Tuesday, August 31, 2010

School and other stuff

So I survived my first week of school! And besides the information overload I really like it! I found out that I will be writing an IEP in the next month and that I will be co-teaching in the gen. ed. classroom. I have some great kids that I get to work with! Legally I cannot mention any of the kids, or what I work with them on.
Let's just say that this year will be a challenge and a learning experience.
Everyday flies by, I go from recess duty, to planning, to Kindergarten math, to 1st grade reading, to lunch, to Kindergarten reading, back to 1st grade math, finally supplemental time (if any of the kids need extra help). Before I know it the day is 1/2 over and then we are loading the buses.

I got a fish tank for my classroom and painted my windows to look like a lake! with rocks and plants and water. My Mentor is really into fish and shares the classroom with me. His name is Kevin and his really nice and supportive. I am truly blessed with this position and the people I work with.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The New Cars

So the minute I got the job offer, Davin went straight to the car dealership to look at trucks. He has wanted one for the longest time. Since I am going to have to drive 40 miles or more a day, we were in a desperate situation where our vehicles needed assistance. Davin's Intrepid would not make that trek for very long, and my car (although it was still in good condition and I loved it) was at the point where if we were to put more miles on it we would diminish the value of it. So Davin traded in my Sante Fe for his truck and sold his Intrepid to a coworker in need of a vehicle. Which conveniently left me with out a car.

The guy that was helping us at Dodge was amazing, he knew that if we did not find me a car that Davin was not going to get his truck. When we first went to the dealership I told them how much I did not like the Caliber, it looked like a rolling turd. Then I looked at a Fit, but we would not get the financing of a newer vehicle. So I relented and told them that if they found me a Black or Silver car with dark interior that I could compromise.

So I am now an owner of a 2010 Black Dodge Caliber! and Davin is the owner of a 2010Dodge Ram 1500, Or should I say that I am the owner of 2 new cars according to the paperwork...

Here they are:

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The stressful week... and some

Last week has surely been placed at the top of the list for one of the most stressful week of my life. Starting from the last 2 posts of this blog. The interview and the job offer. Here is how the week went:

Monday: I was in Omaha helping Jenni get settled into her new home, painting and furniture shopping. After we went for a jog, Jenni made breakfast and I took a shower and then I got a phone call from the school that I had interviewed at saying that he was offering me the job!!! Jenni was prepared with sparkling grape juice and wine glasses. She started crying! All day we ran around like mad women on a mission, then Chawnta came and had dinner with us at the Cheese Cake Factory - yummmmm... We stayed up until 2 am painting.

Tuesday: Had to leave Jenni's to meet Davin in Ames due to the fact that when Jenni and I got into my car I realized that my gps and ipod were missing. That is right my car got broken into. They left my camera though. I was called by my doctor to tell me that my prolactin levels were still high and I was going to have to have an MRI to see if my pituitary gland was normal. We ran some errands and then got back to Jenni's house to put it back together. When we got back I realized that I did need to contact ISU about getting into classes. That is when they told me that their program would not work for me. I frantically called UNI to see if they could help me. Luckily they could and that I just needed to apply online and have my transcripts sent. Getting Union to send my transcripts was like pulling teeth. I got it all figured out though. Then I had to split with Elly to make it home in time to meet Davin. When I got home I had to apply for college.

Wednesday: All that and we are only on Wednesday. I had a dentist appt. at 8am. Davin drug me to go see a car that he had picked out since he found out I had a job. Yikes Davin wanted to buy a new truck, not just any truck but a Dodge Ram 1500. This led to us going to look at a smaller car which did not work out. We spent the whole afternoon at Ford, when I could have been taking a nap. I received an unusual amount of papers in the mail from the school district. I think that covers Wed.

Thursday: I had to mow the lawn, then I drove out to South Tama to fill out my paperwork and meet with the principal about the provisional license. He did not seem to think that there would be a problem. During all of this I was talking to a professor in the Special Ed program trying to get a course of study set up so that I could apply for the license. She finally got it to me about 3pm that day and I mailed it. Although when it came down to it I had to reapply for the Grad program and not the undergrad one. Dealership visits again. I decided to get a black or silver caliber.

Friday: I finished mowing and cleaned out the garage in prep for our new members of our Nicholas family (cars). Then I got ready for my trip to the MRI machine in Ames. Davin was a good husband and took the afternoon off. When I went in I told Davin that if anyone called me that he was not to answer, but did Davin listen? No he did not, I had to make a couple of phone calls to fix what he did. We had to go to the Library and fill out the Grad application, where I left my purse. Then we went to eat for lunch after the MRI. Headed home to work on the intrepid so that we could give it to Wayne with a clear mind.

All of that happened last week, if it sound stressful imagine if you had to do it.

Friday, August 6, 2010

The Job!!!

On Monday I was offered the job that I interviewed for on the previous Thursday. It comes with some strings attached though. I have to get a provisional license due to the fact that it is a Special Education job, and I am just a regular teacher. So to apply for that license you need a couple of things, a letter from the Principal, and you need a course of study. I begged and pleaded with Iowa State, but they do not offer what I need. That is right I also need to apply, be accepted, register, and pay for College. I am going to be a GRAD STUDENT as well as TEACHER.

Yesterday I spent the day going back and forth with the Special ED director at UNI and we ended up getting a pre course of study that I admitted with the letter for the license. Hopefully I can get the new course of study sooner than later and that all of this goes through. Because school starts in less than 3 weeks... I am so excited and nervous all at the same time. Davin hasn't slept well all week, but he told me yesterday that in college I coped better with a full schedule than a average schedule. So hopefully this is what the Lord has planned for me.

We are trying to make some major changes in our lives and all of this is dependant on wheather or not I get the provisionary license.