Fabulous February

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Wow, February was a quick month!  Griffin had his 9 month well-check, lots of playing at home, Valentine's Day, and I had my first substitute orientation.

He would crawl in here, get stuck, and cry.  Then I would get him out, and he would crawl right back in.

For a while, he was sporting this little alfalfa hair without our help.

Playing with the food.  I hope they are making healthy choices.

They love playing together.

Griffin had his 9 month check up and got 2 shots :(  He weighed in at 17.7 lbs (14% for weight) and 28 1/2 in. (57% for height).  He is much smaller than Gracie was.  She was in the 99th percentile for height (30 in.) and 93rd percentile for weight (22.6 lbs.).  He's getting so big and changing so fast.  Little Man loves crawling, eating baby food, and playing with sister.  He says "mama" which can mean mama or more.  I've been working on the sign language for "more" and "all done".  He hasn't quite picked that up yet.  Love you Griffey!

Shots day :(

Can't get enough of him and that cute face!

Gracie loves playing with Griffin and sharing toys with him.  She is such a good big sister.  She always finds a way to crack him up and make him smile.

She wants to be wherever brother is.

His favorite yoga pose

Valentine's Day!!  I had different activities planned for Gracie to make it a fun day.  We made playdough hearts, played letter matching games, heart number puzzles, and decorated a card for Daddy.  On this day, every year, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have such amazing people in my life.  My two babies and their daddy give me so much love and joy.  I pray each day that I am able to return that same or more love to them.

Yay!  That's a good one!

haha Gracie's cheesy smile is so cute!

Man, I love these two!

She never looks directly at the camera!  I have yet to figure out why.

Decorating the letter "V"

Only for my husband, chocolate covered bacon...

Gracie with her Valentine's Day present

Unprompted.  How sweet is she?!

Seriously, how cute is this?! I'm going to have to get this framed :)

I got major brownie points for this, not like I need them!

Couldn't resist a little nekkid baby bathtub picture!

I love snuggling with her

Sent her to bed for the night, and then we hear her playing.  This is what we found.  Using the living room as her own light to play. haha  She cracks us up!

Gymnastics in that pink leotard.

Part of my Valentine's Day present from the hubs.  Straight from Mexico!

Again, supposed to be sleeping and out she comes like this.  Never a dull moment in this family.

The other part of our Valentine's Day present.  I love it so much!!!!!!!

Tebowing...she's a little behind the times.

Snuggle muffins :)

Finding a teaching job down here has proven to be worse than going to the doctor's and waiting in the waiting room for them to finally call you.  It sucks.  Big time.  I'll try to keep this short, but here has been the process so far.

December 30th

-Applied for my credentials to be reviewed (mailed in Nebraska certification and had UNO send transcripts) by the Texas Education Agency (TEA)

January

-Filled out and completed the online applications for two nearby school districts, Keller Independent School District (KISD) and Northwest Independent School District (NISD)

-Applied for 2 teaching positions in KISD neither of which I got

-Applied to sub at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School

-Interviewed for sub position at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton but have to complete the Safe Environment Training first

-Filled out and completed both substitute applications for KISD and NISD

February

-Yet to hear back from the TEA about my credentials.  Call them to find out they only copied one side of my certification (the side that doesn't state what I'm certified in!) and now have to send another copy

-Had to sign up for an online course (and pay for it) to receive a sub diploma before I could advance in the sub process for KISD

-Interviewed for a substitute position for NISD and given a spot (not a job just a spot in the district)

-Attended the Safe Environment Training to sub at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

-Finally hear back from the TEA that my credentials were reviewed and for me to get a state standard certification (good for 5 years) I have to take and pay for 2 additional teaching tests.

-I decided against the standard and to just do the 1 year temporary certification to give me a year to study and take the tests and to hopefully take a long-term job ASAP

-Attended NISD's sub orientation

That's where I left off in February.  Stay tuned for more updates.  I'm sure I have more to add to this.  To say the least, I'm frustrated, annoyed and tired of paying out all this money for no job.  How will I ever find a job here!  I've heard you have to sub to get a full-time job.  Well that's kind of difficult when you have kids.  Sub jobs pay about $10/hr.  I would be paying more for the kids to go to daycare!  Economically, not ok with that, but I know I've gotta start somewhere.  Decisions, decisions.

After being out of a classroom for 2 years, I miss it.  I miss the kids, the teachers, the camaraderie, the successes and even the disappointments.  I miss teaching so so much.  I continue to pray and hope that something will happen.  Something soon.  My urge to get back in the classroom is greater than it was when I first graduated.  I know I will miss being at home with my babies.  There is no doubt in my mind I will miss it.  But I know I was put on this Earth to teach, and I long for that day when I get to do it again.

"That was so nice of that lady to give me a candy." -Gracie after leaving NISD for fingerprinting (for me)

Going to Ms. Amber's house for some playing while I go to a sub orientation

Excited to play with someone else besides Mom!

So that's where February ends.  At the end of the month, I still do not have a sub job, a teaching job or any kind of job.  But that's ok, I know good things are on the way.  I just have to be a little more patient.

And seriously, 3 posts in 4 days.  Who am I?!?!?!  But even more seriously, thank God for naptime.