Monkey Musings from a Mother of Five: Smooth Sailing- (WRN- pretty long)

Looking back on this week, we feel very blessed. We should sign a lease on our house on Monday. We'll sign a two year lease, and will possibly have the option to buy it after that. While on the phone yesterday with the kids new elementary and several daycares, we were told over and over how wonderful the area is, how safe, about the annual Christmas lights contests, how shopping is only a mile or so down the road. They all raved about the kids elementary school, and we looked up the school performance rating. A+. Did I mention our privacy fence butts up to the back of the elementary school? :-)

Also, a very good middle school is .7 miles from our house. If I ended up teaching there, we could literally walk the kids to school and then head to work on foot. I found a daycare for the kids part-time, and half-days until school starts. Of course I still have to look at it in person, but it is 3 miles from the house, and sounds nice. They do tons of field trips: Zoo, Sea World, Alamo, etc..during the summer camp portion, and they have availability for all three kids. Plus, they agreed to let us go full time for the 1.5 week of in-service/training we'll have.

We shouldn't need before care since the kids can be at school at 7:10 and MS's don't start until 8:30. They can go to after care at the school until 6:00 pm for pennies...and they have a special KINDER class so Zane's not thrown in with the older 3-5th graders.

Jon has joined the Reserves, official yesterday. His job has changed to Airplane Loader (or something like that) so I'm guessing he'd work on the flight line. They say deployments are strictly voluntary and they haven't had to "volunteer" anyone, since the reserve guys make alot of extra money toward retirement if they go. They said they have guys that always volunteer, and some that never want to go. Chief said he was fine with that. He signed a 3-year contract. We'll get military Tricare medical insurance, so we won't have to have money taken out of our teaching paychecks. His tech school for the reserves is only two weeks and he can fit it in the summer, and one weekend per month he'll report to work. But since we'll live near the base, he can come home in the evenings. It will be an inconvenience with kids sports and family life, but to keep our life insurance, medical/ prescription insurance, access to base commissary, and to keep his retirement - it's feels worth it, long term.

Also, Jon gets Troops-to-Teachers which pays his $4,000 Alternative Cert program in full. They usually payroll deduct the program the first year of teaching. I get Spouse-to-Teachers which gives me a lifetime amount of $600 to apply toward any certification tests the school requires me to have, or I can test for Elementary, High School Psychology or even School Counselor if I want. It doesn't matter if I pass -they still pay until I use all of my balance. If Jon teaches 3 years (economically disadvantaged kids) with T-T-Teachers then he gets a $10,000 bonus on top of whatever stipend we get from the school for being Science/Math Teachers. One district we applied with gives a $1900 stipend for Math/Science. (any of you considering a career change/ move - Texas has an awesome alt cert program as long as you have a degree!) And a $1900 masters stipend which he'll have soon. Finally, if he teaches 5 years, he'll qualify for Teacher Loan Forgiveness program. He must teach at an economically disadvantaged school (which he's fine with) for five years and Uncle Sam pays up to $17,500 of his school loans. I don't qualify b/c I have loans prior to 1998.

I called the district we will live in (the second largest district in S.A.) and they said that although we'll miss the job fair before we move, we should fill out an application online, and then go ahead and send all of our transcripts and such to the District office, wait a week, and then call for an interview. They are going to "automatically" get us in for an interview since we are high needs Science and Math.

We thank God so much for His hand in all of this. We know He is in our situation working for good, and I know we will be placed where we can do the greatest work for HIM. We know there are sure to be bumps in the road, but right now we thank God for all of our smooth sailing. God is so good, and we are so blessed. Moving is scary and giving up income you are used to is even more so when you have three mouths to feed.

All we have left is to get a job - and all schools hire late in the summer to give current teachers time to re-new their contracts. That will give us time to get settled, get the kids in daycare. One other bonus, is that the three days a week the kids will be in daycare this summer, will give Jon and I much needed alone time. We can plan for our classes, go on dates, or drive around town and talk. He's already talked about taking me to the driving range with him to teach me to hit a golf ball! :-)

Here are pictures of the house, and a few of the kids. Thank you for reading and your prayers. We are thrilled with the possibility of what lies ahead.
The S Family

4 Bedroom, 3 Bath home in gated community. 2156 sq ft: Living Room, Den, Breakfast Nook, Utility room, Dining Area, Kitchen with tile...and wood floors downstairs. 4 bedrooms/two baths upstairs. One bath downstairs.