Back in the Classroom

     When my first child was born, Sam and I decided that I should  be a full time stay-at-home mom, and I loved that job.  I had taught school for 4 years in West Virginia, then worked as a school librarian in North Carolina after we got married,  and as much as I enjoyed teaching, I liked being a mom even more. I eventually drew out the money I had in the school retirement system, because I didn't expect to ever go back.  So for the next 27 years I enjoyed being with my children full time -- even started home schooling them when we moved to Germany.  We lived out in a little German village, and the school was 2 hours away by school bus, so we had our own little schoolroom at home.After we came back to the states I continued to teach my kids -- loving the flexible schedule and differentiated teaching that was possible. As the kids got older, I did a little substitute teaching in the local school, and even taught a year in a Christian school after Sam retired from the army. But Andrew's ADHD kept him in time-out a lot during his kindergarten year at the Christian school, so I went back to home schooling for another 7 years.  Finally both girls finished college and Andrew started middle school, so I thought I could finally have some time to catch up on all the things that I couldn't do while I was teaching. But then we had a wedding to plan -- so exciting that our oldest was getting married -- and I started thinking that if I got a teaching job, we could have extra money to pay for the wedding. Although it had been 27 years since I had taught in public school, I turned in an application.  I left it in the hands of God -- figured if He thought I could handle teaching again after all those years, someone would call me.  Sure enough, I got a call for an interview at Valmead.  I was feeling a bit nervous as I sat in the principal's office -- it had been over 30 years since I got my teaching degree.  What if she asked me about Piaget or something else that I had long forgotten? I tried to think of a topic we had in common -- wasn't that what the job interview books suggested? That's when the coincidence Godwink happened -- the principal asked me where I had taught before, and I told her "Putnam County Schools in WV."  What a surprise -- she had moved here from WV and also taught in Putnam County -- same town where my dad lived!!  And she took a chance and offered me a job before I left that day. I was happy to know that God had confidence in me, The first year was hard -- I had so much to learn --- but I loved it.  That was 8 years ago -- the wedding was paid for, and I am still loving my job and not even thinking about retiring yet. This is another occasion when I know that God put me in just this place, and I am so grateful.