Timing is Everything

You might remember back in February when I was really stressed out, and then we had a stroke of good luck, which resulted in a new apartment and a new job. I can now say with certainty that God has a sense of humor.

If you know me, you know I'm not naturally a sit-back-and-see-what-happens kind of person. I'm a go-getter; if I want something to happen, then I make it happen. However, you also know that I try to combat my tendency to take this personality trait to the extreme--and sometimes life (God) has a way of keeping me in check.

I've been totally on top of this whole wedding business. I mean, seriously, check out my to-do list, and tell me that you're not impressed. I've even had time this week to spend extra time at the gym, watch some Netflix, and take my baby D for plenty of walks. I can credit my organization to my need to feel in control. I love things (like my wedding) that I can control. I can stay relaxed, knowing that I've done everything I need to do in plenty of time, and I don't need to worry.

What bugs me is when there's something I can't control (i.e. an airplane, the weather, my immune system, and A JOB SEARCH). However, as all of us searching for employment in this crazy economy know, it's just not that simple.

Recently, I'd been feeling pretty down about the whole job situation. "Don't take it personally," a co-worker kept telling me. But it's hard not to take it personally. I knew it wasn't too late to be hired for next year, and I knew I had other opportunities to fall back on, but I wanted what I wanted when I wanted it--which was NOW. A good friend of mine signed a contract with an area school district a couple of weeks ago, and I immediately started kicking myself. Why didn't I apply with that district? What had I said in my interviews I'd had so far that had turned the interviewers off? Was it because I had stumbled over the reading instruction question? Dang it, I had a better answer to that.... Maybe I could email that interviewer and tell him what I meant to say...


Another co-worker kept reminding me, "You have so many wonderful things going on in your life right now. Concentrate on those things. You're living such a blessed life." Yeah, yeah, yeah. That wasn't working.


I finally came to a point where I had accepted reality--for the most part. This week, I've been focusing on the wedding and my upcoming marriage, packing for Hawaii, and looking forward to seeing all of my extended family come together this weekend. I had almost forgotten about the job search (almost). Then, on Monday, I got a call for an interview. Not another screening interview, but a real interview for a real teaching position with a real principal at a real school.


To be honest, my first thought was, This week??? Really??? But I quickly re-adjusted my priorities and spent my ample free time (haha) updating my portfolio, and formulating strong responses for those questions I knew they'd ask. I'd hardly even mentioned my interview to anyone because I didn't want to jinx myself.


And this is the part where God says, "I told you I'd take care of it." Yesterday, I aced my interview, and by the end of the work day, HR had called and offered me the position. I literally could hardly believe it. B was, of course, at the gym. After calling my mom, my aunt, and my best friend, I paced the apartment like Scrooge waiting for Bob Cratchit the day after Christmas. As soon as D whined at the window (my never-failing alarm that B has pulled into the parking lot), I flew down the stairs of our building.


I got the job, I got the job!!

When It Rains...

My previous post's title would be an apt name for life this past week. You know how they say "When it rains, it pours"? Well...

I started off a little down last Friday when a teaching position I'd had my eye on for next year was filled--by someone other than myself. I spent the weekend reviewing the several applications I currently have in to school districts and applying with a few more. Although I'm trying not to let the negativity of the economy and the current budget situation get me down, seeing district after district holding up their "We're Not Hiring" signs is a little hard to ignore.

Then, Monday morning, I heard from the service shop where I'd taken Sally, my 1997 Saturn, over the weekend for an oil change. I'd also asked them to take a quick listen to the new whirring noise I'd been noticing on the highway. Well, the mystery noise turned out to the be worst mystery noise possible--the transmission. It was time to look for a new car.

I've driven Sally since my 16th birthday. And my mom drove Sally before I did. She's been in our family for a long time.

I'm going to miss my tropical seat covers (covering the small tear in the seat cushion).

My reminder to myself that smiling makes everything seem better.

The sticker on Sally's ceiling is reminiscent of the first day my best friend, Kelly, came over in third grade. It was a remnant of the class Valentine's party we'd had that day.

Then, Monday night, over in the STL, my grandpa was taken to the hospital in the middle of the night. Although we've now learned that the problems he was having were caused by a poorly-reacting medication, I was pretty shaken up when I talked to him the next day. It's hard to watch someone you care about getting older.


Keep in mind that all of this was happening six weeks before the wedding, and one week before our big move. My cell phone and email were busy between all the car dealers, insurance agents, florists, chefs, Dairy Queen managers, banquet coordinators, musicians, grandfathers, and... sadly... no school districts. I was crunching numbers constantly, trying to figure out how we were possibly going to afford a car payment on top of our double rent (until July), honeymoon, etc. (The fact that I don't have a job lined up for fall made that especially painful.) 

