Responses
Suki: Yay! (1/25/10)
Boojeee: Rest (1/26/10)
sarahthompson: No Subject (1/31/10)
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Responses (sorted by date)
sarahthompson: No Subject (1/31/10)
sarahthompson: No Subject (1/31/10)
Laelia: agreed (1/27/10)
laynEpoo: :) (1/27/10)
Boojeee: Rest (1/26/10)
Suki: Yay! (1/25/10)
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I've just been reflecting on what's been happening in the last few weeks as we prepare for the baby that's coming, and I'm amazed to see God's hand at work! When I came back to school I started talking to my principal about his expectations for my maternity leave. I was intending to take 6 weeks, then come back and take advantage of childcare offered at the school. Turned out that there were no more slots available, which meant we would either have to find an alternative or I would take the rest of the year off. After much debate and prayer, I decided that taking the rest of the year off was what I wanted to do anyway, since I strongly do not want a baby in daycare. But that, according to my principal, would mean planning for a sub for 12 weeks, and not getting paid for it (it's not that shocking in the teaching world). This being my second year teaching, I don't have tons of resources to fall back on, and the logistics of giving someone 12 weeks of plans and expecting them to get it done, and what if they've never taught or even taken chemistry? I was really nervous.
But God works in mysterious ways! My coworker who teaches earth science was blessed to get a different job in the district this semester that would require him to leave his position. At around the same time, a former coworker who had just moved back from New Zealand where she was working on a book about endangered eels, and she needed a job. I happened to mention this to the coworker, and he said, "well, maybe she'd like to take over my position." One thing lead to another, and before I knew it, she was taking his position, and her boyfriend, who also needed a job, wanted to take mine! At first it was only if I didn't take the rest of the semester off, but I was willing to work with that, because he is a scientist (herpetology) and has experience with chemistry. But then, he decided he would still do it, even for the rest of the year, as long as he had plans to work from!
But I was still wrestling with the issue of plans. Even though I taught chemistry last year, I only am really able to plan about a week in advance, and I'm still not very great at that, so how was I going to get 12 weeks prepared before the baby comes, while I'm still teaching (and grading) for my classes (did I mention I'm also planning the Science Fair this year?)? I figured I would try to do the best I could beforehand and just have to work when the baby's born from home. Which sucks, because I don't get paid to take leave. And it takes time away from the new baby. But yesterday, God surprised me again-the sub's girlfriend, my friend, came to school to get ready for her job to start, and told me that her boyfriend had been given plans from my department head and felt that as long as he had a couple textbooks to work from, he'd be fine without my plans. I didn't have time to really let that sink in yesterday, but as I've digested it the last 24 hours, I'm just amazed by how God worked that out. I have to admit, I worried about it, I tried to make things happen on my own, and I didn't give it to God like I should have, but he did it anyway. Much better than I could have planned. I was really nervous about the prospect of taking 12 weeks of unpaid leave while Matthew is still out of a job, but I can see that God is already laying the groundwork for that to happen. Maybe He's trying to show me that I really need to just trust him at his word. |