For those who are curious...
I have accepted a part time job at a local Floral shop in the town where my kids go to school (25-32 hours a week). So, looks like I will be a Florist/Designer again; I put myself through College and the University being one. There are other places that wanted to hire me, but they wanted me to work Sundays, and that is just plain not a function in our lives. That is God and Family day, and that is how it will stay.
As for the part-time job (9-10 hours a week) teaching at my children's school, I did that interview, and I feel good about it. I hope to still get that job, but I won't know that for one and a half to two months, and I have bills to pay now. So, if I do get it, I believe and pray that the two jobs will work together well, still giving me nights and Sundays with my family. Saturday, well that belongs to the flower shop. If the two jobs don't work together, I will have to cross that bridge at that time. From everything I have heard from the owner of the flower shop, she tells me she is understanding about me wanting to be with my children and wanting to help in their education.
I also want to give a big shout out to my sister-in-law without who's love and help none of this could happen. She is the one who will be collecting my youngest every day from K-grade for me. That part is tearing me up! I will miss her excited face as she says bye to all her little friends and all the little kids telling me thank you for helping every day. I feel like I have let them down somehow. I was only a room mom, but I was the room mom who was there every day 15 minutes before class and 10 minutes after to make sure I could help in any way I could.
Yesterday, to top it off, one daughter was locked in her classroom for two hours (somehow four of her classmates had broken the class door and locked every one in), and she was so excited to see me after they shattered a window to get them out of the classroom because the locksmith wasn't working fast enough. She came running to me yelling, "Mae Mae" (which means "mom"), worried that I would be mad that she didn't come right out when school was over (I already knew what was happening), and she was excited to see me at the same time and tell me of her adventure. I wasn't mad, I was just concerned that she was okay and not cut from going out a broken window.
My middle daughter had someone pull the fire alarm at her school, so she was scared, too, because they where not sure if the school was really on fire or if it was a childish prank. Either way, not good to a second grader. She was glad to see Mae, too, and know she was safe.
The third was trying to loose her second tooth. In our house that can mean lots of blood because of VWD (Von Willenbrands Disease, similar in concept to hemophilia). So she had blood on her hands, all over her face, and was scared because she saw her reflection. I finished removing the tooth from her mouth, cleaned her up, and stopped the bleeding so she wasn't scared any more. Then to see her excitement afterward that, hey, the tooth fairy is coming tonight! From scared to happy in all of 10 minutes. Now I have to miss some of this and all the children at their schools who I have helped every day. Sadness and lack of sleep don't even come close to describing me right now.
At the same time I am excited about working again, and the interaction with people and all that brings; just a little ball of emotional nerves, I guess. New job starts in four hours -- wish me and my family luck and love that we can get through these changes because all my children have ever known is Mom is always there home, school, church, anywhere; and now, that isn't the case.
I wanted to thank all my readers who sent well wishes and thoughts and encouragement. It has meant a lot to me.
The Easter Lilly on this page came from my youngest daughter's teacher at school as a birthday present to me. An Easter lily; a symbol of Christ and all he has done for us, and how he knows all our pains, and of rebirth. I will leave this post thinking of that.
