Thank You!

I just want to thank you again for the prayers you've offered on behalf of my job search. They worked! I got a surprise call from a principal on Wednesday about a job I didn't know about. It was posted as "Communications," so I didn't pay it much mind. The principal had seen my application online and decided to call me about coming in to interview the next day. I didn't post anything about it, frankly because I was sick of posting about this subject, but I'm glad to tell you that I got a call from him today saying that they want me for the job! I still have to do a second interview with the personnel dept. at central office, but he says it is rare for someone not to make it from the principal's recommendation to actual employment. This is an eighth grade position that will require me to teach mostly writing and to work with the eighth grade English teacher in splitting up grammar and vocabulary duties, which is almost exactly what I was doing at Drakes Creek just before we moved. I'll also be working with another teacher as a speech coach there. I am relieved and so grateful for the way you have helped me to petition God to move in this situation. I am so blessed by you all!

An Assortment of Cole-isms

I know you're ready for it--a post that has nothing to do with my job search. As thankful as I am that you're interested (and I wouldn't blame you if you weren't interested anymore), I'm sick of talking about it. So, I thought I'd lighten the mood by sharing with you just how funny my child is these days.


The boy loves "buggies." He loves to look at them, watch them crawl on his hands, carry them to the toilet to flush them, and use his legs to make tunnels for them. When he does this he says, "Tunnel!" In this picture he's discovered bees.


Yes, he's still a paci boy, and I'm not fighting it. He'll only be a baby for a little longer. Maybe I'll start battling that at two, but we've still got two more months until then (sniff, sniff) and I'm going to let him be a baby until then. The last few nights he's wanted to wash his paci before bedtime so that it will squeak when he sucks on it. If it isn't squeaking, he's not satisfied.


This boy loves to play ball. He loves every part of it--the throwing ("Mom, catch!"), the batting ("Hey, batter, batter...swing!"), the running ("Running!"), and the watching. When he sees baseball on t.v., no matter who's playing, he says, "Cubs!" If you ask, "Cole. Who plays baseball?" He'll first say, "Daddy," then "Cubs!"


He prefers his green beans straight out of the can these days. (I know, my mom and others of you are cringing. "He'll cut his hands!") This is the way he likes them though. Cracks me up. Tonight he dumped the juice all down his shirt.

You just can't help but love this boy!

A Quick Response

The school that I interviewed with today has a board meeting tomorrow, so I found out quickly (as in less three hours after the interview concluded) that I didn't get the job. I just keep thinking that if I'm going to be turned down for a job, this is the way I prefer. Month-long waiting, I've discovered, it not my method of choice. So, another one down, and I'm moving ahead. It feels good to know that God's in control.

Another prospect

Just thought you'd like to know, I have another interview on Monday. This is a seventh grade position, which I haven't wanted to do, but I've decided that God may want me to stick with middle school, and I should give him the chance to show me that. Also, I'm working on a Beth Moore study, Jesus, the One and Only, and just yesterday she said (in reference to our need for God to be involved in our jobs, no matter how "secular" they may seem), "Beloved, if your job has grown stale, you may not need a new occupation. You may need a new Partner." My work in the middle school setting had definitely gotten stale just before we moved. So maybe I just need a new outlook! We'll see how this interview goes...

Bummer

Just as I was about to create a post that requested your prayers again as I waited to hear about my most recent interview, I got a phone call from the principal that I interviewed with. It's a "no" for this job too. I'm more disappointed about this one than the other, which I predicted. I really would love to council, but I guess I ought to remind myself of my rationale when the other job didn't work out--it just isn't the one I'm supposed to have. I trust that God is going to present me with the right one, but it's hard when I leave an interview thinking that I'd love to do that job.

What makes it even more difficult, if I'm going to be totally honest, is that we're pretty broke. Okay, so we're not at poverty level or anything, and we're not starving, but being sure that in a couple of months things will be much easier sure would ease our minds. Can I request prayers again? Thank you guys again for checking on me and for being willing to pray for this search. As always, I'll keep you posted.

Maybe some sad news (updated)

I'm home right now, even though church is going on. We spent the long weekend in Alabama at my high school reunion (I had tons of fun. I'll post about that in the next day or two...), so we decided it might be nice for Cole to rest at home instead of get back in the car as soon as we got home. (I read something recently about how ashamed we should be of skipping church on Sunday to "rest" for the upcoming week. I guess I feel a little ashamed, but not ashamed enough not to broadcast it for all the internet world to see.)

Anyway, I got online to see about any new school postings I might have missed since Wednesday. The counseling position that I interviewed for is not posted anymore. Last time this happened I got a call the next day telling me I didn't get the job, so I'm a little panicky. There's no one for me to call for reassurance (or the horrible truth) since everyone else is at church. I'm freaking out just a little. I'd like to know if I have valid reason to worry. Really. I can handle the truth. I just don't like sitting here not knowing... Any help/advice/encouragement?

UPDATE: I remained calm until Mindy got home. When I called her for her input, she got online to check it out with me. Her findings: It's still on there. My realization: When I applied for it, they removed it from the list of possible openings for me. Whew! Maybe I need to read Beth Moore's worry post again.

The Scoop, so far

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement today. My interview went well. I left with no feelings of how successful or unsuccessful it was, but it was a nice, comfortable interview. (Or conversation, as Mindy pointed out in a comment, and it actually did feel like a conversation.) The principal was very easy to talk to, and it turned out that he was able to get a small committee together, so I don't think I'll have to do another interview later. For that reason, I'm glad I chose to wear my tried-and-true interview outfit, even if the hose had a few too many snags. Gilbert said he didn't think that would make or break an interview, but I personally think it could. Anyway, they hope to have the position filled by the middle of the month, and there are still interviews to be done in the next few days, so I'll let you all know when I hear the official word. Thanks again for being interested. I know that when there are healthy babies, happy adoptions, migraine headaches, and other important things to be prayed for in the blog world, a job interview isn't critical, but I'm grateful that you and God don't mind being "troubled" with "smaller things." Love you all.

Rallying the Troops

Okay, I'm rallying the troops once again for prayer assistance, please. I'll try to give the short version of this story, although we all know too well how successful I am at that feat...

I'd heard about a middle school counseling position that was posted internally for the last few weeks. (Maybe I've told you all this. Although I'm not good at "short versions," I am very good at repeating stories when it's unnecessary.) Anyway, a friend of mine called the principal a few weeks ago to tell him about me. He told her that the post would be open to those of us on the outside at the beginning of this month, so if he would call me, it would be after the beginning of the month. So today I checked, and no post. I've been sitting, waiting, and watching the number of open positions go from 14 to 8 to 3, knowing that someone out there is getting hired for a teaching job, but it isn't me.

Not 10 minutes after expressing my frustration to Gilbert, the phone rings. Today, the 2nd of June. The first possible day that this job could be open to people not in the system. It was the principal of this school, asking if I could meet for an interview! So now I have these nervous thoughts going through my head. Am I ready to be a counselor? What if he asks about my weaknesses? Do I make up a generic one? Do I tell him the worst weakness I have? Am I going to be a disappointment after all these people at church have built me up? Oooh. It's hard to fight worry, but I'm trying. (Beth Moore's giving me a hand with this through her post yesterday.) And I know there's nothing I can do but be myself, trust God to put me where he knows I ought to be, and pray. So would you help me? Thank you for always being willing to petition God for me.

I'm meeting with the principal on Wednesday morning at 9 and if all goes well, I'll meet with the committee later. I'll let you know how this one goes!

(NOT the short version. I know.)