The big news is...

I got a new job.

I hadn't planned on looking for a new job at the end of this school year because of the budgets and schools all over the state were letting go of teachers. I didn't think anyone would have any job openings and I also didn't think that there would be any elective openings either.

However, we heard from a friend that there were openings for our subject areas in the district we wanted so badly to be in. Our friend helped get us pre-screening interviews. BTW she works in the administration building. So a few days after we applied and emailed the director, she called us for our interviews. I didn't feel like mine went so well because I was extremely nervous and I felt like I was a complete blathering idiot. However, she told me to start contacting principals. Done.

At this point, Ryan and I had decided to go visit family in southeast Texas. We're nowhere near home but planned to make the treck back home if we got called.

A few days go by and I got an email from a principal at a middle school asking for an interview. I accepted. But that same day, she emailed me back letting me know the position was already offered to someone else unbeknownst to her. She was out of the country and the outgoing principal offered. She apologized and I understood and thanked her. No harm done. It was great knowing that I piqued her interest.

A couple more days go by and I get a phone call from the high school asking for an interview. I accept. That day, my mom and I went back to north Texas. We made plans to just go to Austin from there. She was accompanying me to one of my conferences like last year. The following day I had the interview. I was pretty confident, but still nervous and I kept replaying the questions and answers in my mind thinking how I could've answered better.

Got home, mom and I made dinner and halfway into my meal, I get a phone call. The hiring director announced that the principal recommended me for the job. I excitedly accepted!

But then, drama started. What to do with that pesky conference in Austin? Kosher to go? Probably not. And Ryan wanted me to start looking for apartments the following day. A move was in store. I made some phone calls and got the conference reservation cancelled and the money refunded to the ISD. In all the excitement, we decided to have a garage sale so mom and I got that done. Made a little money and a small dent in the amount of junk we have stored away. The following day, we headed back to southeast Texas.

We officially resigned from the ISD today without a problem. They wished us luck. I'm going back to the school tomorrow to clean out my office. I know a lot of the students are going to be disappointed. One called me today and the poor darling started crying. This is going to be difficult. I just hope that they can understand. That's all that I can ask of them.

The school gave me a start in my career. I've grown so much as an educator and an individual. And I'm very thankful of the opportunity I had. Even with those very trying and tiring days.

Another chapter closed, a new one opening.