Monday night I literally slept for less than two hours; by Tuesday afternoon, I had literally worried myself sick with a 100-degree fever.


However, as luck would have it, a couple from church just happened to mention to a mutual friend that they were looking to sell their 2006 Kia Sportage--which just so happened to be #2 on the list of cars I was interested in. After a phone call and a quick visit the next day, I agreed to buy the car (and they agreed to sell it to me) for a very reasonable price. Phew! Crisis averted.

My first ever new-to-me car.

Naming cars is a pretty important job. I haven't come up with the perfect name for her yet (yes, she's clearly a female).

The previous owners are big KU fans. Still unsure about the stickers--we're not NOT KU fans, we're just... not KU fans. We'll see if they make the cut.

Thursday, my grandpa was released from the hospital. He still has some physical therapy to go through, and it doesn't sound as though his problems are 100% resolved, but the situation is not as dire as it was earlier in the week. Again, some relief there.

I would love to end this post by telling you that Problem #3 was solved and I was offered a fantastic teaching position for the fall... but that didn't happen. Oh, well. At this point, I feel as though I've done as much as I can do. I'm contacting my contacts, brushing up my applications, and just plain trying to be the best ol' kindergarten grade level aide possible. The only thing left to do is to adopt a more positive attitude. So, now, I'm just reminding myself to "Smile!"

P.S. Remember what day tomorrow is??? April 25! Move-In Day!

The Kia's all packed up with our first load of stuff.

It's really incredible how much this car can hold!

Generation Millennial

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness.  You have to catch it yourself. 

~Benjamin Franklin

I've fallen into a slump.


I know, I know. My last three or four posts detail how everything is going so great lately. And everything is going so great lately! So why can't I just accept it and be happy?

My mom attended a business conference yesterday for public relations. She informed me when she got home that I am part of the "millennial" generation. Apparently, they'd spent much of the day talking about how to appeal to this generation. I think I could have taught them a thing or two. As a member of the millennial generation, I am never quite satisfied: 

• I got the 3G iPod Touch for my birthday. Great! But what I'd really like is a 4G iPhone because it's such a pain to carry my phone and my iPod. 
• My closet holds enough clothes to dress a small army. Or even a large army. But, somehow, I never own the right pair of pants for an outfit, and I have a running list of items I "need."
• I have a car. It's been running for 13 years. I don't have to make any payments on it, it has all its windows (no duck tape/plastic wrap for me!), and absolutely nothing on it or in it is chipped or broken. Yet, I long for the day when a repair is just too much, and I can trade it in (for about 5 cents) and purchase something different.

Spending money feels good, and there are always changes to be made and needs to be met. This doesn't only apply to my wallet and my material things.

This week I've been looking forward to the future. A lot. And I don't just mean because I have a big wedding and a honeymoon coming up, and I'm excited. I'm talking about that chronic feeling of dissatisfaction.

• Yes, I have a job. And it's at a school. And it pays like a teacher. But I don't have my own classroom. I'll be happy when I have my own classroom.
• Yes, I have a fantastic fiance. And he loves me. And I love him. And I love that I get to see him every day. But I only get to see him for about one hour every day. I'll be happy when I can see him for longer.
• Yes, we have an awesome apartment in our very near future. But April 25 is not here yet. I'll be happy on April 25.

This isn't a new thing for me. Freshman year of college I needed  a car up at Truman. Then sophomore year I had to move off campus. I moved off campus and then I just couldn't stand that other couples were getting engaged. When that happened, it was miserable not to see B every day. I just knew that when I moved back to KC I'd finally by happy.


In the name of science, I've observed evidence of this theory in many other subjects (i.e. people my age). My friends that have been accepted to wonderful graduate programs, but will not truly find happiness until they've paid off all their student loans. Generation Millennials that have gotten married, have beautiful children, but know they won't be truly satisfied until their money troubles are in control. And those with a fantastic job, a cozy apartment, a wide network of friends, but who can't accept it as life without a relationship. 


Recently my prayers have been to live in the moment and appreciate the many, many blessings God has thrown my way. I am working to enjoy these last six weeks in my parents' house, to cherish the little time I spend with B every day, and to learn from the four teachers I'm job-sharing with, to appreciate the experience and wisdom they have to offer before I am thrown into my own classroom.


What do you think--is it a generational thing, or am I just greedy?

Shedding New Light on our Living Situation

May the roof above us never fall in
And may we good companions beneath it never fall out.

~Irish Blessing

Our strain of good luck continued yesterday, when we met with the leasing agent at our apartment complex of choice.

Remember our indecision over Floor Plan #1 and Floor Plan #2? Well, we've mulled over the options and come to an answer! 

And the winner is...


Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrumrollllll, pleeeeeeease...

