Ok. Where to begin?
First... two Mondays ago started off a whirlwind of interviews for teaching positions. That alone was enough to make me want to jump off a cliff. Some folks really get carried away with the questions. Geez. That really is taxing on a girl's mind, body, and soul.
Next...two Thursdays ago, I get home from a fun little shopping trip to find out that DH's brother was injured on the job (he's a bricklayer). A forklift ran over him!!! Well, his leg. Twice!!! So they spent the next 4 days doing three surgeries on his right foot, trying to piece it back together. From the beginning he was told that he had a 50/50 chance of losing the foot. Now this guy is the most healthy, athletic 50 year old guy you'll ever come across. Does marathons, triathlons, cycles across the state with DH. So the whole thing is just heart breaking. Last Tuesday they said, oh, you're doing great. We're sending you home tomorrow. Not. The next day they said, um, we're gonna have to amputate from the knee down. Damn. So this past Thursday they did just that.
Now, in the meantime, between running back and forth to the hospital in Memphis (2.5 hours from here), I'm still doing interviews. And trying to get ready for this trip. This Grand Gathering. This trip of a lifetime for 9 people who have been promised the world by me and Will.
So I find three schools that I'm diggin'. They all tell me they'll call me with offers or rejections by dates ranging from June 25-July 1. My #1 pick isn't going to contact me until July 1--after the other two are scheduled to contact me. See my dilema? Now how am I supposed to handle that? If I get an offer on the 25th, what do I tell them? Oh, and by the way. All these schools are in Little Rock. An hour away when there's no traffic. Easily and hour and a half during drive time. So we, as a family unit, decide that if I get and accept an offer, we'll move down there. (DH already works down there and would LOVE to move there after having commuted for 9 years.)
Are you with me?
Two of my top choices are charter schools. Meaning they have their own set of rules and unique qualities. One of those being the hours. 8:00-5:00!!! They're trying to churn out some smart kids, so I guess it takes a few extra hours each week!
So...hospital, shopping/packing, world promising, interviewing, house hunting, pre-listing house prepping, regular life stuff.
It all comes to a head last Friday. Brother-in-law has come through surgery. Miserable, drugged up, flirting with the nurses, asking for BBQ ribs (he was, afterall, in Memphis). I got some serious packing done and lots of pre-trip stuff marked off my list. By then I had started a list of all the things we needed to do in order to get the house ready to sell. And the whole time I'm stressing about which school is going to call and when. And what do I tell them.
And then I check the mail.
I had a letter, four days before anticipated. Congratulations, you've been chosen to teach at....my FIRST CHOICE SCHOOL! Yippee!!! Now, who cares if the others call! I got the one I wanted!!! Yippee!!! And they contacted me early cause they knew I was looking at other schools. Dang, that feels good!!! Now this is a brand new school. And I'm one of maybe 5 teachers who've been hired at this point. And I've been asked to come on as a curriculum consultant starting July 21. Yippee!!! I'll feel so important when the other teachers come on board!
So then...(I know. It's crazy. But hang in with me; we're almost done!) Sean and I decide NOT to move to LR. It's just too much stress right now. Maybe all the crazy stuff going on made us realize that moving and all that comes with it is too much bother. We'll just both commute. Separate cars (different hours). And deal with it for now.
OoohOoohOoh. I've forgotten all the tshirt making. For the trip. Whenever I found a spare minute and a spare bit of energy, I've been working on those dang shirts. I gotta say, though I'm cursing myself for ever offering to make them for everyone, they are the cutest things ever. Gotta get some pics for y'all.
So that brings me to today.
Everyone is well or mending. I'm not moving. I have a new school. I'm half-packed. And all is good.
