Interviews

So tomorrow is a big morning and I am officially super nervous!  I have two interviews scheduled.  The first is at 9:15 for a Kindergarten position at the school where I had the long-term sub job.  The second is at a different school -but also in NEISD- for a 2nd grade position at 11:30.  I think it's a combo of two interviews within almost just two hours and the fact that I feel like this will be the hardest one to not get, if I don't get offered the job from where I had the long term sub position.  I'm not going to say much about it because, like I said, I am crazy nervous already and I don't want to talk anything up too much... as I've recently (and in the past) learned that no matter how well an interview seems to go... it doesn't mean I'll end up getting offered anything.  So.  That's it. I have two interviews, both tomorrow morning. I am excited and extremely glad for the opportunities, and I would greatly appreciate prayers for calm nerves and confidence and enthusiasm for both interviews!

Life Goes On

I know that's kinda silly to state... but just lately that's how I've been feeling... life goes on.... it just keeps going and going and we always seem busy and always seem stressed and always seem to not be able to just relax and have time to be together. Any one else feel that way? I'm not totally complaining because this long-term sub job is exactly what I and we needed. I needed a consistent job I get up and go to daily and we needed the paycheck. God provided this exactly when we really needed it. Now it's just... we're both constantly busy with work! I guess that happens. Life just keeps going one day at a time... busy, busy, busy. It's weird feeling like I miss my husband in the middle of the week!

Anyways. So a little general up-date on life. I've been at the long-term sub position 2 months now, and we have the TAKS test next week!  I'm assuming there will be less stress for the remainder of the school year after the TAKS is over. Maybe I'm wrong... guess we'll see.  It's still difficult.  I feel like an awful person for wanting to punch some of these kids.  I'm honestly really torn about whether I just am not good at this, or if it would be different if I was officially a hired teacher and had started the year from day 1 with my own classroom. I don't know. All I know is it's difficult and I don't know how I'm handling it. Not well I'm assuming because it's not really getting better. ...Only something like 28 or 30 days left?! -Right? I think that's the last number I heard from a friend who's counting down.

Cody is taking the GRE on May 2nd!  He's been looking at study material online every now and then and he is pretty confident (you know with his genius math brain and all) for the math portion, it's just the verbal/writing section that makes him nervous. I know he will do awesome though!  He's a smarty!  So feel free to lift up some prayers for him to do his best on that test.

On a different note... I have been applying (actually since before I got this long-term sub position) for jobs with the Department of Family and Protective Services, specifically CPS.  And actually I was moved onto the next step and did about 8 hours of online assessments over a 3 day period a few weeks ago... and then got a call for an interview! Which I was extremely excited about... however I got the voicemail and the interview was for the very next day at 2:00, and I replied I couldn't make it without more notice, and then I guess I lost my chance at that position. I was really disappointed, but I guess that one wasn't meant to work out. I have recently applied for a new posted position -for the same thing, same title, so I know I am qualified, and I am hoping and praying to get another call. I told Cody, no matter when they say the interview is for... I'm not asking for a different time again; I'll be there!  So that's something I've been interested in and looking into a lot lately. I have no idea if anything will work out with it or not... I am trusting that God will provide a job, I just don't know if this is it or not.  I am kinda hoping to get a call though. We'll see.  Just wanted to share since this is something I've been looking into now for several months and am still excited about.

That's about it!  Callie is her usual pain in the butt.  Sometimes I wonder why we got her!  (Please don't judge me... she's big and often hurts me a lot!)  I told Cody just the other day that it actually just recently hit me that she is like a 10+ year commitment!  Somehow I hadn't realized that.  She's ours and we're stuck with her. Cody loves her to death. She bothers the heck outta me though!  Anyways... on that note, I've gotta take her out!

Weird or Normal?

Lately I have really been wondering if something is weird or normal that Cody and I have started doing since getting Callie... -I will say Cody started it, and I initially thought it was weird, but then it just seemed to work, so I started doing it too.  So, if anyone out there has an opinion on this they'd like to share... I'm really curious!  So here goes.

Obviously Callie is a dog, not a child -but we've started referring to ourselves as parents with her.  For example... I'll be laying on the couch, minding my own business, when WHOMP -Callie jumps onto my face and smashes my stomach.  Cody promptly yells, "CALLIE, get off Mama!"

