It’s been a long time since I have taken the time to update the blog, actually I don’t think I’ve updated myself since I left work back in June. It has been a strange four months since I walked out of the classroom back in June. It has been both a blessing in that I have stayed with Gwyn during this time, and frustrating that there have been only two teaching jobs posted (within my subject) in Eastern NC during that time. I took the Praxis II for Middle School Social Studies in July and found out at the end of August that I passed, which means I am now licensed to teach Social Studies in both High School and Middle School.
You would think this would open up more teaching opportunities, but not so much. I was trying to become a substitute teacher here in Pitt County, much like I did in Charlotte and Cary, but there was a hiring freeze until recently. Now our slot in daycare has closed and we are back to square one. I love spending time with Gwyn and teaching her new things, but I miss being in the classroom and the relationship with my students. Gwyn and I saw some of my former students this past Saturday at the ECU Homecoming Parade (they are in the band, which played in the parade) and it made me miss it that much more. People tend to leave/retire in December, so keep your fingers crossed that a position (like the one last year) opens up and it’s back to school for me and Gwyn.
We have been busy despite the job hunt, driving up to Durham to see Tori Amos for Rachel’s birthday, then taking a trip to Charlotte to see our friends beautiful baby girl in September, multiple visits to Kinston to see my family, and this past Sunday, we went to a farm/pumpkin patch here in Greenville. Below are a bunch of pictures from our visit, and as you can see Gwyn is getting bigger and bigger. She is talking a lot more and almost always surprises me with her wisdom and skills. A couple of weeks ago Gwyn and I were sitting in the living room when a jet flew over the house – she looked at me and pointed to the ceiling and said, “Airplane!” This was new because we had never taught her that word or association, which I thought was cool enough to merit a Matchbox airplane toy at a trip to Target later that night.
While I don’t necessary think she will be a tomboy, she loves some Thomas the Tank Engine, which we watch through Netflix Instant Watch via our Xbox 360. Now when we walk towards Barnes and Nobles (every Tuesday morning at 10:30am) for story time she yells, “Choo choo!” from the parking lot, through the store and finally back into the children’s book section. (which has a Thomas train table) Santa recently bought her some choo choos at Toys R Us, which had a sale on some of the sets. This past Friday we went to Toys R Us and I bought her some new Hot Wheels and five sections of track… the same exact track that I played with 30 years ago. We put it up on the side of the chair and she rolled them down the track for over an hour. (and here I thought we would have to have a boy for me to have cool toys to play with again)
Pictures below:
Here are the pictures from Sunday. Gwyn rode a pony for the first time!! Until next time (probably an update with Gwyn’s 2 year birthday party)…
And this is my favorite one from the day… they were having so much fun!
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