Moving

Well, we have lived in Alexandria for about 4 months now.  Kevin has been job hunting, and I've been substitute teaching in the meantime.  I started subbing a lot at the elementary school that Kevin's mom works at.  I'm lucky I had a hook-up.  Apparently, subs who rely on the system don't work very much.  You've gotta have an "in".  When I first got the job, Kevin's mom sent an e-mail out to all the teachers at her school telling them to request me.  Everyone was like, "Oh!  You're Barbara John's daughter-in-law!  Can you sub for me....."  That's how it started.  Since then, most (as in all but 2) of my jobs have been at that school.  In fact, the secretary at the school just started adding jobs to my schedule, and I could cancel them if I didn't want to work that day.  Seriously, for a substitute teacher, this is the good life.  Thank you, Mama John!  Being at the same school all the time was awesome.  I really got to know a lot of the teachers and students, and they got to know me.  There was always some kid saying "Hi Mrs. John" as I was walking down the hall... or any variation of Mrs. John, like "Mrs. Jones," "Mrs. Johns," "Mrs. Johnson," "Mrs. J," or my personal favorite, "Mrs. Jonathan."   It was pretty funny.  And here I thought "Ms. Prestwich" was hard for kids to remember....

Kevin, as I said before, has been job hunting and interviewing.  An old friend of his told him about a job in SLC which required a PhD.  Kevin almost didn't apply, because he only has his Masters degree, but decided to apply anyways.  They contacted him about 3 days later, interviewed him a few days after that, gave him a homework assignment and said he probably wouldn't hear from them for about 3 weeks, heard from them 3 days later and got another interview, and then they scheduled him for ANOTHER interview with the president of the company.  The next day, they checked his references and then offered him the job.  We both felt good about it, and he took the job.  So, after hauling all of our stuff out to Virginia and staying for 4 months, we're going back to Utah.  Crazy!!!  He's going to be doing research and PR for a company that develops educational software, so it's right up his alley.

If he had been offered a job in SLC a few months ago, I don't think I would be as sad to leave Virginia.  The area has grown on me in the last little while, and we were just starting to settle in.  We just started to have some good friends to go out with, and I finally felt like I knew a lot of people at church.  I was also very "at home" at the school I've been subbing at.  Today was my last day of work, and I was a little sad.  I ran into a kindergarten class in the hallway that I subbed for a few times, and they all got excited and were saying "It's Mrs. John!!!"  They gave me lots of hugs, and one little boy said, "Mrs. John, I thought I'd never see you again!"  Awwww, that just about broke my heart!  Their teacher must have told them that I won't be subbing for them anymore because I'm moving.  I will miss all the kids....  yes, even the 6th graders.  Now I have to cancel all of my future jobs.  Sad face! :(.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm excited to move back to Utah.  We have a lot of friends and family back West, and this job will be a good opportunity.  I can also be an actual teacher instead of a substitute, since I'm licensed to teach in Utah.  AND we'll actually be able to afford to live out there.  But I will miss Virginia, and living close to Alyssa.  It was fun to visit with her and her family while we were on the East Coast.  At least we'll be getting out of here before it starts getting really hot and humid, right?

We'll be going to Tennessee for 3 days next week to visit Kevin's Grandma, then we'll be packing up our MOVING TRUCK.  We weren't very keen on repeating our experience of driving out here ;).  We'll probably leave on April 25 or 26, and then arrive in Utah on the 28th or 29th (ideally).

Goodbye, Virginia, it's been fun.  Hello, Utah.... again....