Things are falling into place, slowly but surely, for my return into the great 7th grade adventure this year! Stuart's parents are coming next week to keep the children at my house on Tuesday- Friday while I attend inservices for new teachers. Then, Arden's mother's day out teacher from last year who is also a friend of mine volunteered to keep the kids the following week from Monday through Thursday at my house. A good neighbor Laurie is going to watch the boys at her house the final two days on August 17 and 18 while Arden starts at her full-time childcare. I feel good having a plan in place for the children, and I'm glad that they can be in their own home with their own surroundings (especially for Arden) for two weeks.
God also provided a spot for Arden at a well-reputed childcare center in Bentonville called Pine Crest Private School. It is right in front of the boys' elementary school campus, so I will be able to drop off and pick up in one place. Arden got the only spot open in her age group! Many places I called had waiting lists up to one year long, and Pine Crest initially told me they had a waiting list too. God opened up a spot, and I think it will be the best place I can find with one week's notice. I'm praying that Arden adjusts well to her new school and teachers and doesn't have any behavioral changes.
I did my final "hiring" interview with Bentonville Schools yesterday and met with the director of human resources. He approved my hiring and sent me on to do paperwork. I did all the tax forms, verification of experience, intent to hire form, and got information on benefits. Stuart was able to take a half day off work for me to go to the district office plus get my fingerprinting done at the sheriff's office. The school board will vote and approve all new hires on August 17, so then I will sign an "official" contract on August 18 and pick up my first paycheck! Yea!
I resigned from my online teaching job yesterday after I passed the final interview. That will give the college two weeks to reassign my sections to other instructors which I don't think will be too difficult since only one section is currently full, so they might not even need to keep all of them on the schedule. It was a little bittersweet to relinquish this online job since it has been such a blessing to work from home for six years, but I think God provided just the right time to change jobs since it appears that the economic slowdown is finally trickling down to the community college. My enrollment was low this semester which, in turn, dictates how many sections I would be able to teach any given semester. At least with secondary education in Bentonville, it is not affected as much by the economy since it is mandatory public education in the fastest growing school district in the state. If I do a good job for the district, I should not have to worry about job security.
I'm anxious to get into a classroom and start unpacking. I have twelve boxes of materials and files in my attic from my P.A. days, and I'm ready to go through them. I'm sure I will be spending several nights and weekends up at the school in the next few weeks trying to get a room ready for the first day with students on the 19th. I don't like feeling in limbo, so I will be glad when I'm "unpacked" and have some idea of what I will be teaching during the first few weeks. I will meet with the English department on August 10-11 for curriculum and should get my textbooks and have a much better idea of where to start.
Tomorrow is the boys' birthday party, and it will be just a small gathering at our neighborhood pool since we don't know many people in town yet. Several friends were not able to come and were traveling. The boys picked a "Cars" theme from the Disney movie, and we ordered a cake from Sam's Club and picked it up today. I'm glad we are having a simple, outdoor party, so I don't have to worry about my house!
I'm finally sleeping normally again after the whirlwind of stress and excitement with this job change. I feel relatively calm and more excited than nervous. I know it will take a month or so to even get my bearings and feel like I have some sort of rhythm, but I know I can do the job once I figure out the curriculum and have some time to plan.
God's timing is perfect. It wasn't what I envisoned for this year, but He has a purpose in my assignment. I love teaching and always looked forward to returning to the classroom. I hope I can be used positively to reach many students this year!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
A Sign
On July 7, my world began to change. After six years at home full-time, I had begun to feel a stirring in me to teach in the classroom again. Hudson would be starting kindergarten, so Arden would be my only child at home. Financial stress had driven my inital thoughts of how to make more money. We had spent a lot of money on the move to northwest Arkansas, exterior drainage issues in our yard, and unexpected car repairs which eventually left us with needing to abandon our ten year old vehicle in June and buy a new car last month. Financial stress loomed heavily as I had also found out that my part-time job had capped the maximum number of courses that I would be able to teach, plus enrollment was low in my existing online sections for the fall semester. I randomly had the urge to check the teaching openings for the Bentonville School District website, and I saw it. There was an opening for a 9th grade English teacher at the high school. The opening was posted on 7/7/09 -- the same day that I randomly felt the urge to check.
I applied for the position which was very involved. It required typed essays, work verification from my former employers, and eight letters of recommendation. Fortunately, my secondary teachers' license was recently renewed and valid. However, my excitement was short-lived as I found out from a friend of mine who teaches in the high school that the position was filled internally from a transfer of another district teacher. I felt that God's will had been made clear, and I began to focus on my online curriculum to prepare for the fall.
The very next day, on Wednesday, July 22, I got an unexpected call to interview for an English teaching position at Washington Junior High in Bentonville. This was a 7th grade opening whose vacancy was from a transfer to the high school (the exact position that I had previously applied for!). I interviewed on Friday, July 24, and I met with the principal and three other faculty members.
The interview went extremely well and lasted well over an hour. I had been very nervous until I pulled into the parking lot, and then I felt a rush of calm and peace come over me. I felt that I was completely myself in the interview, and I really liked the principal. However, I was panicked in the final few minutes of the interview when I was told that 1 of the sections for the position was ESL (English as a Second Language) to a group of non-English speaking students. I have never taught ESL, so that was a bit stressful to consider doing that with no experience. Then, I also found out that the start date was Tuesday, August 4, which was almost a full week earlier than I had expected. I didn't realize that there were additional days of training for new hires over the regular inservice days for returning teachers. My concern was childcare for all of those days since it meant I would have just over a week to pull all this together.
I wrestled with the pros and cons of the job all weekend. I had been told that a decision would be made on Monday, July 27. We went to dinner at a friend's house on Saturday night, and I was discussing the interview with her and my fear over the ESL class and the early start date. She jokingly said, "Wouldn't it be great if the principal changed the schedule and got rid of that ESL class?" I agreed and thought that would make the job so much more comfortable for me. I prayed all weekend that God would close the door if I shouldn't go down that path. I was fine with the district hiring someone else; I just didn't want to accept a job that would be a mistake.
Like Gideon, I wanted a sign. I wanted a fleece that would show me what to do -- a clear sign from God that I was in His will. I prayed that I could sort out my stress because I couldn't tell if the stress I felt was due to the fast pace of the situation and the normal stress of change, or it was an indication that I was making a mistake.
The phone rang on Sunday night. I expected it to be a relative, so I casually answered. It was the principal from the junior high. She expressed how excited they would be to offer me the position as an English teacher at their school. I was the committee's first choice. I knew that I still had a couple of questions about the ESL assignment that I had thought of after I left the interview, so I asked the principal if I could ask a few more things about that section. She laughed and said she had changed my schedule, and that I would not have to teach ESL. My schedule would be three sections of 7th grade English.
