A very long update.
It has been a hot minute yet again, fellas.Honestly, I have been so unbelievably busy these past 6.5 months that I didn't even think about blogging. I am going to attempt to recap the last half year all in one blog post. :) Ready?I was extremely stressed out in January. Teaching and just doing life in general. February was worse. One of the science teachers at my school left and my mentor teacher volunteered to cover his class for the rest of the year. This left me with no mentor and no supervision and man, I was nervous. SO. After being hired on as a STEM Resident in September of 2017, I became a full blown teacher in February of 2018. It was pretty stressful just being dumped into lesson planning and classroom management like that, but I feel like I handled it as gracefully as I could, all things considered. March and April were much the same- mostly just planning lessons and teaching my kids everything I could. I tried to make it as interesting as possible, but I was so worried about getting them the content, that I'm sure the interesting part lagged a bit. I will be forever thankful for the patience they showed me, during this unusual situation. They handled it like champs.OHOHOH, almost forgot. I GOT MY DREAM JOB.Lemme back up a sec to March.I was starting to stress (continuing to stress) about getting my first real teaching job, since I was unable to stay at the school where I was trained. My principal was already spreading the word about me and my other half (the Math STEM Resident- Anand) to the other principals in the county, but I wanted to do my part as well. I started reaching out to some of them via email, just letting them know who I was and that I had passed my Biology GACE and was looking for a job. I also got invited to the Gwinnett County Job Fair. You cannot get in to this thing unless you have an interview scheduled, which I did, but they do not tell you who your interview is with until you get to the place. I roll up and see HUNDREDS of other people just like me who would be interviewing for possibly the same positions I was. Talk about intimidating lol. I get inside, and its like a dang cattle drive. We get badges and papers telling us which schools we would be interviewing with (finally) and then we have to sit in this huge room all together until they call us up in groups of about 100. Then we lined up along the wall, and were let through double doors and into a huge convention center hall. There were about 100 tables, and each table had the name of the school as well as the principal and a few assistant principals sitting at it. I found mine, which was a middle school, and they immediately told me they didn't have an opening for me, but knew of another middle school who did, and they walked me right to the second table where I had my actual first interview. (That is apparently VERY common and happens to tons of people cause all the principals talk and know who needs what kinds of teachers.) It went well, and we scheduled a time for me to come visit the school later that week. Afterwards, I walked to the booth where my current principal was, because he wanted to see me, but he was busy with an interview. I remembered that a high school I had previously emailed wanted to speak to me and their booth happened to be right behind his, so a job fair attendant let them know I was there. They were actually mid-interview with another candidate, and 2 of them broke off and scooted to the other end of the table and waved me over. It was bizarre, but I had another great interview with them and as I was getting up to leave, they offered me a job. I was shook. I told them I needed to think about it and talk to my husband, and they were fine with it. At this point, my principal was ready to talk to me, and he basically just handed me off to another high school's table where I had another interview and was offered another job. Went back to boss. Same deal- new school- interview- job offer- lemme think- went back to bossman and he handed me off to ANOTHER high school. Again, same thing: interview- job offer- lemme think. So. At this point I have had 4 interviews and 3 job offers in less than 2 hours. I sat down to talk it over with my principal, and low and behold, the assistant principal of my dream school comes over and asks if I have a second. Im thinking holy crap, this is it. I go to her and we talk for a sec, then I have my last interview with her and the principal. He explained that they only had a physics position open (which is the only subject I did not want to teach but would just to get to work there), and that I'd have to take another GACE so I could teach it, but that the position was mine if I wanted it.I died.I legit teared up and was like omg yes, yes I want it. I'll teach anything you need me to! hahha So, I signed my letter of intent to hire, and I'm walking back to my principal waving my letter like I DID IT! And I look over and the principal of the middle school I had my first interview with was standing next to him with my 5th job offer of the day. I apologized to him and said it was so nice to speak with him but I had just signed my letter. He was sad but wished me luck. It was the craziest experience of my life, but I did it. I got the job I wanted. Also, later on that week, I got another job offer from a school I had an interview with earlier that month, so I had to tell them I already accepted another offer but good luck with their search! (Count 'em- 6 JOB OFFERS. HOLY CRAP.) I feel like that is the most important thing that has happened since I last blogged, but I'll keep going with the update...I turned 26 in April and I passed my Science GACE so now I am certified to teach any type of science there is.May was a whirlwind of getting my kids ready for exams and faculty meetings at my new school. I found out I would be teaching Biology, Physics, and a seminar class (kind of a hybrid between a research class, and a how to be an adult class). I'll also be one of the leaders of the Science Fair so that'll be really fun! It was sooo sad to leave Mill Creek and my kids at the end of May. Some of my kids gave me really sweet gifts and cards and it made my heart explode. I'll miss them so much. I told them I was going to try to have a class where their Physics teacher and I teach a long distance/virtual type class over Google Hangouts or something so I can see them again but also so they can see my new kids. Dunno if it'll happen but it would be fun!The second week of June I took a girls trip to Asheville, NC with Shauna, one of my very best friends! It. Was. So. Much. Fun! I'm already thinking about where we can go on our next one ;) We went hiking, ate lunch on top of a waterfall, got some ear piercings, ate really good food, and saw a cool outdoor marketplace! It was amazing. The night we got back from Asheville, I went to see Post Malone in Atlanta. I love him and it was an incredible concert- however. The traffic was NUTS. The 3rd and 4th week of June I started my Teach Gwinnett course which is basically what I am doing to get certified to be a teacher instead of having a Bachelors of Education. Its essentially a 2 year masters program condensed into 1 year, all while teaching full time. (: gunna be a BLAST.July has started already which blows my mind. How is it already over halfway through the year?.... Anyways, I finally found myself a dentist and an eye doc after living here for a year and a half. Had to get one little filling but nothing bad and only because my tooth crevices are too deep to brush. My hygienist said for not having been to the dentist in almost 2 years, my teeth looked amazing. *proud*. My eyesight actually got a little better in one eye somehow, too. Mom and Dad came to visit last weekend and we went to hang out with my grandparents. I love when my parents come visit. Today there was an amazing teacher supply drive where Kroger gave out free supplies to any teacher in the area. It was great and now I have quite a few useful goodies for school!Derek's birthday is this coming weekend and we are celebrating by going to an Atlanta United game. It'll be my first one. I'm going to make him peanut-free Butterfingers and Reece's Cups, too. That was his only request. I have my teacher retreat next week, then I think I'm going to Huntsville the week after, and the week after that is teacher pre-planning!! Holy cow this summer has flown by.Whew, okay I think that is everything for the last 6.5 months of my life hahaha. One last thing- I made Luna an Instagram lol. Check her out here: @addisons_dogPlease let me know if there are any blog posts you want to see from me! I think my next one will be about how I actually became a teacher (is anyone interested in reading that?) I am pretty free for the next few weeks, and I plan on writing more this year. It really helps me relax/stop stressing about life. :)TOODLES and thanks for reading my rambly garbage.Love,Jess