Tag: job

future is now

Published on by Jess StoneLeave a comment

finishing up internship

passed the exam to become a school psychologist

secured a job

we’re moving back home!

home

The best part of this journey, from CHS to Mercer and Baylor to Cola SC, is knowing that I could go anywhere from here and being able to choose to go home.

Let’s take a look back to 18-year-old me (ahem, almost 7 years ago now) and ask her where she wanted to go. 3 hours–that’s how far the farthest college she applied to was from home. 1.5 hours–that’s how far she moved from home. Then HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. It’s time. It’s time to go home. to watch softball games. to share Sunday lunches with families. to finally balance family, fun, and work.
How much stress do you think 20 years of school is for an A-type personality, perfectionist?! I’ve spent years pursuing my dreams, and now it’s time to LIVE them. Enjoy the moment. Treasure my marriage. Spend more time with my family. Do good work in my job. Stress less, love more.

liveyourdream

We have been so SO blessed, even in the toughest of tough times. This year has been by far one of the hardest of my life, and I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be here now without the love and support of my families and friends. There has been a lot of heartache this year. Family illness. Students passing away. Shootings. Social injustice. International warfare. I don’t know if it’s that I become more aware as I grow older or if things are growing worse and worse. Regardless, it has taken a toll on my heart. At the same time, there is so much joy in watching nieces, nephews, and cousins grow; friends building houses; new jobs; celebrating new marriages. Balance. Seeking balance. & thanking the Lord for providing that at home.

Thank you for sharing in this journey with us. Continue to pray for our marriage and health. We are overjoyed to share this news with you and thankful for you joining in our celebration!

lovebringsyouhome

help us make our house warm

welcome to pre-k

Published on by Jess StoneLeave a comment

Last Friday I completed my third full week as a Pre-K paraprofessional, and I’m amazed at how quickly I have become attached to these 4-year-olds.  There are still three weeks of school left, but I moved to another room this week.  I have mixed emotions about that because I feel like I have just started bonding with the 20 kids in my first class.

Over the past three weeks, one child, who rarely talked at school started talking to me regularly.  He has started asking for the things he needs and telling me the things he wants.  He still speaks softly, and sometimes I have a hard time understanding him.  However, it is no small accomplishment that he has gone from not talking at all, not even with his peers, to talking intermittently throughout the day.  It absolutely melts my heart when he asks me to come sit by him or asks me if he can pass out the spoons at lunch.

Honestly, that’s what I want to see happen in students.  If God uses me to touch one life out of 20 young ones, then I will feel blessed and greatful beyond measure.  I can’t even begin to express how excited I am to be going back to school in the fall to learn how to help at-risk students.  There have certainly been ups and downs with this new job.  I’m not a super fan of the level of ‘babysitting’ I have to do with Pre-K students, but it has taught me invaluable lessons about these children.  I think people would really be amazed at how much 4-year-olds analyze and feel and manipulate.  Human beings are capable of tremendous achievements, and children at this age are very impressionable.  They are sponges that soak up everything you give them.  I think the greatest fault we could have as educators is to expect too little out of these young minds.  They want structure.  They want to learn and be pushed.  They are capable of more than even they realize.  I’ve been amazed, truly.

This wasn’t quite the lengthy post I had anticipated, but I just wanted to write a little about my new job.  I’m sure the subject will continue to come up as there are two and a half weeks left.  Hopefully I will be back to write more sooner rather than later.