A sign -- I had prayed for a sign. I had laughed the night before about how great it would be if God sent me a sign by having the principal change the schedule and eliminate the ESL class. This was my fleece.
I felt a complete peace about the situation. God was in this. He had arranged for me to get the job. It wasn't some mistake that I had created.
So, I accepted the position. I start next week, and students arrive on August 19.
Now, this isn't to say that I'm not having stress! It is still a lot of stress having to arrange two weeks' worth of childcare and find a full-time placement for Arden with only one week's notice! I don't "fly by the seat of my pants" very well! However, now I know that it is going to work out. I know that I can do this job well and that it is a good fit for me. This is God's plan for me and my family.
God gave me a sign.
I applied for the position which was very involved. It required typed essays, work verification from my former employers, and eight letters of recommendation. Fortunately, my secondary teachers' license was recently renewed and valid. However, my excitement was short-lived as I found out from a friend of mine who teaches in the high school that the position was filled internally from a transfer of another district teacher. I felt that God's will had been made clear, and I began to focus on my online curriculum to prepare for the fall.
The very next day, on Wednesday, July 22, I got an unexpected call to interview for an English teaching position at Washington Junior High in Bentonville. This was a 7th grade opening whose vacancy was from a transfer to the high school (the exact position that I had previously applied for!). I interviewed on Friday, July 24, and I met with the principal and three other faculty members.
The interview went extremely well and lasted well over an hour. I had been very nervous until I pulled into the parking lot, and then I felt a rush of calm and peace come over me. I felt that I was completely myself in the interview, and I really liked the principal. However, I was panicked in the final few minutes of the interview when I was told that 1 of the sections for the position was ESL (English as a Second Language) to a group of non-English speaking students. I have never taught ESL, so that was a bit stressful to consider doing that with no experience. Then, I also found out that the start date was Tuesday, August 4, which was almost a full week earlier than I had expected. I didn't realize that there were additional days of training for new hires over the regular inservice days for returning teachers. My concern was childcare for all of those days since it meant I would have just over a week to pull all this together.
I wrestled with the pros and cons of the job all weekend. I had been told that a decision would be made on Monday, July 27. We went to dinner at a friend's house on Saturday night, and I was discussing the interview with her and my fear over the ESL class and the early start date. She jokingly said, "Wouldn't it be great if the principal changed the schedule and got rid of that ESL class?" I agreed and thought that would make the job so much more comfortable for me. I prayed all weekend that God would close the door if I shouldn't go down that path. I was fine with the district hiring someone else; I just didn't want to accept a job that would be a mistake.
Like Gideon, I wanted a sign. I wanted a fleece that would show me what to do -- a clear sign from God that I was in His will. I prayed that I could sort out my stress because I couldn't tell if the stress I felt was due to the fast pace of the situation and the normal stress of change, or it was an indication that I was making a mistake.
The phone rang on Sunday night. I expected it to be a relative, so I casually answered. It was the principal from the junior high. She expressed how excited they would be to offer me the position as an English teacher at their school. I was the committee's first choice. I knew that I still had a couple of questions about the ESL assignment that I had thought of after I left the interview, so I asked the principal if I could ask a few more things about that section. She laughed and said she had changed my schedule, and that I would not have to teach ESL. My schedule would be three sections of 7th grade English.
A sign -- I had prayed for a sign. I had laughed the night before about how great it would be if God sent me a sign by having the principal change the schedule and eliminate the ESL class. This was my fleece.
I felt a complete peace about the situation. God was in this. He had arranged for me to get the job. It wasn't some mistake that I had created.
So, I accepted the position. I start next week, and students arrive on August 19.
Now, this isn't to say that I'm not having stress! It is still a lot of stress having to arrange two weeks' worth of childcare and find a full-time placement for Arden with only one week's notice! I don't "fly by the seat of my pants" very well! However, now I know that it is going to work out. I know that I can do this job well and that it is a good fit for me. This is God's plan for me and my family.
God gave me a sign.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Habla Espanol?
Yesterday, I asked Hudson to count to 20 out loud again, as we have been practicing certain skills for kindergarten readiness. He can actually almost make it to 100!
He looked as me very seriously, and he asked, "Do you want me to do it in English or Spanish?"
He looked as me very seriously, and he asked, "Do you want me to do it in English or Spanish?"
Friday, July 24, 2009
The Interview
Well, I survived my first interview in over 6 years! It was very nervewracking, and I'm glad I only had 36 hours to wait from the time they called me because I haven't slept well since then with all the anticipation.
So, how did it go, you might be wondering. Honestly, I think it went well, and I thought that all of the four interviewers seemed to connect well with me and gave positive comments and had postive facial expressions and body language. We laughed a lot, and I felt that I was relaxed and myself. So, I probably wouldn't change anything about how I performed in the interview. Basically, they had a sheet of established questions and went around in a circle and each asked me one. Only a couple of them were ones that I didn't immediately know what to say (What has been your biggest failure in the past three years? What text or professional literature has impacted your teaching style the most?).
I loved the principal. Loved her! She would be a dream personality to work with, and I felt she was so approachable, funny, and laid back. She was not intimidating at all. She obviously wants faculty to approach her easily and bring her any concerns. I felt like she would be supportive and give me lots of help. I also really liked the two other English teachers in the meeting, and they both reminded me of others I have worked with before. I think we would get along well. There was a fourth man in the interview that I couldn't really read as well. He was an ESL/reading specialist, so I didn't really connect with his questions quite as much because that isn't my area of expertise. He also left early to go to another meeting, so I didn't get to know him as well.
The interview was over 1 hour long. I brought in samples of previous projects I have done with students along with some photos from my scrapbook of my former students while they were working on one of the projects and the finished results. The other teachers seemed to like that, and I think they got an accurate picture of who I am and my teaching strengths.
However, I got sort of panicked at the end of the interview when I found out some more information about the teaching assignment and the starting date. I was originally told it was for a 7th grade position, and it turns out that those two classes are pre-AP, so I was thrilled about teaching honors level again. However, they didn't mention until the very end of the interview (as in "By the way . . . we'd better tell you . . . ") that the third class is 8th grade English ESL!!! What?? I'm not ESL (English as a Second Language) certified. They want me to teach a class of non-English speakers? I have no idea where to start with that. These kids are going to be using Rosetta Stone curriculum. The up side is that there will only be 8 kids in that class because it is ESL. The principal said that with the late notice of this job becoming open, there is no way any of their applicants will be ESL trained, so they will just make do for this year, and then they will try to reassign sections for next year and get a real ESL teacher to take that section. However, for this year, they will have to use a regular English teacher who will get some team-teaching support from another ESL teacher in the building. I was a little blindsided by that one. My ESL experience consists of teaching about five foreign exchange students during my eight years at Pulaski Academy, but they were all super motivated students who didn't sleep and stayed up all night translating my novels into Chinese (seriously!).
