It has been two months since I've posted anything on here!! My apologies... I just kind of got out of the habit. Well, let me update you all on some things....
Okay, so the first is that Kiff's baby is due in a week and a half - on Labor Day of all days. :) She is doing just fine. She's a little small (she really does not look 9 months pregnant) and hasn't gained as much weight as might be normal, I guess, but the doctors say there is nothing to worry about. Wesley will just be on the small side. So that's his name - Wesley Adam Case. Wesley is just cause she likes the name, and Adam is after her mom whose maiden name was Adams. She has had two baby showers (one here and one in NJ) and has nearly everything that she will need. She really has been blessed by so many generous people in her life. And I must say, watching her during this time has been really neat because I'm seeing her become so much more mature. She's making great decisions and is getting her little nest ready and is more responsible around the house... She's going to be a great mom. A month or so after Wesley makes his appearance is when they will move to NJ to live with Kiff's Aunt Alice (who is her mom's sister). She is also going to be Jeff's parents' caretakers. They just need someone to help transport Jeff's mom (who can't walk) and to cook and clean for them. This will be a source of income for Kiff (Jeff and I are paying her a stipend for this service) and a wonderful answer to prayer since Jeff's parents are at the point where they really need daily help. Plus they live within walking distance of Alice's house, so all in all it's a perfect fit. We are so grateful for God's leading in this and for his provision.
That leads me to a prayer request!! I had thought that I would be working as a full-time middle school math teacher this fall, from which Kiff's stipend would come. Things have not gone as planned, however...
Over the summer, after I had distributed my teaching portfolio and applied for all posted middle school math jobs, I found out why I wasn't getting any calls for interviews. Apparently, middle schools in Loudoun County prefer that their middle school math teachers have an additional Algebra endorsement - which I do not have. Algebra is being taught more and more in grades 7-8, and a regular old Middle School Math 6-8 endorsement just isn't enough in their eyes. The problem is that to gain this additional endorsement, I would need to take the Praxis test for math grades 6-12... which includes trigonometry, calculus, probability and statistics, linear algebra... all that higher end math that I either haven't ever studied or would need to study for a long time before I could pass that Praxis test. It simply wasn't going to happen by the beginning of this school year.
I finally was able to interview for a 6th grade position but did not get the job.
So. Basically, even though this program I've been in all but promised that I would get a math teaching job, I am stuck with a certification that is almost useless in this area of Virginia. It has been a lesson in the wonderfully efficient and sensible world of the public school system.
I have decided to become certified in English for grades 6-12 as well, which they say is a also critical need area. I am taking that Praxis test three weeks from today. I've already taken the practice test and passed it with flying colors, so I'm feeling confident about it. Unfortunately, however, the first day of school is on Monday, and all English teaching jobs have been filled. And although they say that jobs can open up even on into October, I would think the chances of that are pretty slim.
The bottom line right now is that I kind of need to find a job; it would just really help with our financial obligations right now. I did apply for a study hall monitor position at a middle school in Ashburn. That would get my foot in the door and provide an opportunity to familiarize myself with the school system without actually being a contracted teacher; but I honestly don't know what my chances are of getting even that. I'm discouraged but trying to keep my chin up. (And yes, I realize that I just ended a sentence with a preposition. Don't worry... I won't do that on the exam.) :)
I know God will provide.
Oh, one more thing: our house. We had put it on the market in late May, and although we've had a lot of traffic, we haven't received any offers. Lately traffic has really dropped off. (Oops... another preposition at the end of a sentence.) We are probably going to take it a month at a time; then, come November, if it's not sold we'll likely take it off the market and maybe try again in the spring.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Three Years!
Three years ago yesterday I married a pretty spectacular man... We celebrated with a concert at Wolf Trap on Friday (Rain - A Tribute to the Beatles... fun show), got there early to enjoy a picnic Panera Bread lunch, and almost got caught in a thunderstorm but thankfully had seats reserved under the pavilion for the show. Now we're in California for the week! Jeff is here on business and I have tagged along. Love those frequent flier miles! We're in Newport Beach and I'm stuck poolside surrounded by palm trees and the gorgeous California sunshine. It's rough. :) Here's the view from our hotel window:
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Great Falls
So a few weeks ago, Jeff and I went to Great Falls, VA, which I didn't know actually has some pretty great falls! It was a hot day but he views were spectacular.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Gray Turns One!
Look at this adorable one year old!! LOVE HIM.
Learning from Grandpa Grange how to hit a pinata...
Friday, May 18, 2012
Leah & Kallie Come to Visit!
Leah and Kallie are planning to move to Texas within the next month, so they came down to Virginia for a quick visit before they're out of the area! We have LOVED having them here. Kallie is growing so fast! She toddles everywhere and is talking a little too... mama, baba (baby), apple, bear, uh-oh, hi, bye bye, night night.... it's so fun!!!
This little girl brings me so much joy. I just can't even say how much.
She helped me unload the dishwasher yesterday morning...
Oh, and they came with me to visit Mrs. Anderson, and since I had my camera with me, I decided to get a picture of the two of us! I visit her once a week still.
Then we met up with Kiff and all went strawberry picking!
Kallie loved loved loved it...
She couldn't get enough strawberries!!
Kiff is really getting big... She's a glowing mama-to-be. She's also turning 20 next week!
Kallie loves cell phones - and I mean she is completely enthralled by them. She picks up anything electronic that's sort of that size (remotes... iPods...) and thinks they're cell phones. She lifts them to her ear and says something that sort of sounds like, "Hello?" But we obviously have to be careful to not let her play with our phones too much ~ or she'll actually make phone calls and such. So I decided to give her an old one of mine that we can't use anymore. That way she can punch all the buttons she wants without accidentally calling someone! :)
She loves it!!
Hello?
Eating her ap-pa! She eats apples all the time, but she isn't used to cold ones. We keep ours in the frig... so that's why she's got this look on her face! Too cute.
Singing "If You're Happy and You Know It!" Clapping...
Keeping her eye on her mama so she knows what to do... Stomping her feet!
I love you Kallie!!!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
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