Day One of Vacation

It's Monday afternoon. I just finished eating lunch after spending the morning at the dealership having an oil change/coolant flush. I'm not a fan of car repairs of ANY kind, but I'm so thankful that we can afford the maintenance to keep my car healthy. Of course now we are pretty much broke until the next pay day, but thankfully, that is only a few days away. We hope to be replacing Brett's car with something new and shiny in the next few months. Goo goo g'joob baby! (I had to look up how to spell that. Ha! Thanks Google!)

So. Once again, my head is totally full. This is the problem with not having time to blog. I walk around each day with the serious possibility that my head could explode at any moment because it is WAY too full! And of course, now that I have time to blog, there is so much to say, I'm not sure where to start.

Originally, when I decided to take the plunge and really go for it with trying to become a teacher, I wanted to spend this semester substitute teaching. It would give me classroom experience, which would make me more marketable, and also let me start learning the ropes of a school. I know that being a sub is COMPLETELY different than being a teacher, but right now, I am pretty much clueless about the goings on of a modern day public school. I've been out of high school for eleven years. I could use a refresher! The thing is, subs make $75 a day. I don't make a TON of money at my job, but I make more than $75 a day. We've been married less than a year, and when we first started talking about this, we'd only been married a few months. The thought of taking such a significant pay-cut really wasn't something we thought was possible. So I signed up for the classes and took the tests (STILL haven't gotten my art test results... it's killing me!) and I told myself that I would do my best and if I didn't get a teaching job for the next school year, THEN I would substitute teach and get a part time job until I was hired on as an actual teacher somewhere.

Well this past Saturday, I didn't have class, but my Alternative Certification Program had it's quarterly "How To Get A Job" seminar. They bring in someone who works in HR for a Texas school district to give us tips on how to get hired. This guy was from a school district near Houston that is the #3 district in the state, as far as test results and graduation rates and all that goes. He was very straight forward and very blunt and I learned a lot. His first slide said "Is it possible to get hired after completing an ACP?" This is a question that we all ask ourselves. Obviously, there are pros and cons when you look at traditional applicants and ACP applicants. I did not major in education, so I did not spend 3 years learning about theories and practices of education and a year student teaching. BUT, I'm also not 22 and fresh out of college. I have a lot to learn, but I also have a lot to offer. He answered this question by saying, it is going to vary everywhere you go. More than anything, the thing that determines whether or not a principal will hire an ACP applicant is the experience he or she has had previously with other ACP applicants. This HR guy knows principals who refuse to consider someone without an education degree, but he also knows principals who love ACP candidates because they are eager and enthusiastic. He said to remember not to take anything too personally because there are a lot of factors outside of your control that determine whether or not you are hired. So that was good to hear.

The next thing he talked about was that the most important thing to talk about on your resume is the experience you have with children. And he said if you don't have any, get some. I've had a lot of experience throughout my life, but they are mostly church related experiences, and the most recent one was a few years ago. The more he talked, the more I started thinking to myself "I should be subbing". As I listened, that thought evolved. I thought to myself, "Ya know, the plan was, if I don't get a job teaching next year then I will sub and work part time somewhere. Why can't I do that now?" And then I thought about how tough things would be if I were spending my days at school and my nights at some part time job (I always imagine myself at Barnes N Noble) and bringing home a lot less money than I do right now. And then I thought "Wait a minute!!! Why can't I work part time at MY job???" Here's what I'm thinking. I could sub three days a week and then work it out somehow to work 30 hours a week at my job. The money that I make subbing would probably equal the 10 hours that I am missing at work. And this way, when school is out, I can go back to working full time at my job for the summer. What do you think?

It's a lot to think about. My current job won't be happy. But I have been thinking and praying for God to show me when and how to let them know what I am doing. Our big project at work, which I am the lead designer on, is for some schools. I think I've mentioned this before... we do football programs for 7 or so schools. It takes all summer, it's a TON of work, and I do most of it. The project isn't over until football season is over. That's like, November, for most schools. If I get a teaching job, it's obviously going to interfere with the programs. I've been so torn... how can I just leave them in the middle of all that without out warning them upfront that that was my plan? But is telling them that I am planning to leave in the middle of it going to completely sacrifice my job security? How can I endanger my family in that way? I feel like they need me at work, so they wouldn't let me go until I absolutely had to leave. But what if a week after I let them know I am leaving eventually, they find the perfect replacement?

Seriously... I've been so torn on what to do.

But I think this might be a better solution. Some of the schools we do only football programs for, but some of the schools we do several different sports programs for, including drill team. We make programs for the drill team spring shows. They aren't as big as the football programs, but they are still a good sized project. The drill team programs are being turned in today and tomorrow, while I am on vacation. The pictures are going to be scanned while I am out and I will start working on them next Monday. That's the plan. So there is a need for me in my office right now. If I sub for the next three months, it would be a decent amount of time to get my feet good and wet. I would meet some people and learn some things and feel a lot more confident when interviews start in a couple of months.

I'm not sure what the best thing to do is, but I'm going to spend this week thinking and praying about it. Can you tell I'm a little freaked out? I know that God is in control and I want to honor him in EVERY way. I have been praying Proverbs 3:5-6 a lot lately. It says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." I have been reminding God that He promised to guide me if I trust Him completely, and I have been promising to lean on my Him every step of the way. I'm incredibly blessed to have a husband who supports me. But I am weakened by fear... I pray that my fear doesn't outweigh my faith...

I have lots more to say, of course, so hopefully I will make time to blog the rest of the week. I've TOTALLY found the perfect place to walk. I am kind of wanting to try it out this evening, but it's pretty chilly outside. Brett may not approve. hehe! I also had a totally cheesy, but possibly fun idea for a little vacation adventure that would only cost $5. We'll see if I can talk him into it.

Chance of snow again tomorrow. Blah. I want the weather to get better so I can FINALLY wash my poor car!

Hope everyone's week is starting well! I'd like to say I'm off to read your blogs, but I'm going to play a hand of my new favorite Solitaire game. It usually turns into several hands... =-)