The positive thing is that this job only has 3 classes (2 pre-AP 7th grade English and 1 section ESL 8th grade English) and a total of 58 students. No one ever has 58 students in secondary school at the full-time level! The grading should be very managable, which would be a good thing since I'll probably have to learn Spanish! ha!
The other stress factor that got dropped on me in the last 5 minutes of the interview is that the starting date is AUGUST 3, as in 1 week from now! What! School begins on August 19, and I knew that teachers had to report on August 12 for inservices. However, what I didn't know is that ALL new teachers to this district have to report a full week earlier than returning teachers in order to go through "new teacher orientation" with the district. Now, that wouldn't be a problem except for the small issue of Owen, Hudson, and Arden. I have no idea what I will do with my children for two weeks until they can start school and daycare. Plus, I will only have 6 days to figure it out! That is a stress.
So, how do I feel right now? Overwhelmed.
Would I like the job? Probably.
Would I take the job? Probably.
I honestly think that I underestimated how much work it would be to return to the classroom in a public school. I'm rusty on all the benchmarks, assessments, and all the state requirements for teachers that I didn't have to worry about while I've been off teaching in private schools and at the college level for the past 14 years.
I think I would LOVE this job after the first year. I think the first year will kill me!
It's a steep learning curve with a lot of information to process and only 1 week to pull it all together. Combine that with worrying about my three children, and I don't know if I can do it.
I do think that after I got adjusted to the schedule, and after I got through a year of lesson plans, this would be a pretty easy job in the second and subsequent years (only 58 students, remember??). That is, if I live through the first year.
So, the principal said they will finish interviewing today and check references over the weekend. They will make a decision and call on Monday due to the start date of August 3. There are at least three people being interviewed as I know they mentioned another male teacher, and there was another woman waiting in the lobby after I came out from my interview. Who knows, maybe one of them speaks Spanish, so they will be the better candidate.
We'll see what happens. I don't even know what I want to happen! I need God to give me some very clear direction.
So, how did it go, you might be wondering. Honestly, I think it went well, and I thought that all of the four interviewers seemed to connect well with me and gave positive comments and had postive facial expressions and body language. We laughed a lot, and I felt that I was relaxed and myself. So, I probably wouldn't change anything about how I performed in the interview. Basically, they had a sheet of established questions and went around in a circle and each asked me one. Only a couple of them were ones that I didn't immediately know what to say (What has been your biggest failure in the past three years? What text or professional literature has impacted your teaching style the most?).
I loved the principal. Loved her! She would be a dream personality to work with, and I felt she was so approachable, funny, and laid back. She was not intimidating at all. She obviously wants faculty to approach her easily and bring her any concerns. I felt like she would be supportive and give me lots of help. I also really liked the two other English teachers in the meeting, and they both reminded me of others I have worked with before. I think we would get along well. There was a fourth man in the interview that I couldn't really read as well. He was an ESL/reading specialist, so I didn't really connect with his questions quite as much because that isn't my area of expertise. He also left early to go to another meeting, so I didn't get to know him as well.
The interview was over 1 hour long. I brought in samples of previous projects I have done with students along with some photos from my scrapbook of my former students while they were working on one of the projects and the finished results. The other teachers seemed to like that, and I think they got an accurate picture of who I am and my teaching strengths.
However, I got sort of panicked at the end of the interview when I found out some more information about the teaching assignment and the starting date. I was originally told it was for a 7th grade position, and it turns out that those two classes are pre-AP, so I was thrilled about teaching honors level again. However, they didn't mention until the very end of the interview (as in "By the way . . . we'd better tell you . . . ") that the third class is 8th grade English ESL!!! What?? I'm not ESL (English as a Second Language) certified. They want me to teach a class of non-English speakers? I have no idea where to start with that. These kids are going to be using Rosetta Stone curriculum. The up side is that there will only be 8 kids in that class because it is ESL. The principal said that with the late notice of this job becoming open, there is no way any of their applicants will be ESL trained, so they will just make do for this year, and then they will try to reassign sections for next year and get a real ESL teacher to take that section. However, for this year, they will have to use a regular English teacher who will get some team-teaching support from another ESL teacher in the building. I was a little blindsided by that one. My ESL experience consists of teaching about five foreign exchange students during my eight years at Pulaski Academy, but they were all super motivated students who didn't sleep and stayed up all night translating my novels into Chinese (seriously!).
The positive thing is that this job only has 3 classes (2 pre-AP 7th grade English and 1 section ESL 8th grade English) and a total of 58 students. No one ever has 58 students in secondary school at the full-time level! The grading should be very managable, which would be a good thing since I'll probably have to learn Spanish! ha!
The other stress factor that got dropped on me in the last 5 minutes of the interview is that the starting date is AUGUST 3, as in 1 week from now! What! School begins on August 19, and I knew that teachers had to report on August 12 for inservices. However, what I didn't know is that ALL new teachers to this district have to report a full week earlier than returning teachers in order to go through "new teacher orientation" with the district. Now, that wouldn't be a problem except for the small issue of Owen, Hudson, and Arden. I have no idea what I will do with my children for two weeks until they can start school and daycare. Plus, I will only have 6 days to figure it out! That is a stress.
So, how do I feel right now? Overwhelmed.
Would I like the job? Probably.
Would I take the job? Probably.
I honestly think that I underestimated how much work it would be to return to the classroom in a public school. I'm rusty on all the benchmarks, assessments, and all the state requirements for teachers that I didn't have to worry about while I've been off teaching in private schools and at the college level for the past 14 years.
I think I would LOVE this job after the first year. I think the first year will kill me!
It's a steep learning curve with a lot of information to process and only 1 week to pull it all together. Combine that with worrying about my three children, and I don't know if I can do it.
I do think that after I got adjusted to the schedule, and after I got through a year of lesson plans, this would be a pretty easy job in the second and subsequent years (only 58 students, remember??). That is, if I live through the first year.
So, the principal said they will finish interviewing today and check references over the weekend. They will make a decision and call on Monday due to the start date of August 3. There are at least three people being interviewed as I know they mentioned another male teacher, and there was another woman waiting in the lobby after I came out from my interview. Who knows, maybe one of them speaks Spanish, so they will be the better candidate.
We'll see what happens. I don't even know what I want to happen! I need God to give me some very clear direction.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Happy 8th Birthday, Owen!
Eight years ago today I went into premature labor. I remember well how it was so hot in my bedroom that morning, as I tried to sleep in. I was off work for the summer as a teacher, and I was enjoying those last few weeks as I was trying to get my classroom moved to a different building and get lesson plans written out for the substitute who would take over at the end of August for the rest of the semester.
Stuart had already left for work when I woke up. I stayed in bed, lazily flipping channels and then called my good friend Kathryn who was a stay-at-home mom. By the time I actually got up out of bed to take a shower, it was almost 10:00 a.m. Ah, those were the days before kids!