Floor Plan #2!!!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, we opted for the separate laundry room, fireplace, and extra square-footage over the first-floor walkout with the cute little linen closet. 

So, after making this decision in light of the fabulous news about my job (my job! my job! my job! golly, I could say that all day), we made an appointment for Saturday--yesterday--to officially be put on the waiting list.

Good things come in threes, right? Well, if we had to number the past week, it would look something like this:

1. Katie gets a job.

2. B's apartment complex lets him move out early.


3. We sign a contract on our first choice apartment!

That's right. It just so happens that a guy living in our favorite floor plan on the upper level is moving out in April. AND the leasing agent worked a dealio with the manager to hold the space for us until our official move-in date of April 25.

We're so excited to have a clearer picture of our life together. I spent part of yesterday afternoon making a to-scale model of the floor plan and cut-outs of our furniture (thanks Young House Love for the help!). I tagged along with my mom and aunt to Nebraska Furniture Mart, where I came to the conclusion that we'll be retired by the time we can actually afford to furnish an entire house--no, actually, I was surprised/impressed with their reasonable prices! 

Last night after dinner, I talked B into going to Target where we hemmed and hawed in the lamp aisle before finally choosing two lamp shades and posts (that's right, we know how to live it up on a Saturday night!). If you haven't seen their mix-and-match lamp collection, it's marvelous. Although, for someone who deliberates far too long over every little decision, it can get a little dangerous.

WARNING: I apologize for the poor quality of these pictures. My 6-year-old digital camera has begun to show it's age (we're registered for a new one, so I'm trying my darnedest to restrain myself from buying a new one), and these are taken with my iPod touch.

Last night I was haunted by dreams of furniture-arrangement dilemmas (thank goodness we don't actually have 10 armchairs to fit in our living room). But during my waking hours, I've been daydreaming of paint colors (muted green), giant mirrors (on the wall of our dining area), and bookshelves (how to cover the tape marks on my childhood furniture??).

We have a lot to do between now and April 25. But I can't complain, as the end result will be waking up next to, cooking dinner with, and grocery shopping with my one-and-only.

My A+ Day

All I really need to know... I learned in kindergarten.

~ Robert Fulghum 

I've officially marked Feb. 21, 2011 as an "A+" day in my record book.


I spent most of the morning worrying. And it all boiled down to this: Last year, about this time, B and I started talking about how we would really like to be all moved into an apartment before the wedding, so that when we came home from our honeymoon we could settle in, unwrap gifts, and enjoy married life. I nagged specifically asked that he be sure to talk with his current apartment complex before signing another lease. "It'd be great if you could sign a lease that was up by June, at the latest," I said, thinking of our June 11th wedding date.


A few weeks later, we had a conversation that went a little something like this:


B: "So, I signed my new lease!"
Me: "Okay, great, so what'd they say?"
B: "Um, that I could sign my lease."
Me: "But weren't you going to ask them something?"
B: "If I could sign my lease?"
Me: "About signing a shorter one?"
B: "Oh. Well, it's up in July."
Me: (pause) "Oh, okay."


For the past year, I tried to view this conversation as another glimpse into married life. But I was absolutely dreading laying on the beach in Hawaii--okay, I was never dreading laying on the beach in Hawaii--and knowing that three days after getting back, we'd be moving. I hate moving. Blech.


Okay, so fast forward to about last weekend, when we'd found a great apartment, and my stress level about all the things that surround a wedding had been growing steadily. Although B still said it didn't stress him out to think about moving after the honeymoon (I don't believe him), we kept talking about how it really would be nice to move earlier in the spring.


However, there were two obstacles:
1) He is (obviously) still under his lease until July. And, after talking to some people, and looking up info online, most apartment complexes charge astronomical fees if you even hint towards moving out before the end of your contract. Although we hadn't spoken with his complex yet, I was expecting the worst.
2) Um, money. We knew that we could afford an apartment, especially by later in the spring/summer when I'm subbing more, tutoring more, nannying... but it just felt risky to make such a financial commitment.


Alright, so, you've probably forgotten by now that I hooked you into reading this post by promising a story of an "A+" day. I didn't lie, I promise. Here it comes...


At about 4:40pm on Monday, I got a call from the Superintendent of HR at a local school district, offering me an interview for a teaching position starting immediately. That's right, immediately! I was over-the-moon excited, and said yes, of course, I'd interview the next day!


At about 4:50pm on Monday, B heard back from his apartment complex, and without going into the nitty-gritty, we are free-and-clear when it comes to moving early!

WOOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!!

Needless to say, I was all smiles.


It got even better, though, when I went to my interview the next day...


... and they offered me the job on the spot!


So, that's right, ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at (er, reading the writing of) a brand-new...


Kindergarten teacher!