Good News!

Yesterday I subbed for a 1/2 day at the closest middle school to my apartment. It took about 3 minutes to get there. Sweet.

I had always wanted to get a sub job there because I wanted to know what kind of school it was. If it was anything like the schools I had already subbed at, I wasn't interested.

Yesterday, I got my wish. I was able to get a 1/2 day of 6th grade math. Hooray! Something I was actually certified to teach! (Yesterday morning I was being offered jobs like 1st grade bilingual. Yuck. Gag me. Oh, and Middle School Boy's P.E. Really? Who on earth thinks I am qualified to teach that? Not to mention the correct gender.)

Aaaaanyways. I got to the school at 12:15 and got to meet the teacher before she left. She seemed pretty nice, and she was NOT leaving me worksheets for the kids to do. I had to actually teach! I was so thankful. Worksheets make me sick! For the three different classes I had, we got to learn about and discuss the metric system (length, to be specific) and I loved every minute of it. I know that I don't want to teach math, but I still love it.

The second class I had was actually an inclusion class. For those of you who don't know what that means, it means that there are special education kids in your classroom so there is a SPED teacher in there too. After I had started teaching and the kids were doing some practice on their own, the SPED teacher asked me if I was a teacher because apparently it was pretty obvious. I told her that I was and we talked for a minute or two about how I was looking for a job in Fort Bend. Later in the class she asked if I carried copies of my resume with me. Unfortunately I am in the process of updating it so I didn't have any.

Well, that class ended and I tried to go meet the principal during the planning period that followed but I didn't have any luck because he was in meetings. Shortly after the planning period ended and I was standing outside the door greeting the next group of kiddos, a man walked up to me (by a teacher's description I knew it was the principal) and told me that he had been told by the SPED teacher to come up and meet me. He was like, "So you're certified to teach math and science? Well I can tell you that we have a few math positions opening and one or two science positions that will be available for next year."

I asked what grade the science position would be.

"That would be, uh, 7th grade."

BINGO!!!!!!

I hope he didn't get scared because I put my hands up in the air and said "YES!!! That's my favorite!!!!" He told me to shoot him an email next week with my resume included.

How super cool is that? Of course I don't know if that will work out and even if it does, I still want to see what's out there. But it's a start.

Everyone at the school was nice and helpful and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the school.

And I sure would like to only drive 3 minutes to get to school. I mean, that would make my millennium.

God is good.

Now I'm sitting at Panera again because I didn't get a job today. I got some calls once I was taking a nap (at like 10 or 11) but rejected them because the job was from "8:20-4:20" and really far away. By the time I got to the schools it would only be a half day. Plus, I don't know how it works if they offer you a job after school has already started. It's not like I can talk to a real person about it. VIPER is automated.

Speaking of Panera.... I have discovered my new favorite hot tea: Ginger Peach by The Republic of Tea (it's a black tea). A little of the brown cane sugar and a spot of milk and it's perfect.

So that's all I have for right now. Later!

-Katie

Are You a Teenager?

It's Saturday afternoon and I'm here at my [new] favorite coffee place. Austin is sitting next to me with his dad, and they're working on a seminar that Austin's going to be doing with churches in the area. (Know anyone who needs any long-term care?)

I've been having fun drinking hot tea and working on a facebook photo album of our honeymoon pictures. If you'd like to view them, go here.

So let's see. This week I got to sub three times - all at different schools. Hopefully I will be able to sub five days a week from now on. I was just getting started this weeks so things were a little different. I was really excited about my sub job yesterday because I was supposed to do 6th grade math and science. I'm certified to teach those subjects so I was like, "YEAH! I can do this!!" The bad thing was, when I got there, this guy walked into the classroom and said that he could take over, and that I could go work in the library.

Fun, fun.

I didn't know if he was a teacher or another sub, so I thought I should probably trade with him. We traded, and my day was very... well, let's just say that I know why I chose middle school over elementary. (The 6th grade was added with K-5 at this particular school.)

Sheesh! I spent the day having 45 minute sessions with grades K-5. We showed them all the same video about the book fair that's coming, and then we either showed them The Cat in Hat or Holes (depending on their grade). Now, I honestly love Holes, but watching the first 20 minutes over and over again was not so fun.

When I wasn't working with the kiddos, I got to talk to the other librarian. We had a very long conversation about her pet schnauzer. She told me how she wanted to get her a "mate" so she could have the experience of having sex in her lifetime. Not for puppies or anything, but for the pleasure (??) of it. She said that she would let her "have a boyfriend for a while and then get her spayed". She didn't want to deprive her dog of doggy sex. The entire time we were talking I was trying to convince myself in my head that this was a very normal topic of conversation and that it wasn't weird at all. But the truth is, that's just freaking weird. She was a very nice lady, though... I was just weirded out.

I also got told by a first grader that I had "bouncy hair" and one third grader asked if I was a teenager.

Nice.

