Jamie's New Job

After laying in bed for 2 hours, hoping to fall asleep before the alarm rings at 5:45, I decided to give up and type awhile. So, now it's one in the morning, I've caught up on several of your posts (wonderful late night reading), and figured I would post, as well.

The last month has been a whirlwind. I am getting reacquainted with the workforce...I started a job in September as an educational assistant (teacher's aide) at one of our local schools, West Kindergarten Center. As the name suggests, it is entirely made up of kindergarten classes (6 of them, all full day). And I am loving it. It is so fun to be able to work with children, especially because our church doesn't really have any of its own. I get my kid-fixes in all week, and I think it is making me a better wife (at least a happier wife) for Josh when I return home each day. I can't fully explain just how much I love this job . . . and there are 116 5 & 6-year-old reasons. In the last month I have had more encouragement & compliments from "my kids" than I think Josh & I have had in the last year...and coming from a really encouraging church family & work environment in Marion, that has meant a lot to us. (I don't want to sound negative--While this last year was tough and pretty discouraging, we were not alone...we have amazing support from others in our district and several in our church here...but it is so good to have that encouragement each day!) So, back to school...I work with two teachers in their classrooms, have 2 recess duties (my favorite!), morning bus duty (thus the 5:45 alarm!), and then office coverage, general cutting/pasting/laminating/copying time, and lunch duty (I can open milk cartons pretty well:). It's definitely not the same intensity that I had in World Impact by a long shot...and sometimes I miss that purposeful driven environment and mission and wonder if I am pursuing the right dream at this moment...but right now, it is so nice to not have to worry about what might happen next at work and not be in charge of anything important (financial/travel/etc!). And did I mention, I love the kids?! There are several whom I am attached to and I even have a little secret admirer--tons of fun:) The job offers just enough hours to help us financially and get me out of the house, but isn't full-time, which I know we couldn't handle right now. It's been a great way to get to know several others in the community and make contact with parents of all of these kids...so we are feeling more a part of Baraboo...Josh also comes in three days a week to volunteer in the classrooms, and the teachers just love that. All in all, it is a great arrangement. Tomorrow we all go on our first bus field trip to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard, and I am so excited! Perhaps it's time to crawl back in bed, pull up the covers and start counting sheep....good night!