Back at it

Bonjour!

Remember that one time when I said I would update every week?  Ha!

My job can be stressful at times, for example, I presented at six meetings last week when on a more average week I only present at one or two.  I don't live life to work though, and so now that I am a little more settled and comfortable I am making it a goal to be more involved with blogging in 2014.

Short update on life: My New Year's Resolution was to send more snail mail to my friends and family and give more gifts!  I have been living up to it and though I've been late at times I haven't missed a birthday card mailing yet!  For Lent, I gave up meat!  I'm not a huge meat eater but I have a hot wing weakness!!  I was a vegetarian for almost two years when I was 24 and have dabbled with Pescatarianism on and off in the past but givin up meat for Lent is serious to me.  I am very devoted to what I give up as a challenge for self-control.  After Lent I hope to continue with Pescatarianism por vida!

I have started learning French which I am really excited about.  I work at a French Immersion Charter School and have an amazing opportunity to practice French with the teachers who have come here from France.  I also do many classroom observations and can listen in on the lessons to practice my listening skills. I tried Duolingo on my phone but wasn't making much progress and signed up for classes at my local Alliance Francaise.  Just after the first class, reading the language makes so much more sense to me!

In conclusion, I hope that I stand true to my goal of blogging and am able to share my travels both near and far.  I love taking photos and enjoy sharing them with others.

May peace, wisdom, strength and overall good vibes find you this week! Bon Journee!

One Year Ago...

In my last blog post which was in December 2012, I summed up what had happened from graduation to the current month.  Now six months later inspired by a few friends who have started blogging again and the freedom of summer, I will attempt to regularly blog again (At least weekly).  

One year ago, I was checking edjoin.org every month in search of a school psychologist position.  I applied all over the state of California and had around fifteen interviews (or more) and was beginning to have major anxiety over the idea that I may not find a position.  At one time I went on what I called an "Interview Tour" of Northern California, with two interviews a day for three days straight beginning in Sacramento and ending in Santa Rosa.  I had the best feeling about this interview tour and could just feel the energy in my being telling me that one of these places would be the one.  

I was right!  At the end of the week I was offerred four positions!!  Hollister, Woodland, Tracy, and Santa Rosa.  I went from having a pile of rejection letters at home to four job offers!!  After carefully considering all school districts, towns we would live in, and salary I chose Santa Rosa which is a city 45 minutes North of San Francisco and 30 minutes West of where the Russian Rivers feeds into the Pacific Ocean.  It is in the heart of the Sonoma Wine Country and has been such a fun place to live with amazing people!  The end of July will mark our one year anniversary of living in our tiny cabin home and I have just completed my first year of being a school psychologist and get to experience my first paid summer vacation!

Thinking about this past year, gives me joy and reassurance that we chose the right place!  Although our tiny cabin home is difficult for me to live in at times we have discovered that it is located in one of the best neighborhoods in Santa Rosa and we have the best neighbors I've ever had in my life!  Yesterday we were able to join our neighbors at a summer kickoff BBQ and had the chance to meet more neighbors that I had not previously met before.  The sense of community in Santa Rosa is truly amazing and so many kind people have made an effort to make my husband and I feel welcome.  

Changing topics, and another reason why I signed onto my blog, is that Andrew and I are about to embark on an amazing summer road trip from Santa Rosa to Whistler, BC.  We did a similar road trip driving to Seattle a few years ago but have organized a little better this time and are so excited to visit family a long the way.  My cousin Erin and I will also be running the Rock and Roll Half Marathon June 22nd and will need as many prayers and good vibes that we can get!!  This afternoon when the weather cools down I will be running 10 miles which is a big test of what will happen next weekend!  