Another fun part of the day was when some of the kindergartners started crying because they didn't get a sticker. We gave some stickers out to the kids who were quiet and watched the movie and the ones who were bad didn't get them. So of course we had lots of bawling as we handed them back over to their teacher. The teacher was confused so we explained it and she was like, "Well, if they didn't deserve it..." Haha.

Other than that strange subbing experience, my week was pretty good. I met up with two friends for a ladies' small group on Thursday night, and it was amazing.

Haley has been a friend of mine since freshman year of college, and I've known Stacie for a few years. She married my friend Kurt and they now live in Houston. We had a wonderful time having tea and chai lattes.

I discovered that Kurt and Stacie live 15-20 minutes away, and Haley lives 9 minutes away from me. Seriously. I couldn't believe it!!! Out of all the places that your college friends can move...!!! We all live pretty close to each other and I can forsee lots of hangouts in the future. We went over to Kurt and Stacie's apartment last night and had a blast. We played Nerts (or is it Nertz?) for hours on end and had chocolate fondue. Yum.

I am excited about the ladies' group and I know that many purposeful conversations will come from our meetings.

Things are starting to look up!

-Katie

My Job Begins...

Today was my first day of subbing.

Wahoo!

I took over a 7th and 8th grade Spanish classroom, which was a lot of fun actually.

Besides the fact that I don't speak any Spanish!

I was one of only two white people I saw the entire day, including teachers. It was a different world for sure, but the kids were great. The only problem I had was the fact that the kids had to do this incredibly tedious worksheet. It was very repetitive.

The kids were pretty nice for the most part, and the teachers were very friendly. I don't have any funny stories from today, but maybe I'll have one soon.

Tonight I'm on my own. Austin has spent the day in College Station doing some recruiting for his company. They also have a Meet and Greet tonight, so after I got home from subbing, I was alone. He's going to be gone until late tonight. That's why I decided to come to Panera Bread and use the internet!

Right now I feel very full. Full of food, first of all, but also full of emotions and thoughts. It's still hard for me here in Sugar Land. I knew that it would be a big change once I got married, but I didn't expect to feel this alone. I wish I had friends! I guess I should say: I wish my friends lived closer!

Sigh.

I just put my blog back up on Facebook. I took it off for a while during student teaching because I wanted to be cautious, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal.

Ohh! Just as I type, I got a call from the sub system. I was requested to be a sub tomorrow for middle school math. Yippee! A subject that I actually know and can do! I'm excited. Now to figure out where it is...

I'm gonna go now. I need to call a dear friend and catch up. :)

-K

Oops.

The event password is hillcox.

Sorry guys!

They're Here!

Check it out.

Pictures! Coming Soon!

I just got two emails from our wedding photographer saying that our wedding pictures are going to be up soon!!! Yay! I'll let you guys know when the album becomes available.

Good news: I am officially in the Fort Bend ISD sub system! Well I actually think I have to call a number to get my little pin thing, but I got the email telling me so which is the most important part.

Things are looking up here in Sugar Land.

Also, I bought Lecrae's new album, Rebel, yesterday. It's freaking amazing! I love rap and hip-hop music, but hate the filthy lyrics that accompany the mainstream stuff. Lecrae's music is God-glorifying and an awesome ministry. My favorite song right now is Identity.

Ok, I don't really have a lot to say right now. I need to rush home and cook for my husband! Yippee!

As a special treat for reading this post, you get to see two pictures of me and Austin on our honeymoon! (I JUST put all our pictures on my computer today... I'm about a month late. :-/)

Peace out!

-Katie

Can Anyone Say, "Barf?"

Today is my first day "out" on my own since Sunday. Austin and I went to watch the Superbowl at some friends' house and I ended up throwing up in their toilet about 15 times. Then I threw up twice on the way home, crying most of the time. Then I threw up all night Sunday night. Actually, I had it coming out of the other end, too... so I was throwing up in a pot while sitting on... the... pot.

Sorry, is this TMI?

I can be the queen of TMI if I'm not stopped. I really don't mind sharing very personal details with complete strangers. You can ask me about bodily functions galore or even birth control, and I will tell all. It doesn't bother me.

So anyways, I have been really sick for the past four days.

Austin said that in his entire life and college career in the corps, he has never heard anyone throw up that violently.

I guess that sometimes my stomach doesn't like me! I haven't been that sick in a REALLY long time.

Now I'm back on my feet, feeling still a little queasy, out to conquor the world.

My first battle was at the FBISD offices, trying to sort out my subbing junk. I think I'm in the clear, though! I even have a badge made. I also have a long-term subbing job lined up! I get to teach math, science and social studies to 4th graders, which should be a lot of fun!

My second battle will be grocery store shopping. I'm not going to do much, but I I need enough to live. I had to make oatmeal with water for breakfast this morning and it was nasty.

Well, friends, I must leave. I'll try to get on here soon. Panera Bread is just too cold for me right now!

-L