I remember the fear and panic as I went to the bathroom and realized I was bleeding heavily. I hadn't had any pain or contractions that were out of the ordinary, so this was my first sign of problems at 35 weeks. I immediately called my doctor's office who said to come right away, without even showering. Luckily, I lived 5 minutes from Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, and I felt that I could drive myself since I didn't feel any pain.
I knew it looked serious when I walked into the doctor's office to check in. I was told to go back immediately with no wait, and one of my doctors was already waiting for me in an exam room. No nurse. No waiting. I began to get scared. I had tried to call Stuart on the way over, but I had only gotten his voice mail. I had left him a message that I was on the way to the doctor's office.
The doctor performed my first internal exam to check for dilation, and almost simultaneously Stuart burst into the room with a worried look on his face. The doctor informed us that we were going to have a baby today. I was dilated past a 3 and almost 90% effaced. What???
I went to the hospital with no bag packed, no shower, and no breakfast. I got the IV, and the doctors watched me and checked me to see if I progressed. They did some ultrasounds to rule out a placenta abruption, and the bleeding seemed to slow. I dilated pretty quickly for a first pregnancy, and I really didn't feel much pain . . . until my water broke. Before my epidural.
I went through transition while trying to hold still to get the epidural, and I was shivering uncontrollably and thought I would vomit or pass out from the pain. At that point, I was dilated between a 7-8. Note to self -- don't wait that long to get an epidural, even if you think you don't need it yet.
Owen came out quickly with just a couple minutes of pushing, and was born around 9 p.m. He weighed 5 lbs, 9 oz, which was impressive considering his prematurity. He then spent 9 days in NICU for breathing, feeding, and heart issues. He came home on heart medication and a heart monitor for four months due to a diagnosis of SVT.
Now, he is 8 years old. We have only had one other instance of a heart issue with his SVT when he was in kindergarten. He is smart, funny, sensitive, and silly. You'd never know he was a preemie now! He made me a mommy for the first time, and it was a day I will never forget. On July 23, 2001, my world was forever changed.
Happy birthday, Owen!
Now the answer is "Maybe"
Maybe God and I are getting our wires crossed about the whole teaching issue! Just when I had put it to rest and blogged about how the answer was "no," a phone call changed everything.
The 9th grade English job which I had applied for was filled internally by a district teacher moving up from the junior high. Well, last night the English department head from that junior high called me and wondered if I was interested in their vacancy.
So, I interview tomorrow morning, and they should be making a quick decision in just a few days since school is just around the corner.
I feel a peace about this opportunity, and it offers some benefits with the teaching load over a high school position.
So, God is keeping me on my toes!
The 9th grade English job which I had applied for was filled internally by a district teacher moving up from the junior high. Well, last night the English department head from that junior high called me and wondered if I was interested in their vacancy.
So, I interview tomorrow morning, and they should be making a quick decision in just a few days since school is just around the corner.
I feel a peace about this opportunity, and it offers some benefits with the teaching load over a high school position.
So, God is keeping me on my toes!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The answer is "No"
God seems to have given a definitive answer to my quest for teaching jobs, and the answer is "No." I applied with three of the major districts in my area who had all posted new openings for a high school English teacher, and I did not get a call from any of them for interviews. Now, the openings are filled.
It is discouraging since I felt that my renewed desire to go back to the classroom was a sign that God was directing me towards that goal, and obviously it was not. I am now praying that my sections at the community college will fill, so that I can resume the same online teaching assignment there. Right now, enrollment is low, but I have until August 14 until a decision is made to close a low section.
I am disappointed that my dreams of "the perfect job" didn't materialize, but it will be less work this year and more time with Arden. It was suggested to me that I would have a better chance of getting a job in the local high school here if I start subbing, so that I can make more connections with administrators at the high school. That is not exactly my dream job. Been there. Done that. However, it might be something that I will eventually have to do in order to use my degree. It would entail moving Arden to another childcare program for 2-3 days per week (at an increased cost) instead of using mother's day out. The mother's day out programs usually end by 2 or 2:30, and the high school doesn't get out until 3:35. I will spend this year praying about what to do for next year as far as changing Arden's childcare to possibly sub next year on a part-time basis. Until then, I'm just leaving my application on file with the district in "active" status.
I know that God is the one who opens and closes the doors, and we have had many jobs close with Stuart in the past which were huge disappointments. Later, we realized that it was because something else came along which was a much better fit. I am trusting God to provide for our family's financial needs and use me as a teacher where and when He opens the door.
It is discouraging since I felt that my renewed desire to go back to the classroom was a sign that God was directing me towards that goal, and obviously it was not. I am now praying that my sections at the community college will fill, so that I can resume the same online teaching assignment there. Right now, enrollment is low, but I have until August 14 until a decision is made to close a low section.
I am disappointed that my dreams of "the perfect job" didn't materialize, but it will be less work this year and more time with Arden. It was suggested to me that I would have a better chance of getting a job in the local high school here if I start subbing, so that I can make more connections with administrators at the high school. That is not exactly my dream job. Been there. Done that. However, it might be something that I will eventually have to do in order to use my degree. It would entail moving Arden to another childcare program for 2-3 days per week (at an increased cost) instead of using mother's day out. The mother's day out programs usually end by 2 or 2:30, and the high school doesn't get out until 3:35. I will spend this year praying about what to do for next year as far as changing Arden's childcare to possibly sub next year on a part-time basis. Until then, I'm just leaving my application on file with the district in "active" status.
I know that God is the one who opens and closes the doors, and we have had many jobs close with Stuart in the past which were huge disappointments. Later, we realized that it was because something else came along which was a much better fit. I am trusting God to provide for our family's financial needs and use me as a teacher where and when He opens the door.
Friday, July 17, 2009
870
870. Yes, in pages that is. Owen just finished the longest book that he has read to date -- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. (This is book 5 in the series which he has read since book one). This is my child who is not even quite 8 years old! He bought it the week that school got out in early June and finished it yesterday! I am so proud of him since that is such a large, heavy book. It looked intimidating to him, but I told him not to worry about how long it took and just enjoy it one page at a time. He finally began to see the end last week, and he has had his nose in the book every spare minute since then. In the car. Before breakfast. All afternoon. Before bed. When he was supposed to be in bed . . .
So, congratulations to my little reader on finishing this very huge book! Yes, now you can watch the movie based on it!
So, congratulations to my little reader on finishing this very huge book! Yes, now you can watch the movie based on it!
Monday, July 13, 2009
18 Months
My little monkey is now 18 months old (on June 27). Time has flown by so quickly that I just about missed that milestone. We've been sort of off schedule on our pediatric checkups after the move. We ended up getting our 12 month check up at 15 months since that was the earliest we could get in as a new patient. The doctor said she didn't need an 18 month checkup since we had been in at 15 months, so the next time she returns for a well-child visit will be at age two!
