Monday, June 6, 2011

Orientation dates!

I found out recently that I will have 3 days of orientation starting Tuesday, August 30 through Thursday, September 1.  I am so excited about having an actual date of when I HAVE to be there because it seems more realistic now.  I am looking forward to going to DC to work on a Toyota International Teacher Program panel in a few weeks and hope to see my new apartment!
School is 4 days away from being finished for the year.  While grading last Sunday afternoon, I had a remarkable thought that it would be my last Sunday afternoon for grading papers for a very long time.  It still seems like a dream.  My kids have been wonderful helping me clean up my room, packing some things, and recycling.  They are just as eager as I am for summer. :-)

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

New adventure and apartment!

Hello!  This is my first post of my new "Adventures in DC" blog.  Many have asked me to share my experiences as an Albert Einstein Fellow and I have always enjoyed journaling on trips and experiences through life, so thought I would try blogging.  I did while on my trip to Costa Rica this summer and it seemed to be a great way to share.  I am sooo excited about this new adventure in my life!  I have been very concerned about two areas and they seem to be falling into place.  It is amazing and I am 100% confident that this is where God wants me at this point in my life.  I hope that by sharing my story I can inspire others to pursue their dreams and goals and aim higher than they ever thought possible.
Let me begin by saying I was selected to be an Albert Einstein Fellow on March 21, 2011.  I was in my third block B day FST class and at 12:11 pm, my cell phone rang.  I had already warned my students that if my cell phone rang, I would be answering it.  Normally, cell phones are "forbidden" during teaching time, so I wanted to warn my kids I was hoping to break my own rule.  When my phone DID ring, I think my kids were more excited than I was!!  I had just finished teaching for the block, and Keith Urban started "singing" in my pocket.  The kids stopped dead in their tracks.  Katheryn from DC was on the other end of the line and asked if I was available to talk for a few minutes.  I said yes and that I had 30 stone statues staring at me.  I don't remember a time when the kids were more focused on me than they were at that moment.  Katheryn proceeded to tell me I was being offered a position with the National Science Foundation, working with the Presidential Awards.  At first, I asked her if the other position I had interviewed with had already been taken.  She said yes so I said I would absolutely take it!  I couldn't believe it!  I wasn't sure I really had a chance.  The competition was very strong and I even interviewed for this position against one of my friends who I have a lot of respect for.  That moment in my classroom with my students will be a moment I will never forget.  Many of the kids I had in my room that day I have known for at least a few years.  They have been a special group and I will miss them when they graduate.  Since that day, there have been so many details of my life to think about.  One detail that has been weighing heavily on my mind was settled today as you can read below....
 I have been waiting to hear on an apartment that a good friend of mine, Josh, offered to check out for me.  Josh was amazing and two days after I asked him, he was in the apartment taking pictures for me.  I heard about the apartment through a list of soon to be vacated apartments by the current Einstein Fellows.  This particular one appealed to me because it is close to the National Science Foundation where I will be working in Arlington, Virginia.  The rent seemed more affordable than the others in that area, plus, parking is free, a rare thing!  It is small, has one bedroom, one bathroom, but a full washer and dryer in the apartment!  It has an open floor plan, so the kitchen looks out into the living room.  I am looking forward to the in ground pool on the roof as well, but probably won't have much time for it.  There is a bike path close by that I have already run on before.  The apartment is on the eighth floor and has a fireplace.  I am going to have to make sure I take stockings to hang on it at Christmas time. :-) 
I will try to post regularly once a week with updates.  Feel free to ask questions and I will try to do my best to answer them. :-)