Example 2:  I'll be trying to clean up, carrying our dishes from dinner over to the kitchen, Callie will start running into me, tripping me up, and jumping, and I yell, "CALLIE, go bother Daddy!"

So that's basically what I mean.  When talking to Callie, we call each other Mama and Daddy... weird or normal for having a dog???  I really wanna know, cause I thought it was weird at first and now it's gotten normal.

*Note:  We are not at the moment, nor planning on becoming anytime soon, pregnant... the mama and daddy references (as described above) are strictly referring to Callie. 


Also here's just a couple fun pics I like of Callie... today I caught her playing with my yarn... and then I gave her a big bone for the first time.  I thought she looked cute.  And I will admit, at first when I caught her with my yarn, I yelled, got upset, and removed the yearn.  THEN, I thought -nuts, that would have been a cute picture!  So I definitely threw the yarn back all around her and took these pics.  Then picked up the yarn again.  Just sharing.

 

 

Prayer & Praise

On a totally separate and serious note I have two things to share.  This past Tuesday night my Uncle Neal passed away unexpectedly.  He was one of 7 siblings on my dad's side.  Please pray for his family -his wife, and his daughter with her husband and baby girl, all of his siblings, and any other affected family and friends.  

Separately, my cousin Makia and his wife Jenny just had a beautiful little girl, Olivia! This happened on Tuesday night as well.  So please be praying for them, and for Jenny adjusting to life with a new little baby!  Congrats to Makia and Jenny!

Heel, toe, push... repeat.

Today I had my first Physical Therapy session.  Well, actually it wasn't a first "real" session (that'll be Monday, which I am still nervous for), it was more of an intro, paperwork, and evaluation day.  But nonetheless, I'm on the road to recovery with PT.  I'm working with a lady named Angel... who right up until the very end of the evaluation, seemed 100% indifferent about the pain she was causing.  I don't much like her yet, although it's nothing personal.  She did all sorts of stuff, and had me try to do all sorts of stuff, to my leg in trying to evaluate where I'm at.  Today she showed me and had me try several different exercises that I am now suppose to do at home everyday.  Also, she showed me and had me start practicing walking more normally (or as close as I can get right now) with my right leg.  So now whenever I am up and walking/moving around with the crutches, I have to practice moving my leg as normally as possible and focusing on my foot going through the correct movements of placing down my heel, then moving to my toes, and then pushing off my toes.  Hence, 'heel, toe, push'.  If you're walking next to me any time soon, you may hear me mumbling those words under my breath as I try to focus on correcting these movements with my step.  I'm simultaneously suppose to try and put as much pressure/weight on my foot/leg during each step as I can with the motions.  It's weird having to focus so hard on just trying to take a correct step.  And it's annoying!  Seriously.  I am now the slowest person walking ever.  If you thought I was slow before with the crutches (which I was anyways), you can now triple that slow speed as I have to walk with all this focus and practice.  I know it's for the best... that just doesn't change the fact that it's annoying lol.  So.  That's basically my update for now.  Oh I also had another INR test yesterday and was high (4.0) so this week my dosage is lower to try and bring my level back down.  I don't know how many people care about my weekly (hopefully soon it'll only be monthly) INR report... but this is my (our, although let's face it, Cody does not take much part in this-and that's okay) blog, and so I feel like I can share if I want to!

Now, onto the topic of teaching and school.  I won't share too much except to say that Cody is really, really struggling right now.  He is ridiculously stressed with everything with school and just completely overwhelmed feeling.  Please be praying for him.  Pray for relief from stress, strength to make it through each week, and the efficiency and organizational skills to be able to get prepared each day as quickly/easily as possible.  (And of course anything else you feel like throwing into your prayer.)  Fortunately Thanksgiving isn't that far off... so we are counting down the weeks for that much needed break.  Thank you all for your prayers.

Tomorrow morning we start the looong drive to Longview for Cody's friend, Stuart's, wedding.  We're hoping I can handle that long of a time in the car okay with my leg.  I guess I'll have to; I don't really want to stay home all weekend without my husband.  We're excited for the weekend and the wedding!  I hope I don't look too ridiculous in my dress and shoes with my crutches still!  Cody has already stated that I will be the worst dance partner ever at this wedding.  (Not that I have ever been a great dance partner... I'm more of a "I only dance by myself at home when nobody can see me" type of person. Oh well.) 

