My new job!

So on Monday I will start my new job.  It will be at Cherokee Charter Academy, and I will be a Curriculum Resource Teacher.  This charter school just got the green light to start, so they hired an entire staff last week.  I interviewed on Thursday, got hired Friday night, and they told me to start on Monday.

I told them there was no way I could.  They agreed that I could have a week left at Papa's, and then begin the following week.  Kids come starting August 15th.  I am going to be one of two CRT's.  The other lady's name is Lorelei and she has been teaching at one of these charter schools down in Florida for the past three years. We have offices!  She has the bigger one, I have the smaller one, which is fine.  We both have windows!  She said, "We drew straws yesterday and you got the short one."  Very funny. 

Saturday, I did the unthinkable.  I spent the ENTIRE afternoon at the mall.  I knew I needed an updated wardrobe for this new position, and even though I hate shopping, I tredged through it.  I actually found some really great stuff and was really excited about it.  Until I got the following email titled "Employee Dress Code": 

Logo shirts are to be worn at all times. Shirts must be a solid color, collared polo type shirt or button down dress shirt. A cardigan type of sweater with a logo may also be worn over a solid color shirt. Bottoms can be pants, skirts or Capri’s but must come down below the knee. Pants should be black, brown, gray, navy or khaki. No jean materials are allowed. Shoes must be closed toe and closed back, and you may wear tennis shoes. All clothing and shoes should be clean and neat in appearance with no tears or holes. You will receive one shirt from CCA but any others will need to be purchased.  The shirt that is purchased for you should be worn for the open house and the 1^st day of school. Logoed shirts can be purchased from All Uniform Wear. You will also have the option of buying a shirt from any store and then bringing it in to the school store .  The cost to add our logo is $5 until August 12.     You may also purchase the student shirts at the school store.  

So  I spent HOURS at the mall, totally out of my element, and I get to go return everything I just bought.  AWESOME!  Not.

My last day at Papa's is tomorrow.  To make matters worse, there still is no replacement for me.  I haven't even gotten to train anyone this week.  Not for a lacking of trying; Lynne offered the job to THREE different people this week, and they each turned it down.  Who applies, interviews, gets the position, and then turns it down?  Three people in one week!

I will be sad to leave Papa's, but this way I will be able to still volunteer there during the summer.  [insert shameless plug] Papa's Pantry is turning 13 on August 13th!  If you would like to make a MUCH NEEDED donation to Papa's in honor of this, please go to www.papaspantry.org and pay by PayPal or get the physical address to send in a check.  Thanks!!!!  While you're on the website, check out the section titled "Food Donations"  and "Community Thank Yous" - I was in charge of always updating those!

Under Construction

Ryan and I have been busily trying to get this house re-organized with the addtion of all my things from Indiana.

We took Grant's room and repainted the whole thing.  I worked on the cut for about 3 hours one day, painting it in Killim flat with the leftovers from when that room was originally painted.  When we ran out of that, we went to the store and bought Killim glossy, unbeknownst to us, and we got to re-do all the work from the previous day I had done.  We repainted that bathroom too, after a major cleaning of it.  I would like to publicly apologize to my mother, who had the unfortunate pleasure of staying in that room pre-makeover.  That room was smelly, disgustingly filthy, and all around gross.  I didn't know how bad it was until I was in charge of cleaning it all up and repainting it!  We also had new carpet installed this week in that room, and bought a headboard off of Craig's List that we will eventually paint whiteish.

Here is the finished product:

Then I went to Ikea and bought two things: a white bookshelf (identical to one I already own but gave to Kelly), and a black dresser for the master bedroom.  I prided myself on putting it all together.  Here is the finished product:

On a roll, I went to construct the bedroom dresser.  It took me two days to do, and it came out GREAT...except for one part....

Notice the bottom piece of wood is just wood - not black?  Ooops....  I think it adds character but Ryan insists we paint it black. 

My dad and Michael came to stay with us last night, and my dad's birthday is later this week so of course I made him a cake.  This was the first time I made cream cheese frosting and the best part about it is you don't have to smooth it all out like with regular frosting.

No longer 29

Ryan redeemed himself as fiance of the year.  At 5:00pm on Saturday we got in the car and went to an unknown destination for my birthday.  It turns out he got us tickets for Mid-evil Times.  I had never been before and was super exited about it.  He even bought some kind of package that got me "knighted" before the show, had us sitting in the front row, we got cake for dessert, and a couple commemorative pictures. 

We almost missed the show though.  About an hour after being on the road, I started to feel very ill.  I didn't feel real well at school Friday, but it kind of came and went throughout the day.  Friday night we went to Chili's for dinner, and while we were waiting for a table I got really hot and nauseous and we ended up leaving before being seated.  The same thing happened again Saturday night.  I got REALLY hot, started sweating profusely, my heart was pounding, I felt nauseous (was even dry heaving), and was very weak.

But then, my hands and feet went numb and started tingling as if they were falling asleep.  At times my hands we almost paralyzed, as I was having major trouble moving them.  It was the strangest thing.  I have never experienced that before, and it freaked me out.  All I kept thinking was I needed to go to the hospital - I'm having a stroke!  Except that I thought I knew that strokes only affected one side of your body going numb.

Ryan was VERY helpful, VERY supportive, and VERY calm under pressure.  He re-assured me everything was going to be ok, offered to help me to the bathroom, cranked on the AC in 40 degree weather, and then turned on the heat when I was shivering from being so cold.  He went inside a sub shop and got me something to eat.  And he constantly re-assured me that at any time we could turn around and go back home. 

After about 20-30 minutes, I felt MUCH better.  So we ended up going to the Mid-evil Times and everything was relatively fine.  I was seated on an aisle, so I knew I could get up and leave at any time.  And remarkably, the food was amazing!  We had tomato basil soup, garlic bread, and then chicken and a rib so moist it fell right off the bone!

***

I got on a plane Sunday evening and flew into Indy.  It was very last minute....I booked my flight the day before.  We are going to empty out all the belongings that are still in my house in South Bend.  My dad is coming, and since half of the stuff is his, he will be driving a u-Haul back to Springfield where he lives.  I will also be loading a u-Haul and my brother Brian and I will drive it down to GA.

I was nervous about flying out yesterday, since I still wasn't feeling well, had that strange episode the day before, and this time I would be by myself.  Everything went smoothly though, and Haley and Kelly picked me up from the airport.  So I'm at Kelly's house now, hiding out; seeking refuge.  I slept all day.  I know I have to recuperate before Thursday, when we load up the u-Hauls and take off.

Anyone feel sorry for me and want to help move Thursday morning?

Happy Birthday

I woke up this morning, and Ryan comes up to me, gives me a big hug, and says "Happy Birthday!"  I thought he was kidding, but I mentioned it anyway, that it's not my birthday today.  He says, "No?  Well when is it?"

He had even bought a raspberry coffee cake, stuck a candle in it, and was ready to sing!


Sad to say but he just lost his fiance of the year award!  =)

Ryan turned 34!

One week ago, on Tuesday, January 25, Ryan turned 34.  For 6 weeks, he is FIVE years older than me =)

Here are cupcakes I made for his tennis match on Sunday:

Here is the cake I made him:  Count 'em - 34 candles!