Miracles Are Real

Tuesday, April 24th

For the first time in days, Landri slept at the same time Braden played by himself. It was finally a long enough stretch of time for me to finish applying to Ector County ISD. There were lots of jobs listed (way more than in any of the hundred plus districts in DFW) but I had less than zero hope that I would actually get a job that I liked in this economy. I figured if I was really  REALLY lucky, I might get a sixth grade science job or something similar. No way would I actually have a shot at one of the electives I was certified in, especially not technology.

I wanted so badly to just be a family again, even if it meant leaving the best job I ever had in a city I really loved to move to west Texas (a place I said the Devil's hometown would have to freeze over for me to move there). I just prayed that I would find some job, any job that would enable us to have a quality of life similar to what we had now.

Wednesday, April 25th

8:05am

While Braden ate breakfast and Landri nursed, I checked to see if any new jobs had been posted to Ector County ISD. Nothing. Then, while the kids were relatively sedate, I began the hour-long online application to Midland ISD. I had done the one for Ector County first because I knew there was a better chance for me to get hired in that district because Midland was highly sought after. I got through the majority of it and was at the portion where it showed available jobs. As I scanned the list, my heart dropped as I saw one of the secondary spots available: Junior High Technology Teacher. That's exactly what I wanted. Then I looked at the posting date, and wanted to cry -- the posting was nearly a week old. In this economy, a position like that is so aggressively pursued that it's usually filled within 48 hours...if not sooner. 

But I couldn't just give up.

9:33am

I emailed the principal at the school where the Technology job was listed. I knew that every school in Texas was giving the STAAR test, which equated to administrations being completely busy and stressed from 6:30am-6:30pm (though usually later). But, again, I had to at least try. I figured that maybe when testing was over and the principal finally checked her email, I might hear something. And who knew, maybe there was another job on campus they had open. With my Generalist certification I could teach any core subject. 

I prayed again.

9:34am

 
9:39am
I sent the resume.

10:09am



 10:10am
My heart beat so fast I felt like I was going to die. I immediately called Jay (who was beyond ecstatic) and after a few more emails w/the principal, I realized a phone or web interview was out of the question and I was going to have to go to Midland because I had an interview at 2pm that Friday! My only babysitter --my mom-- was already committed to something else so she couldn't come up from San Antonio. 

That's when I realized I was going to have to drive 350 miles with a 5 week old newborn and a 3 year old. Good freaking gosh...

Jay was awesome though. He felt super guilty at all I was going to do in order to move out there, the least he felt he could do was meet me half way in Abilene so that we could leave my car there and drive the rest of the way to Midland together. Not only that, but he wanted me to stay at the "man cave" apartment he and his dad shared on-site (at the oil company he worked for) for several days so I could see Midland a little bit.

Have you ever packed for a five day trip for a newborn and a toddler? HO-LEE MOLEY!!! It took me two hours of frantic grabbing and stuffing and grunting. Checking, double-checking, and then triple-checking that I had everything...all the while Landri is SCREEEEAMING and Braden is asking five billion questions about what I was doing, where we were going, and how soon will we see Daddy?.... Jeeeeeez.  

3:38pm
Filled up the tank on my Sorento.

3:45pm
Got on I-20: the road that would take us to Midland. 


6:38pm
Pulled into the Dairy Queen in Abilene where Jay was meeting us. Braden was beside himself when Jay pulled in to the parking space beside our car. He could not get out of the car seat quick enough to hug his daddy. And I was instantly reminded of why I was doing this.

While Jay put all our stuff in his vehicle, we chowed down :)

7:30pm

We hit the road again, this time as a whole family. About 20 miles down the road, I got my first look at the wind farms that are so prevalent out there. They are kinda beautiful in a weird way.

9:50pm

We finally rolled into Midland. Poor Braden was so tired that as soon as we got everything inside the apartment, he said "I need go bed now, Mommy." Cutest thing ever! So much for worrying about if he would have a hard time sleeping somewhere new.

Thursday, April 26th

Jay had woken up early to go get us donuts. It had been really hard for me to nurse in a folding chair at 3am but a momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do. But, needless to say, I was exhausted and needed some sugar to be the perky, energetic Momma Braden requires (lol). So, while Jay was at work, we had to find a way to entertain ourselves in the man cave. The sunglasses were my last hope!

When Jay got off work, we drove to some different houses that I had seen for sale online. Unfortunately, none of them were available for us to see with the realtor. Oh well...It was nice just getting to be a family for a little bit. We went to one of my favorite restaurants (Logan's) for dinner. Braden was a pill at first, but then got a little better when the bread came, haha. Landri slept the entire time! It was so nice.

Friday, April 27th

2pm

When I went in for the interview, the secretary told me I was 45 minutes early. When I told her again who I was, she then said "Oh, I don't have you in the appointment book." My heart lurched. Surely the principal had not forgotten about me and I just drove 350 miles w/2 teeny kids for nothing :(  

5 minutes late she came back out and said the principal was ready to see me. THANK YOU LORD! 

The first thing I was asked in the interview was "Do you have a place to live out here?" LOL! I took that as a good sign. The interview lasted another half hour and by the end of it I had been on a tour of the school, met the teacher whose place I was taking to tell me what the job would be like, been told to talk to the asst principal about good daycares...She said the only thing left was for her to check my references. Basically, I had been all but offered the job.

Did that really just happen?

What I came back to after the interview: Braden hanging out with all his animals (yes, I brought all of them...because he SLEEPS with all of them) in Daddy's bed. LOL

Saturday, April 28th

Approx. 3:30pm

Headed back to Mesquite from Abilene.

Tuesday, May 1st

10am

I was at Sonic watching Braden play when my phone rang. It was the principal. 

She told me to pack my bags :)