I'll share about how the wedding weekend goes sometime next week probably.  Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Blood Clot

Yesterday was three weeks from the day of the HEB Incident/accident. Starting last Saturday during the afternoon, I began having a new pain in my leg. My calf and foot/ankle started hurting out of nowhere with a really intense pressure, bad enough for me to take Vicodin again (which didn't even help by the way, just made me sick on top of the pain). I had an appointment with my doctor scheduled for this morning and I figured I'd talk to him then about it, especially since I had JUST seen his last Thursday. My dad was at the doctor's office yesterday with my younger brother and our doctor just asked how I was doing, and my dad told him about this new pain. Since the MRI results showed everything was okay, he thought it must be a blood clot and sent us immediately to the ER in New Braunfels. They did an ultrasound test and found a clot behind my knee. I was getting mentally prepared for one shot just in my arm (shots are a HUGE HUGE fear of mine. i get upset like you wouldn't believe when they are just even mentioned.) and thought I could handle the one shot, when the doctor comes in and says actually it'll be a series of shots (I start crying) that I have to administer to myself (crying turned into bawling) and they're in my stomach (I seriously lost it completely.). I knew it wasn't an option and I knew how important they were, but it didn't change how freaked out I was. I think I was upset for a solid two hours. Anyways...

Today I had an appointment with my doctor again and due to my inability to handle shots, he said that my dad could drive me in (fortunately the office is not even 10 minutes from their house) every afternoon for a nurse to administer it, and instead of it being twice a day, he adjusted the dosage to be once a day. So that was at least some good news. We had to wait for the prescriptions to be filled (I'll also be taking a pill for several months it sounds like -the pills are to prevent new/future clots and the shots are to dissolve the current one.) and will be going back around 4 to get my shot for today and will continue to go back everyday this week. On Thursday I'll get my blood retested to see if I need to continue the shots or if I'm okay.

So. That's the latest update with my injury and healing process. Please pray for the clot to not move until it's small and safe AND please pray for me to be able to handle these shots each day. I know that's probably silly, but it is seriously an uncontrollable fear of mine. Thanks everyone for caring!

HEB Incident

So, I think that most people know what happened a few weeks ago… but for those that don’t –or those who don’t know exactly what happened- I thought it was about time I shared.

A little over two weeks ago on the 13th I went to HEB… you know, for groceries, it was a normal morning activity. I parked where I always park if it’s available… right next to the shopping cart corral, because it annoys me to walk far to put my cart away. Anyways. Back in the parking lot after shopping I was loading my groceries into my car in the back passenger seat on the driver’s side with myself wedged between my car and the corral. I just put in a pack of Dr. B’s (cheap version of Dr. Pepper) and was reaching around to grab my next bag from my cart when I heard a really loud screech noise and I turned my head and just remember seeing crazy fast movement coming my direction. The next thing I know I’m behind my car and in the parking lot aisle with people running up to me and some lady yelling all panicked at me to stop trying to get up.

After that I realized what happened. Some old guy must have hit the gas instead of the brakes and came from across the other aisle –extremely fast I might add- and ran into the cart corral, which in turn hit me. So I was not directly hit by the car; however, Cody says I basically was and he pretty much is telling people that I was. The corral was pushed quite a ways across the aisle and flipped around (uphill I might add, told you the guy had a lot of speed going) and somehow managed to hit me without even barely scratching my car. I don’t remember being hit and I don’t remember landing or how I landed or trying to get up initially. One lady was also out at her car at the time and saw the whole thing and she said that it hit me and threw me in the air a bit –which I guess explains why I ended up behind my car and in the aisle.

