Job news

Well, it's official. I have been offered the job and am accepting it. Even better, my current employer is going to allow me to step gracefully out of my contract. My last day at my old job will be September 15th. My first day at my new job will be September 16th . I could not be more pleased.

It has been a week of excitement. My brother just purchased and became a franchise owner of a convenient store. I traveled to Florida for the ribbon cutting ceremony and was able to see his store. It was a proud, although extremely nervous, moment for him.

Additionally, I was able to see family that I have not visited with in a while.

Preplanning starts for teachers on Wednesday. Luckily, I will be able to make sure my students get a good start and with any luck my current employers will find a replacement before September 15th. I wish them well.
Christine K.

Job Part II

So, the plot thickens. The HR department at the "new job" has not been able to get in touch with any of my references because they're all on vacation. That's the difficulty with teachers...they all go away for the summer. Anyhow, I sent them three new references yesterday with summer contact information. Hopefully this will help.

At my current job, there has been an application! This is miraculous in and of itself. Teachers in my line of work are *very* hard to come by and this makes me feel like this new job is meant to be. The applicant is certified in braille and instruction for the visually impaired. On paper, she sounds like an excellent candidate. I hope this is true in actuality.

Time will tell. School starts in two weeks so I'm hoping to know something before preplanning. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks for the well wishes!
Christine K.

New job possibilities

So, it has been a very exciting week. I have been looking for a new job for a while which is why I have been attending Kaplan. I was hoping to find a job with more flexibility and where I could work from home. Well, on a whim, I applied for a job with a company that makes communication devices. They have decided that they need a representative in the area where I live. I was sure that they would not consider me because I'm not a speech therapist. Much to my surprise, they did consider me. I spoke with a manager on the phone. Then, I had the opportunity to meet when I was visiting family in Pennsylvania this week. The one little problem is that I have a contract with the school district. If they can find a replacement for me, then they will let me go. If they can't, they won't. I look forward to seeing what will happen on this journey for me. This is truly my dream job! I would have the opportunity to share the excitement of developing speech and language for those who may not normally have that opportunity. Keep your fingers crossed with me!
Christine K.

4th of July

I feel so fortunate to be a part of this country where we really are free. On the 4th of July, our family spent the day with my friend Radha, who has moved here from India. She has three beautiful girls. Her middle child happens to have Down syndrome and she is the reason we have met. We took a class in 2006 to learn about how to become better advocates for our children with special needs. We have stayed in touch since then and have spent the last two Independence Days together. This year, we were able to go swimming, eat some India food and American food too! Then, we lit some fireworks. Our girls thoroughly enjoy each other's company which makes it nice for the adults. I feel so lucky to have friends like this where our children are free to play together and where we can truly get to know one another.

There are countries where children with disabilities are hidden away because the parents are afraid they might be killed. Although America still has a long way to go with acceptance, we have come a long way.
Christine K.

Camp Continued

Well, to my utter surprise, my dearest daughter has been quite prolific with her writing while away. So far, I have received a letter every day that she has been away and I'm so glad to see her love of writing (and her love for her parents) has not waned. She is having a great time. I saw some pictures of her getting "Who" hair. They are doing a Dr. Seuss themed week. They've had some night swims which she really liked. She's also made a friend with a little girl who doesn't have other friends, according to my daughter. Her favorite activity is still the lake trampoline, but she has had fun with many other things as well. I look forward to seeing her on Friday, but I'm glad that all is well.

Also, for those of you praying for my second cousin (he had the preemie baby born with Down's Syndrome), he is doing well and improving daily. He is now up to 2 lbs and 2 oz. He is having some heart issues, but this is common for children with Down's. Continue to keep him in your prayers if you so choose.
Christine K.