Arden is still as strong-willed as ever, but she is also extremely funny and sweet. She loves playing with her brothers and running after them saying, "tickle, tickle, tickle" as she tries to tickle them. She is very tall for her age, but we haven't gotten a measurement since she was 15 months, and it was already 33 inches then! She is now into size 6 1/2 shoes! I have been randomly surveying all the little girls around her age, and she has the very biggest feet . . . by far! She is wearing the same size shoe as our neighbor's little girl who is three years old. Oh my! I am hoping she will slow down, so we don't have to order her prom shoes from the "big foot" catalog of special order women's shoes. Once you wear over a size ten, there just isn't much selection at local shoe stores.
Here are some things Arden is doing now:
- sleeps really well for about 12 hours at night (8-8) and then another 3-4 hour afternoon nap from 12-3:30 or so.
- feeds herself and is starting to spear her pick up foods with a fork
- drinks milk three times per day and likes diluted apple juice which I limit to one cup per day
- she is saying a lot of words. I think she is talking more than the boys did at the same age. She probably says 75+ words that I can understand. Stuart doesn't understand as many as I do because some don't sound exactly right, but I know what she means.
- she is putting two words together now and saying phrases like "all done, " "no more," "my book," "more waffle." Pretty amazing.
- she is wearing size 18-24 months and some 2T clothes.
- she is in a size 4 diaper -- which already seems tight
- she can tell me when she has a wet or poopy diaper, so I think she'll potty train earlier than the boys did (they were almost 3 when fully trained).
- she has all her teeth except her 2 year old molars
- she can take off her own clothes and her diaper
- she can climb onto the kitchen table, our tall bed, and over the couch
- she has just started playing with her doll and doing things like rocking it, feeding it, etc. It's so cute!
- she loves baths and gets very wild in the water. She goes all the way underneath and tries to slide down the back of the tub like a waterslide. It is like washing a wiggly seal! She hoots and hollers like it's a water park, and I have a hard time keeping her safe!
- she refuses to wear her shoes unless she is walking. If she is in the stroller, she just takes them off and drops them along the ride. I have spent countless hours going back and looking for the missing shoe, so for now she is riding barefoot!
- she can point to her head, ear, eye, nose, mouth, elbow, belly, and foot when asked.
We love her so much and so thankful that God allowed us to have her in our family!
VBS
This week the boys are attending Vacation Bible School at First Baptist in Bentonville. My local church doesn't do VBS but has a week-long adventure camp in June that is all day from 8-5 at a lake. They offer water activities, archery, a ropes course, derby cars, crafts, etc. Hudson was too young to attend that camp, and Owen was reluctant to go from 8-5 since he is new to the church and didn't want to stay all day by himself. So, we opted to go to First Baptist's VBS instead since both boys could attend from 9-12.
Today was a great day! I am always a bit nervous as I wait for them during the first day of a new activity, as I hope they make friends and have a good time. The theme was Crocodile Dock, and the boys seemed to really enjoy it. The church had over 600 kids attend VBS today, and it was by far the largest VBS program we've ever attended. They are looking forward to going back tomorrow. Arden wasn't too happy that she didn't get to stay with her brothers and was grumpy all morning, so I'm hoping that will improve tomorrow.
Today was a great day! I am always a bit nervous as I wait for them during the first day of a new activity, as I hope they make friends and have a good time. The theme was Crocodile Dock, and the boys seemed to really enjoy it. The church had over 600 kids attend VBS today, and it was by far the largest VBS program we've ever attended. They are looking forward to going back tomorrow. Arden wasn't too happy that she didn't get to stay with her brothers and was grumpy all morning, so I'm hoping that will improve tomorrow.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Parenting Help
There it was. In print in my church bulletin. "Parenting Conference with Dr. Kevin Leman." He is coming to MY church! Yes, this is one of my favorite Christian authors whose many books I have read. I laugh all the way through them because his anecdotes are so familiar to my own house, and I can relate so well.
Stuart bought the recent book Have a New Kid by Friday in hardback -- which we never do because I am too frugal. However, it remains unopened. Our kids are too much work and too out of control for us to read a book about how to control them! I think Dr. Leman might change his book title to Have a New Kid by Next Year if he met all three of mine, but the theory is intriguing nonetheless.
Anyway, Dr. Kevin Leman is holding a two day parenting conference at my local church next March 2010. When I reread the date, I was a bit disappointed. That's . . . next year. What I am supposed to do with my kids between now and then. I need help NOW! Okay, so maybe I should read the book he wrote in the interim. Then, maybe I won't be so desperate to attend his conference because my children will be new kids by March 2010.
Then again, I'd better sign up for advance purchase tickets . . . just in case.
Stuart bought the recent book Have a New Kid by Friday in hardback -- which we never do because I am too frugal. However, it remains unopened. Our kids are too much work and too out of control for us to read a book about how to control them! I think Dr. Leman might change his book title to Have a New Kid by Next Year if he met all three of mine, but the theory is intriguing nonetheless.
Anyway, Dr. Kevin Leman is holding a two day parenting conference at my local church next March 2010. When I reread the date, I was a bit disappointed. That's . . . next year. What I am supposed to do with my kids between now and then. I need help NOW! Okay, so maybe I should read the book he wrote in the interim. Then, maybe I won't be so desperate to attend his conference because my children will be new kids by March 2010.
Then again, I'd better sign up for advance purchase tickets . . . just in case.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A Work in Progress
I left the high school classroom six years ago. I had absolutely loved my job at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock where I had taught for eight years. I had devoted co-workers, dedicated students, and freedom to develop my own curriculum. It was the perfect situation. However, circumstances changed, and at that time I had Owen in daycare, and Stuart was given the opportunity to take a job in another county. His new job required that we move to the county where he worked which would be about 45 minutes from Pulaski Academy.
At that time, God impressed upon me that it was time to make a move towards staying home since we were trying to have more children. It was one of the scariest times in my life because quitting my job meant risking financial security. I didn't know how we would make it month to month without my income. I had planned on sending my children to Pulaski Academy and teaching on the same campus where my children went to school, and it was a sad time to see that dream come to an end. Ultimately, this was the best decision for me and for all the members of my family, so I submitted my resignation and ended my final year of teaching in Little Rock.
Six years later, I have had a very great experience teaching part-time composition at a community college. God blessed me with this opportunity the very next semester after I left Pulaski Academy, and it has provided the extra income we needed in order for me to stay home. I have taught both night classes and online classes, and I am now telecommuting for the college by teaching only online classes which has enabled me to keep the job after our move to Northwest Arkansas. It has been a flexible schedule which has offered me the option of teaching anywhere from one to four classes each semester, depending on my availability. I don't have to keep office hours, attend faculty meetings, or sponsor extra clubs or activities after hours. All in all, it has been perfect for those times when I've been home with sick children or a newborn baby. I can work in my pajamas and don't need a sub to cover my classes for a sick day. I haven't had to use full-time daycare for Hudson or Arden so far, and I've only used a Mother's Day Out program to help give me some child-free time for work.