People starting rushing around and gathering around me and all I noticed was my leg throbbing. I remember looking at it and running my hand over this HUGE dent-like-thing across my leg above my knee. I literally ran my hand over it and felt my fingers dip into the dent and back up. It was weird. That must have been immediately after it happened because not long after once EMS arrived the dent was gone and there was already a massive bruise forming. They were initially worried I’d hit my head because one of the guys there said I was really incoherent at first for a while and said I either passed out or almost did. I do remember at one point this guy was talking to me and asked where I was hurting and told me EMS was on the way, and I (for whatever stupid reason –I’m blaming shock I guess) was really confused and thought I could just drive home and forget about this for the day. I kept saying I was fine and wanted to go home and I remember trying to stand up, and I got up (with help), and this lady had gathered my cart and purse and groceries that had all gone flying, and I tried to hold onto the cart, and then everyone around me talking started to sound really distant and muffled and my vision went all white and I couldn’t see anything and could hardly hear anyone and then I couldn’t stand and I felt like I was falling. I guess that was either the point where I did –or almost did- pass out. I’m pretty sure the guy helped me lay back down and soon EMS was there. They kept insisting I go in the ambulance to the ER and I kept saying I was fine. I was really stubborn. Finally they told me they couldn’t force me to go to the hospital but that they were not going to let me drive home and so I had to call someone. I called the high school and Cody came out and he decided that we should go to the ER and so he took me. They did tons of X-Rays, nothing was broken thankfully. I was just really bruised, sore, and stiff. And I couldn’t put any pressure on my leg without yelling and bawling.

After about 8 or 9 hours in the ER we were able to leave. I left with crutches, pain medicine, and meds for the swelling. (I think the worst part of the ER trip was the IV they had to insert… if you know me, you know needles are my WORST fear. I told them I was fine and wanted to go home when they said they wanted to do an IV. But, that’s a separate long story in itself lol.) Now, to try and be more brief, the following Friday I had a follow-up appointment with our family doctor and I currently have an appointment for tomorrow as well. A little over two weeks later and I’m STILL on the dang crutches. They are getting very annoying. I think I’m close to being off of them though. The swelling in my knee/leg is gone but my ankle/foot is still a little swollen. My foot, calf, and leg are still bruised and sore but getting much better. I can move my leg more but still can’t straighten it all the way and I’m slowly building up being able to put more pressure on it and take a few hobble-steps without the crutches. My back still is sore if I sit too long or stand/move-around on my crutches too long or bend over to pick something up. But again, it’s much better. Since the accident though I’ve pretty much been stuck in the apartment (mostly on the couch). The stairs still kill me and I still can’t try to drive. I actually just called my doctor to set up another follow-up for next week, but while I was on the phone I asked the lady if she happened to know if it was anything to be concerned about that my (bad) leg gets really cold sometimes. Sometimes it’s just slightly cooler than my other leg, but sometimes it feels like ice. She said she’d ask and call back, and when she called back she said my doctor wanted me to come in tomorrow. So that’s the new plan. I guess that means the coldness might be of concern! We’ll see tomorrow I guess.

Anyways! Thank you everyone for thoughts and prayers. Please continue to pray for my leg to fully heal quickly so I can get off the crutches and be able to walk, run, jump … whatever… sooner rather than later. Also for my back that is still sore sometimes, however my leg is the main issue. And sorry this got so long! I guess I’m not good at sharing a brief recap. Hope everyone’s having a lovely Wednesday!

PS - While yes I was super bruised and stiff and sore (and on crutches), I want to say that I was also extremely blessed and protected. It could have been worse in a hundred different ways. I was very blessed it wasn't anything worse than it was because it very easily could have been.

honestly disappointed

This past Tuesday I had an interview at an elementary school in Southside ISD for a 1st grade position.  Today I got the official phone call that I was not the applicant chosen.  I feel like I've been doing good staying positive and hopeful and confident... but if I'm being honest, this was really disappointing and I'm having a hard time not getting discouraged.  For this past interview, I was the most excited, the most confident, the most prepared I had been for ANY other interview.  It was my A+ game plus some.  I thought I was going to get a happier phone call.  I would really appreciate prayers to stay enthusiastic and confident.  It's hard feeling like that interview was better than I've done so far all summer... and therefore my best wasn't enough.  I keep trying to remind myself that the Lord has a plan... we just really need for me to have a full-time teaching position this year, and well school starts in a week.  Please pray for the position that God has in store for me to open up and to be made know soon.  Pray for me to stop feeling down and being so negative with myself.  Really any and all prayers with my non-job situation are welcomed!  I just wanted to keep everyone up-to-date since I've been posting about the interviews and such as they come.  Hopefully something else will come up quickly and hopefully I will be able to trust and remember that the Lord will provide, even if it's not in the timing we would choose.