith for me because I agreed to it without any inkling of a job.  (Not easy for a person who likes things mapped out.)  My husband accepted his new job in late April. School ended on May 17th. We moved on June 2nd. I was beating the bushes trying to find a job, but there was just nothing to be found. We went on a beach vacation with my parents the week of June 8th, then took our annual trip to visit family in St. Louis two weeks later.  Still no job and the nerves were starting to kick in.  Finally, the week of July 4th, there were two openings posted.  I applied for both and got interviews for both.  The snowball started rolling downhill fast (not a good metaphor when it’s 104* outside) and I was honored to be offered both positions.  Well, there’s a new dilemma in itself – albeit a very nice one to have.

One of the positions was school-based (what I know like the back of my hand) and the other position was in an early childhood facility (what I’ve always loved).  My husband and I weighed the pro’s and con’s of each for a very long time.  I prayed and talked to people I trust to help me make decisions.  In the end, it came down to making a decision based on what I love to do and I chose the early childhood facility.  I’m giving up having my summers off, but the company is wonderful and has a great reputation.  I’ll be working with my “littles” again, which will be a paradigm shift, but I think I can adapt my materials and my ideas to meet their needs.  One thing’s for sure – it’ll make for plenty to write about!  Expect some changes in my focus and my materials soon.

My husband and I took a celebratory trip to New Orleans this week.  (Had to show you my “Y’ALL” shirt!)  We spent 2 days and 3 nights enjoying the best food and music on the planet in our very favorite city.  The relief of knowing that I had a job to come home to was like having a ton of bricks lifted from my shoulders.  I still have a few weeks before I start to work.  I wonder if I can actually get some posts written before then…

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