However, I am growing restless. I can't quite put my finger on it, and I don't know if I am ready to jump into the full-time work force again, but I know that I miss a lot of what I had at Pulaski Academy. Maybe my feelings stem partially from living in a new area without any established relationships, so working exclusively from home feels more isolating than it was before. I miss the relational aspect of working with high school students and seeing them on a daily basis. I miss having coworkers that I see in person and share my life with. I miss teacher inservice training and attending College Board AP Conferences where I could be inspired by other great teachers from all over the country. I miss teaching literature. I miss thinking of creative projects that could involve my students in a novel. I miss seeing students' eyes light up when they really understand a concept.
For the first time in six years, I am beginning to feel like I want to go back into the classroom. I recently sent in my resume and application materials to two local, public school districts who have posted openings for a secondary English teacher. I'm not expecting an interview, and I haven't heard from either of them yet. Teaching jobs are few and far between in this area, and I've heard many stories about how difficult it is to get a job in local districts. However, it's a baby step in that direction. . . towards returning to my roots. Hudson starts kindergarten this year, and Arden is out of the baby stage and is already showing that she is capable of time away from me. I think that I will continue to apply for local openings as I see them, and I know that God will open the door when it is the right time for our family.
I don't want to return to work too soon. I don't want to do so at the expense of my family life. I am praying that God will give me another great opportunity that will offer me more creative outlets for speaking, teaching, and mentoring in His time. I'm excited to see what it will be and when it will happen. So, for now, I'm returning to my part-time job at the college as an online instructor and plan to continue with them until I get another job offer which might be one to four years from now.
I'm praying that my heart is sensitive to the right direction. The salary would relieve a lot of financial stress which we feel about saving for retirement, saving for college, replenishing our emergency fund, and having the means to do some things we can't afford to do with the children. But money isn't everything. God might not want me to leave my part-time job until Arden starts school. I desire His will over mine. I've done my part by applying for openings as I will continue to do, and I am praying that God will show me the right setting where He wants to use me.
At that time, God impressed upon me that it was time to make a move towards staying home since we were trying to have more children. It was one of the scariest times in my life because quitting my job meant risking financial security. I didn't know how we would make it month to month without my income. I had planned on sending my children to Pulaski Academy and teaching on the same campus where my children went to school, and it was a sad time to see that dream come to an end. Ultimately, this was the best decision for me and for all the members of my family, so I submitted my resignation and ended my final year of teaching in Little Rock.
Six years later, I have had a very great experience teaching part-time composition at a community college. God blessed me with this opportunity the very next semester after I left Pulaski Academy, and it has provided the extra income we needed in order for me to stay home. I have taught both night classes and online classes, and I am now telecommuting for the college by teaching only online classes which has enabled me to keep the job after our move to Northwest Arkansas. It has been a flexible schedule which has offered me the option of teaching anywhere from one to four classes each semester, depending on my availability. I don't have to keep office hours, attend faculty meetings, or sponsor extra clubs or activities after hours. All in all, it has been perfect for those times when I've been home with sick children or a newborn baby. I can work in my pajamas and don't need a sub to cover my classes for a sick day. I haven't had to use full-time daycare for Hudson or Arden so far, and I've only used a Mother's Day Out program to help give me some child-free time for work.
However, I am growing restless. I can't quite put my finger on it, and I don't know if I am ready to jump into the full-time work force again, but I know that I miss a lot of what I had at Pulaski Academy. Maybe my feelings stem partially from living in a new area without any established relationships, so working exclusively from home feels more isolating than it was before. I miss the relational aspect of working with high school students and seeing them on a daily basis. I miss having coworkers that I see in person and share my life with. I miss teacher inservice training and attending College Board AP Conferences where I could be inspired by other great teachers from all over the country. I miss teaching literature. I miss thinking of creative projects that could involve my students in a novel. I miss seeing students' eyes light up when they really understand a concept.
For the first time in six years, I am beginning to feel like I want to go back into the classroom. I recently sent in my resume and application materials to two local, public school districts who have posted openings for a secondary English teacher. I'm not expecting an interview, and I haven't heard from either of them yet. Teaching jobs are few and far between in this area, and I've heard many stories about how difficult it is to get a job in local districts. However, it's a baby step in that direction. . . towards returning to my roots. Hudson starts kindergarten this year, and Arden is out of the baby stage and is already showing that she is capable of time away from me. I think that I will continue to apply for local openings as I see them, and I know that God will open the door when it is the right time for our family.
I don't want to return to work too soon. I don't want to do so at the expense of my family life. I am praying that God will give me another great opportunity that will offer me more creative outlets for speaking, teaching, and mentoring in His time. I'm excited to see what it will be and when it will happen. So, for now, I'm returning to my part-time job at the college as an online instructor and plan to continue with them until I get another job offer which might be one to four years from now.
I'm praying that my heart is sensitive to the right direction. The salary would relieve a lot of financial stress which we feel about saving for retirement, saving for college, replenishing our emergency fund, and having the means to do some things we can't afford to do with the children. But money isn't everything. God might not want me to leave my part-time job until Arden starts school. I desire His will over mine. I've done my part by applying for openings as I will continue to do, and I am praying that God will show me the right setting where He wants to use me.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Memories of My Dad
My dad died two and a half years ago. I wrote a speech for his memorial service which was held at the church where he was on staff in San Antonio, Texas. It was helpful in processing my grief to go through the multiple drafts of the speech and to remember anecdotes that I wanted to include. Since Dad's death was due to a long battle with stage 4 kidney cancer, I had time both to spend with him and savor the final visits as well as to begin writing the speech during his final weeks of life. Had he died suddenly, I don't think I could have been in the right frame of mind nor had the time to put this together. Still, delivering this speech was difficult for me. Though I enjoy public speaking and have done a lot of it in my career as a teacher, it was difficult to retain emotional composure when speaking about these memories. I didn't want to sob uncontrollably during the speech and not be able to get through it, as that wouldn't allow these thoughts to be articulated to the audience. I remember feeling a great peace come over me after I delivered the first paragraph, and then the audience's laughter at various memories (which were intended to be humorous) carried me through the rest of the speech. I am grateful to this day that I made it through those moments. I came across the file I had saved of this speech and wanted to post it on my blog, so that others could still remember my dad, and so that my children could read it.
Here is the speech from January 2007:
"Many of you have memories of Marvin as a friend, coworker, pastor, or missionary. We knew him as a dad, and we want to share with you some of the things we will remember most about him.