I can't wait to share my summer with the blogging community and have the opportunity to get back into my hobby of photography.  I also hope that once school begins I will continue to keep my blog ;) 

Below is a photo I took with my Iphone5 of the Russian River meeting the Pacific Ocean and Goat Rock State Beach.  <3

Life

I haven't been the best blogger although I would like to be better!  So much has happened since I was anticipating my graduation from graduate school.  I walked across the stage to be "hooded" with my cohort of wonderful ladies and shook hands with a few old men to be handed my alumni license plate border.  It was an amazing feeling and my friends and I celebrated together although each nervous that we were still job hunting without any confirmation that we would find a job.

By the grace of God, all eight of us found jobs!  Not everyone found a job as a school psychologist but found similarly matched jobs.  My goal was to relocate my husband and I to the bay area and my goal was reached!  In July, we moved to the North Bay of California, five hours from where we were living and I started my first year as a school psychologist!  It has been a crazy year so far and my colleagues keep apologizing that my first year has been so intense.  I feel like at some point in my career I am going to have to face some heavy challenges, why not face them in year one when people actually feel like supporting me!  

We are in love with our new area and can't wait to meet people!  In the meantime, we have been exploring the rolling hills of wine country and making at least monthly trips into the city.  I can definitely see us calling this place our home for years to come.

It is Christmas break which is the midpoint to the school year and even though December/January are showing to be the most stressful months I've faced in my new job, I am so happy to be where I am.  Break is half way over and so far we have had a great time visiting family and friends back in the Central Valley, especially my first niece Charleigh!  

In a few days, we are headed to Tahoe to celebrate New Year's Eve!  I will make sure and post some photos from our adventures there.  Then it's back to work!  Luckily we have quite a few three day weekends coming up. 

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday season!  

I am so happy to say that on May 5th I officially became a graduate with a Master's Degree and Credential!  I am so excited to start this new chapter of life and have been applying like crazy to jobs all over the state.  Part of the excitement is thinking that we have no idea where we will end up at the end of summer.  For all we know we could continue living in Visalia and not much will change (except that we will actually have money) or we could end up moving up to six hours away either North of South!  We have really been rooting for a job near the bay area or moving down south near LA or San Diego.

Wherever we end up, as long as we are together and employed we will be happy!  Here are some photos from that special day almost a month ago.

Proud Graduate 

My family

My Husband

Fellow Graduates from my cohort

Celebrating with friends at my graduation party

Being silly

My rock!

I have been applying to jobs all over the state.  Since California is so big, sometimes it takes me to some pretty far places.  Conveniently, I had an interview in Santa Rosa on a Monday so Andrew and I were able to make a weekend get away/tree scouting trip!  Although I did not end up getting the position, we still had a great time and Andrew was able to get some really good, naturally fallen burls!

Interviews Part Deux

The hardest part about interviewing right after graduate school is not having "enough experience".  How can one get "experience" without a job?  Isn't that the point of having practicum and an internship?  Unfortunately, I have been asked the question, "How many years do you have as a school psychologist"?  Well none!  Frustrating...

I have interviewed for three jobs so far.  The first one my car broke down, the second one was fine, and now the third one I came home with food poisoning.  Not having the best luck!  0-3.  I have been very good about asking why I haven't been chosen so I can have some feedback, but the only answer anyone can give is that there were candidates with far more experience in the field.  I received one letter letting me know I wasn't even chosen for an interview and that was because I didn't have a clear credential.  BUT I will in like a month!!!! 

Rejection is rough.  Trying to stay strong!

My next thesis will be on graduate students and mental breakdowns...

Today's thesis writing looked like this:

Began writing thesis, mental breakdown, tears, counseling from bestie, back to writing thesis, tears, meeting with supervisor, tears, laughter, confidence, scratched entire thesis (12 pages), mental breakdown, packing to run away, talk with the husband, tears, hugs, ate feelings with Mc Donalds, stared at lap top, gardening, watered grass, relaxation, screaming in a pillow, stared at lap top, light bulb, rewriting 5 pages of thesis... deep breaths... confidence... LETS DO THIS!

Current State: Rewriting literature review... totally changed thesis topic (again)... but still breathing.