~*I'm FINALLY a Teacher!!!*~

I just knew that when I went back to school to get an additional endorsement on my teaching certificate something had to happen in my job field for me!!! It took me 6 years to finish my teaching degree and the teaching market was horrible (and still is) and I thought that I should go back to school to get another endorsement on my certificate since that's what everyone was telling me that I should do to become more marketable. I took that advice and enrolled into Baker to get my ZA (early childhood) endorsement. Last fall I started that adventure full time along with working at Wesco full time and let me tell you it was HARD juggling it all with my family life! Then along came February of this year when my friend Kristi told me to go apply to become a preschool aide for the MSR program at OV. I did that and was hired the same day! So, then I was working 2 jobs (=55 hrs/week!!) and continuing to go to school full time to complete my ZA...the only reason I was working 2 jobs was because Wesco was paying for my school :)
I finished my ZA in June and took the certification test in July and of course passed with flying colors, but the test worried me because I had soooo much riding on it!

Fast forward to now...
At the start of this school year, we did not hit the preschool numbers of children that we thought we would, so everyone was somewhat worried as to what was going to happen with jobs and we thought we were possibly going to lose some staff :( We had an emergency staff meeting after school a couple weeks ago to discuss the changes that had to take place in our preschool department in order for everyone to keep their jobs. Because our staff numbers exceeded the student ratio (meaning too many staff for the number of children we had) we had to "eliminate" 2 positions in the MSR department. The directors decided that we would keep everyone, but we needed to move 2 people to another building in order to make this happen. So, we were adding another head start classroom with a MSR teacher...this type of classroom just got passed into legislation and everyone decided that this would be best for all of us! Because we needed an MSR teacher, those who were already a teacher were given the option to move to the other building. None of the teachers wanted to move since we already started the school year and of course none of them wanted to give up their students. Since all of them turned down the position, I was next in line to take the opening if I wanted it! Of course I said yes!!! This means that I have my own classroom now and I'm officially a teacher!! I'm teaching preschool, but now I can finally get some teaching experience under my belt and move on later to a K-5 position if I choose to, but I may stay in the preschool department! I am sooo excited! I get to organize/arrange/and decorate the classroom the way I want to :) I got to order new stuff for the classroom and Mike's grandpa is building me some really cool toys shelves!! The classroom was totally empty when I started so I knew that I had a lot in store for me...

There is a lot of work to put into this, and I'm working away to get it finished by September 29th!! That's my kids' first day with me!! I have 14 students whom I get to meet next week!! God has opened this door for me and has blessed me with my own classroom!! I also get a pay raise and benefits so that's really cool too!!
If anyone wants to come see my room when it's finished, let me know!! I would love for you to come see it!!

J in Preschool!!!

Today marks a new chapter for Johnathon and for myself! Today was Johnathon's first day of preschool!!! I really still cannot believe it! He is already in school and I can still remember all the memories of being pregnant with him, labor, delivery, birth, and him growing into the little man he is today! He may be a stinker at times, but he is truly one of the greatest gifts I have ever received (along with Karson!!) and I am thankful that God has blessed me with my boYs!!

J had soo much fun! They sang, danced, played with toys, and listened to a story :) J impressed his teachers by building a tower of 21 blocks and counted the 21 blocks in order...he is gonna be my math whiz!! J is going to preschool with his cousin Gabby! I was nervous about that at first, but having each other there I think will help them make this transition!

Mommy didn't cry either!! I'm really surprised. I thought about it all night and morning, but when we got there, tons of things were going on and I didn't have time to blink and think about crying :) I'm normally a really sensitive person especially when it comes to things like this, but
maybe that'll be at the end of the year!

Here are some pictures capturing his adventure!

J walking up to the school all by himself!

Posing for a picture outside the school :)

Gabby and J had to walk in together!!

Too cuTe!!

They are sooo excited!

Going in to see Miss. Brennan and Ms. Aldridge!

Mom getting another picture before he goes in!

Saying hello to all their new friends!!

Singing the hello song :) This is when I left :(

Last Weekend of Summer!!

For Labor Day Weekend, we decided we would try an overnight camping trip with the boYs up to Mike's co-workers cottage in Newaygo!! It was a lot of fun taking the boYs in the water, playing in the sand, making goodies around the campfire, and going in the kayak. It was very exhausting at the same time trying to keep them outta trouble, but it was a good experience for them and for us! We set up our tent and Johnathon slept with us, while Karson slept in his pack and play in Pat's trailer since he went to bed before us :) We weren't going to stay overnight, but everyone talked us into it!! It was a lot of fun. J wasn't afraid of the water (so hopefully that phase is over!) and he kept his plugs in like a good boy!! He has to wear them for at least 6 months becuase of his surgery and I was afraid he might try and take them out, but he didn't! All in all it was a good time relaxing and spending time with friends right before the start of the new school year...it's gonna get busy!!