Dad’s priority was always his family. He always had time for us and gladly dropped everything when we approached him with a question or needed help. Dad and Mom attended every sporting event and school function we had. In fact, Dad even kept a detailed notebook on all the stats for Melody’s volleyball and basketball games which he would scrutinize for hours. He also memorized the Oklahoma State course catalog while I was in college and mailed me frequent schedule options in order to help me accomplish my goal of graduating early. His guidance and involvement actually enabled me to graduate from college in only three years without a single wasted credit hour! I can remember him working large puzzles for hours with my brother and building a model ship with him – the Cutty Sark. Dad built a basketball court in the backyard of our Colorado home for us to use, and he built my brother a wooden ramp during his skateboarding phase. He took on the task of teaching me to drive the most formidable of all cars: a 1974 Ford Maverick with no power steering and a column shift. He never got frustrated or lost his patience no matter how many times I stalled the car in traffic. We knew he loved us unconditionally, and he was always committed to whatever activity or interest his children had.
Dad always tried to make family time meaningful while we were growing up. We would often request “Dad’s special popcorn” which consisted of a very precise method of popping the corn, melting real butter on the stove in just the right pan, drizzling the butter over the popcorn “just so,” then distributing portions into the triangle shaped pockets inside our paper napkins. Then, we would cuddle together as a family on one sofa to watch a PBS mini series such as “The Flame Trees of Theka” or The Lawrence Welk Show. In addition, Dad finished out the crawl space under our stairs which was attached to my brother’s bedroom in order to create a special secret area where Asher would play Star Wars for hours. Dad even dug holes in our backyard sod to make our own personal putt-putt golf course, and he tried to grade the difficulty of the holes using the “principles of physics” which he often told us about. Often, on Saturday mornings Dad would make his homemade pancakes, cooking them in shapes onto the griddle.
In addition to his involvement with us, Dad taught us his excellent sense of planning and organization. I grew up reading Consumer Reports as my magazine of choice since we always had back issues on our coffee tables. Dad would always research every major purchase, and the Consumer Reports magazines were still next to his recliner in his final weeks of life. I learned to research my own purchases and comparison shop by his example. When Dad was still able to carry on a conversation, my last interaction with him was about how to select a contractor for my new fence, as he gave me advice from his experience. He helped me with my first tax form, my first bank statement, and my first college application. His most amazing organizational feat was how much he could pack into a car for a trip. When it was time to take me to college, Dad managed to fit my entire wardrobe, bedding, and all the items for my dorm room into our small Honda Civic Wagon, and we still had passenger room for a family of five. We never understood how he was able to masterfully arrange the luggage!
Dad always exemplified hard work, perseverance, and self-discipline to us. His brother, my Uncle Glen, used to tell me that when they were in high school Dad insisted on getting up at the crack of dawn every morning to practice the piano for several hours before school. Of course, this woke up the entire family, but Dad was diligent in his practicing. When I was in 9th grade, Dad offered to help me run a paper route to earn my spending money; this taught me the value of earning my own money and to appreciate hard work. Dad got up with me at 5:30 every morning for over a year and helped me roll the papers while it was still dark outside, and then he trudged alongside me through our neighborhood in Colorado Springs. We delivered those papers together in rain and snow and endured being chased by dogs. Dad did it all for no share in my monetary profit, and he often delivered the route alone, so I could spend the night at a friend’s house. Dad always believed you should work hard and finish what you start, and he was always willing to walk alongside us to help us get the task done.
Another thing my father taught us was the love of education. Due to his encouragement, his three children represent three bachelor’s degrees, one master’s degree, and a Ph.D. Dad loved to learn and always impressed upon us that education is a never ending process. When I finally finished my College Algebra course, which was my albatross, I couldn’t wait to resell my textbook. Dad said not to resell it because he wanted to have it to be able to work math problems -- for fun. That was my dad! We were the only family I knew who had a large whiteboard on a wall in our home where Dad would help us work out our homework problems and tutor us if we were having trouble. I spent hours in high school watching him excitedly work algebra and chemistry problems on that whiteboard in our own little “classroom.” He was a gifted teacher; I saw him come to life when he was teaching as he bounced around on the balls of his feet with his hands clasped together, and I loved learning from him.
But most of all, our dad was a man of true faith. I knew that when I woke up, I could always find Dad every morning in his leather chair in his home office, drinking coffee, with his black leather Bible open on his lap. He led by example, and he always put Christ at the center of his life. He surely was a man after God’s own heart. He offered wise, Biblical advice to us, and he was always the first person I called for counsel, even through my adult life.
Dad loved Bill Miller BBQ, In and Out Burger, real maple syrup on ice cream, See’s chocolate candy, the OSU Cowboys, Braums, Collin Street Bakery fruitcake, talking about his Navy days, working math problems, playing the piano, teaching people, and serving God.
Though we will miss Dad every day, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Our hope is in knowing that Dad had faith in Jesus Christ as his personal savior, and that is what enabled him to be the man that he was. Dad is now enjoying the glory of the presence of the Lord. He is wearing his crown of righteousness, and Dad surely heard the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Here is the speech from January 2007:
MARVIN ALLYN SMITH: MEMORIES OF OUR DAD
"Many of you have memories of Marvin as a friend, coworker, pastor, or missionary. We knew him as a dad, and we want to share with you some of the things we will remember most about him.
Dad’s priority was always his family. He always had time for us and gladly dropped everything when we approached him with a question or needed help. Dad and Mom attended every sporting event and school function we had. In fact, Dad even kept a detailed notebook on all the stats for Melody’s volleyball and basketball games which he would scrutinize for hours. He also memorized the Oklahoma State course catalog while I was in college and mailed me frequent schedule options in order to help me accomplish my goal of graduating early. His guidance and involvement actually enabled me to graduate from college in only three years without a single wasted credit hour! I can remember him working large puzzles for hours with my brother and building a model ship with him – the Cutty Sark. Dad built a basketball court in the backyard of our Colorado home for us to use, and he built my brother a wooden ramp during his skateboarding phase. He took on the task of teaching me to drive the most formidable of all cars: a 1974 Ford Maverick with no power steering and a column shift. He never got frustrated or lost his patience no matter how many times I stalled the car in traffic. We knew he loved us unconditionally, and he was always committed to whatever activity or interest his children had.
Dad always tried to make family time meaningful while we were growing up. We would often request “Dad’s special popcorn” which consisted of a very precise method of popping the corn, melting real butter on the stove in just the right pan, drizzling the butter over the popcorn “just so,” then distributing portions into the triangle shaped pockets inside our paper napkins. Then, we would cuddle together as a family on one sofa to watch a PBS mini series such as “The Flame Trees of Theka” or The Lawrence Welk Show. In addition, Dad finished out the crawl space under our stairs which was attached to my brother’s bedroom in order to create a special secret area where Asher would play Star Wars for hours. Dad even dug holes in our backyard sod to make our own personal putt-putt golf course, and he tried to grade the difficulty of the holes using the “principles of physics” which he often told us about. Often, on Saturday mornings Dad would make his homemade pancakes, cooking them in shapes onto the griddle.
