Busy hands, quiet heart.

That sounds like a book title.  Maybe it is?  All I know is that the busier I am the more I get done.  The difference is that today I'm practicing being still on the inside even as my hands fly from one thing to another.  The kids pick up on it either way and respond in kind, which brings me hope as life gets busier as a family.

Full-Time Employment

My original title of this post was Full-Time Work, but then I realized I've always done that.  The news is that I've taken on a full-time job for the first time in 12 years.  It's not in occupational therapy either, to my surprise.

I've known I need to do something more, work-wise.  I've been asking God to show me who I'm called to serve and that my work would be part of that.  The answer has always been--and still is--him first, my family second, and my neighbors third.  That's actually part of what has gotten me up out of bed on the days I've not been working at the school, because I'm called to serve here at home, doing the grunt work I've (enjoyably) been able to dismiss on account of not having enough time to get to it.  So I've been deep-cleaning and organizing and repairing some around the house, as well as working on some relationships I've not had time to invest in for a while.

It's what my heart actually longs to do--serve my family and others primarily in our home, be available to others as they have unexpected need, etc.--but that kind of work doesn't help cover our expenses.  My hope in pursuing OT work has been to make more money by the hour, enabling me to work less hours for more income, freeing me up to serve the way I want.  On my terms.

There's the hitch--it was my plan, albeit a seemingly good and godly plan, to serve others even if it were on my terms--but it was not God's plan.  My Missouri OT license took long enough to come in (oh my stars it took FOREVER!) that the Lord moved other things around and opened up a need for me to fill at our school.  It is full-time, school hours (more time at work), for more than I was making before but much less than my potential as a f/t OT (although I've not even had an interview to begin with, full or part time).  Notice it's the exact opposite of the ideas that we had going into my pursuing a different job this year.  It would be hard to decide to go this route, BUT for GOD.

I'm going to be the school's administrative assistant, replacing Debby Massot, who replaced Laurabeth Medlock if you happen to know her also/instead.  Administratively, there's our Head of School, John Roberts, an Asst. HOS, Ben Essenburg, and me.  It's a big job.  A huge job.  And Debby's shoes are at least as big as Laurabeth's were.  Enormous.  It's my job to do my best through the end of May.

The exciting truth is there are many big perks to this job.  I'll be with my family, in our second home (the school; Brian's also there with us every afternoon for after care).  I'll be working on the kids' schedule for the most part: there when they're in school, off when they're off.  It's an atmosphere where I'm very comfortable: I already know all the kids in the school, and most of the families, since I've been teaching there for 3+ years.  I also worked for Debby this summer, so I have some idea of what it takes to "be Debby."  It's a steady income, and as a f/t employee, I'll have medical insurance and a break in our tuition!  Woo-hoo!  And a way to pay for the rest of it.  So there you have it.  I'm a full-fledged working-for-pay woman.

More later about how this is a practice of dying to self (because I need to "verbally" process it more, not because you can't put it together for yourself).  And how my OT license is good for 2 years, in case the Lord moves us in that direction another time.

ps--I wrote this a few days ago, and I'll tell you I'm even more excited now than I was then.  It's exactly where I'm supposed to be.  I'm thrilled the Lord would put me right here right now.  I'm hiding out this week, meeting friends and going to the art museum by myself, and I'll start shadowing Debby next week.  So more later...

Green Bean Bundles

2 cans of whole green beans, drained
1 pkg. bacon, halved
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

Wrap 8 or so green beans in a half slice of bacon.  Place in 8x8 Pyrex.  Repeat until you run out of either gb's or bacon.  Combine butter, sugar, and garlic on stovetop, then pour evenly over all bundles.  Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30 min.  Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

These are basically a heart attack on a plate, but they taste SO good!

Will you make them, Mary Beth?

Body Odour

I'd like to officially apologize to anyone sitting near me tonight at Back to School Night for what was likely an unpleasantly odoriferous experience.  This morning when I was getting ready for work today, I did not have in mind the entire rest of my day.  I did remember that I was going to teach PE then go straight into working After Care.  That's about 5 hours straight being outside.  I did remember that Sarah Frances had soccer practice and needed to pack her clothes and cleats.  And I was thankful we could eat as a family tonight between AC and soccer, although not at home.

What I did not remember was that I had Back to School night.  It didn't even click in my brain when I passed one of our male teachers wearing a tie.  Or when I took note of all the female teachers' pretty dresses today.

Once I remembered, I was glad I didn't need to be there tonight as a PE teacher, just as a parent of 4 kids at the school.  I planned on sitting down in the back, maybe even alone, inconspicuous-like with my own stinky self.

But then when they did teacher introductions, I was included.  So I stood up.  And THEN our Head of School said all specials teachers would be in a particular room to talk, which included the PE teacher.

Well, I was already there solo to hear about 4 kids' classes in 2 periods of time.  I certainly didn't have time to be a teacher.  So I bailed.

I mean, people worry about what to wear to this thing.  It's only parents and really is a unique chance for the school community to be together.  Now, I'm NOT going to worry about what I'm going to wear, but I could at the least not STINK.

So I'm sorry for smelling bad and for still being in my PE work clothes on a night when all the other teachers were dressed up all nice-like...  I'm doing my best, stanky self and all.

Job Search Issues

All this job search business makes me want to throw up.

But for now I'm going to make my new 11year old's favorite dinner (seriously, I'm back to blogging dinners?): hamburger quiche, green bean bundles, and corn on the cob.