In addition to his involvement with us, Dad taught us his excellent sense of planning and organization. I grew up reading Consumer Reports as my magazine of choice since we always had back issues on our coffee tables. Dad would always research every major purchase, and the Consumer Reports magazines were still next to his recliner in his final weeks of life. I learned to research my own purchases and comparison shop by his example. When Dad was still able to carry on a conversation, my last interaction with him was about how to select a contractor for my new fence, as he gave me advice from his experience. He helped me with my first tax form, my first bank statement, and my first college application. His most amazing organizational feat was how much he could pack into a car for a trip. When it was time to take me to college, Dad managed to fit my entire wardrobe, bedding, and all the items for my dorm room into our small Honda Civic Wagon, and we still had passenger room for a family of five. We never understood how he was able to masterfully arrange the luggage!
Dad always exemplified hard work, perseverance, and self-discipline to us. His brother, my Uncle Glen, used to tell me that when they were in high school Dad insisted on getting up at the crack of dawn every morning to practice the piano for several hours before school. Of course, this woke up the entire family, but Dad was diligent in his practicing. When I was in 9th grade, Dad offered to help me run a paper route to earn my spending money; this taught me the value of earning my own money and to appreciate hard work. Dad got up with me at 5:30 every morning for over a year and helped me roll the papers while it was still dark outside, and then he trudged alongside me through our neighborhood in Colorado Springs. We delivered those papers together in rain and snow and endured being chased by dogs. Dad did it all for no share in my monetary profit, and he often delivered the route alone, so I could spend the night at a friend’s house. Dad always believed you should work hard and finish what you start, and he was always willing to walk alongside us to help us get the task done.
Another thing my father taught us was the love of education. Due to his encouragement, his three children represent three bachelor’s degrees, one master’s degree, and a Ph.D. Dad loved to learn and always impressed upon us that education is a never ending process. When I finally finished my College Algebra course, which was my albatross, I couldn’t wait to resell my textbook. Dad said not to resell it because he wanted to have it to be able to work math problems -- for fun. That was my dad! We were the only family I knew who had a large whiteboard on a wall in our home where Dad would help us work out our homework problems and tutor us if we were having trouble. I spent hours in high school watching him excitedly work algebra and chemistry problems on that whiteboard in our own little “classroom.” He was a gifted teacher; I saw him come to life when he was teaching as he bounced around on the balls of his feet with his hands clasped together, and I loved learning from him.
But most of all, our dad was a man of true faith. I knew that when I woke up, I could always find Dad every morning in his leather chair in his home office, drinking coffee, with his black leather Bible open on his lap. He led by example, and he always put Christ at the center of his life. He surely was a man after God’s own heart. He offered wise, Biblical advice to us, and he was always the first person I called for counsel, even through my adult life.
Dad loved Bill Miller BBQ, In and Out Burger, real maple syrup on ice cream, See’s chocolate candy, the OSU Cowboys, Braums, Collin Street Bakery fruitcake, talking about his Navy days, working math problems, playing the piano, teaching people, and serving God.
Though we will miss Dad every day, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Our hope is in knowing that Dad had faith in Jesus Christ as his personal savior, and that is what enabled him to be the man that he was. Dad is now enjoying the glory of the presence of the Lord. He is wearing his crown of righteousness, and Dad surely heard the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Friday, July 3, 2009
Everyone needs an Alice . . . and guacomole!
I tried two new things this week. Both involve shopping . . . oh no! First, there is a new website http://www.alice.com/ that sells basic toiletry items and cleaning goods and will ship them to you for free. Lots of other places have tried this concept without much luck, but Alice promises that they are better and cheaper than other online retailers! For starters, shipping is always FREE! You only have to purchase six items for checkout, and that will probably be around $15 in most cases since lots of things are under $2. They have manufacturers' coupons which are applied automatically and listed next to the price. They have a wonderful selection, and I only saw a handful of things that I buy regularly which weren't listed. Everything is divided by "rooms" such as laundry, bath, kitchen, cleaning closet, pets, etc. Then, you can also search by product name or brand. You can specify how often you usually buy a product, and Alice will email you reminders to reorder. I pretty much have Wal-mart prices memorized, and I was pretty impressed with Alice's bottom line -- I'm not sure where they are making their money! A few items (ie: sunscreen) were significantly higher than Wal-mart at $9 per spray can when I paid $7.50 for it last week. However, diapers were the same price for a small pack of Pampers Cruisers after getting a credit for -$2.00 from Alice, so the pack was $8.50. I ordered 11 items of things I really did need to get this next week, and my bill was $35. Alice charged state tax but FREE shipping. My order is supposed to come in two business days. I feel that my order was within $2 of what I would have paid at Wal-mart for those exact items. However, I would avoid the OTC medications at Alice since they are expensive. I usually buy Equate brand (store brands) of all Tylenol, Motrin, Excedrin, etc. Alice only sells the name brands, so that will cost more. However, if you normally buy a name brand product (like Tide, Cheer, Charmin, Colgate, Pledge, Windex, Pampers, etc.), then Alice's prices are pretty competitive.
Now, if you live down the street from Wal-mart (or get a discount as an employee), and you don't work and your kids are in school all day, this is probably not a convenience to you. However, if you are a working mom who wants to avoid one more trip to Wal-mart after work on your way home in order to pick up toilet paper or laundry detergent, then Alice would be great! Also, I can see how people who live in a large city with no vehicle or who have to take a metro to the store would love to order toiletries online, as I can see how someone in the country might find it a big savings over a 20 minute drive one-way to get into "town." Since it is free to set up an account, and you are not bound to future shipments, Alice would be a great service after having a baby or having surgery, when you just couldn't get to Wal-mart or Target for a month or two without a lot of effort. So, I hope this website succeeds! Time (and their ongoing prices) will tell if I continue to use it. For the summer, it is nice because having my Pledge, shampoo, Tide, and toilet paper delivered will be one less trip to Wal-mart in 100 degree weather with three kids begging for candy in the check-out lane!
The next item I newly love does involve going to Wal-mart (or at least that is where I found it in the refrigerated area of the produce). It is prepacked guacomole that is actually wonderful! I am pretty picky about my guacomole, and I thought it might taste fake. This brand called Wholly Guacomole is all-natural with only lime juice and garlic salt added. If you add a diced tomato, no one would know it wasn't homemade. So, there's my tip on what to bring to the next party you have to go to when you sign up to bring a snack! It is better than what I ate at a restaurant recently! Seriously. If you like guacomole, this is sold year-round, so you don't have to pay as much for a fresh avocado, nor do you have to worry that you'll get home with a bagful of buised avocados that end up making brown dip! It comes in a single tub or a package with six individual serving "snack packs" (perfect for me since I can't eat the whole tub in one day, and no one else in my family will touch the stuff!). It is around $3.85 at Wal-mart and worth every penny!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
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