Hot Springs Here We Come!

My family and I are about to embark on our last vacation activity of the summer. We are going to Hot Springs, Arkansas. I actually look forward to finding a place where we can relax in the healing waters of the natural springs. We plan to visit Magic Springs/Crystal Falls, Amusement/Water Park, a Botanical Garden and maybe do a few other things together as a family.

I hope I get a chance to watch MLB's All-Star Game at the hotel Thursday evening. I might just set it to record at home and watch it when I get back. Go Texas Rangers; they still hold a slim 1st Place lead in the Western Division. Maybe, just maybe, we will make the playoffs again this year.

Sad News From the Job Hunting Front

It seems that Pine Tree ISD has decided to go with a different someone instead of hiring me to teach 9th Grade Algebra. I got the call this morning around 10:00 a.m. letting me know the news.

It is very hard not to loose a little faith during this time of non-full-time work. I thought for sure I had the job, but I guess God has a different plan for me. I wish he would let me know what exactly that plan is!

On a little bit of good note, after returning to work from my lunch break, the manager informed me that he had accidently overstaffed the workers for tonight, and asked if I wanted to take the rest of the day off. So here I am at home starting to prepare for my family's last mini-vacation to Hot Springs, Arkansas next week.

I will fill out a couple of new job applications tonight to mail before we take off. The Job Hunt continues. Pray I keep my chin up and my focus on God. It's getting tough.

Waiting with the Fleas

It has been six days since my interview with Pine Tree ISD about teaching 9th Grade Algebra. Last time I spoke to the Principal, she was still trying to reach a few more of my references. It seems even references like to take vacations. She assured everything was still looking good though.

Sigh....

I wish I knew if I had the job for sure before my family goes on our last vacation of the summer next week. We are going to Hot Springs, Arkansas. We plan to soak in some the hot springs, visit Magic Springs/Crystal Falls and go to some kind of Botanical Gardens (I'll get back with you the name later). I'm saying this now because I might forget to blog again before we leave on Monday.)

Meanwhile we are trying to get rid of some fleas in our home. Our dog, Schnitzel, has found some fleas. We have sprayed the yard with chemicals, given the dog baths with anti-flea shampoo, we have vacuumed the furniture and carpets (and got rid of the bags), and sprayed the inside of the house. Still they persist. We could bomb the house, but we have to find something to do with the cat. We will prevail!

That Darn Cat and Other Stuff

Our wonderful pet cat, Scout, (aka: Fuzzball) was a bad kitty last night. For some reason last night he was into everything. He kept waking the wife and I up about every two hours starting around midnight. He would play with his "jingle mouse", jump on our end table and knock stuff around, or just jump on the bed and want some petting. I am so tired. I don't go to work today until 10:00 so I can maybe try to rest a little bit before heading off.

In other news: The World needs to move on from the death of Michael Jackson. He was just a man people get over it. Are we going to have to endure crazy fans who will celebrate his birth and mourn his death, just like the crazy Elvis fans? He is/was not God you know.

In my attempt to read the Bible in a Year (for the 2nd time), I have just finished Ezekiel and am starting Daniel. I am behind and hope to get back on course soon. I just finished the last book in my pile of books to read, so I will read the Bible in place of my other reading.

I am hoping to hear from the principal at Pine Tree High School today regarding my possible job as a 9th Grade Algebra teacher. I guess reaching my references was tough over the Independence Day weekend. Keep Praying For Me!

I'm Back For Good - I Hope!

Once again it's been awhile since I have been blogging.

My search for a new full-time job may be almost over. I had an interview with Pine Tree ISD to be their new 9th Grade Algebra teacher. Considering I barely pulled off C averages in Algebra in High School, I have come a long way. I thought the interview went well & I was told not to take another job until the Principal calls me back, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

I took the test to become certified to teach 4-8th Grade Math a week ago Saturday. I am waiting on my score to come back. I plan on taking the test to get certified to teach 8-12th Grade Math before the end of the year (August at the earliest!). It is my lack of knowledge in the fields of upper-level Trigonometry and Calculus that I'm worried about on the 8th-12th Math test. I am going to have to study hard and take some teacher help classes at the local Education Service Center to get ready for that bad boy.

My Texas Rangers fell out of first place since I last blogged. Maybe it's the stress about their owner, Tom Hicks, who is trying to sell his majority interest in the club. I am still routing for my team and hope they can pull it back together soon and pull off a playoff spot.

In the meantime, I am still working part-time at Mardel and trying not to get to addicted to Facebook's Mafia Wars.

I am glad to be back...I missed my few blogger friends I follow and who occasionally follow me as well.

June Update

It has been a busy time around the English household recently. 

Still looking for full time-work. I am taking a test to get certified to teach 4-8th Grade Math on the 27th of this month. Wish me luck. 

In the mean time, my family and I went to see the Texas Rangers take on the Los Angeles Dodgers last Saturday (the 13th). We were watching a great pitching duel until a bank of lights failed to turn on and the game was delayed for an hour and a half. We left the game and went back to the hotel and watched the rest of the game on television. The Rangers lost 3-1.  

The next day, Jamie and I took the kids to Abilene for ACU Summer Camps, specifically - MPULSE. We are going back to Abilene tonight so we can watch the closing activities Friday, then we are bringing them home (sort of). Actually, we are dropping them off at my sister-in-law's house so they can spend a week with their cousins. We will actually bring them home sometime late next week. 

In the meantime, Jamie and I are spending some quality time together. After dropping the kids off at ACU camps, we spent the night at a motel in Dallas and then went to visit the Dallas Holocaust Museum. It very informative, yet a little depressing. It is hard to believe that humans can treat other humans in such terrible ways. This visit was part of my early Father's Day present. We have also been trying, (I have been trying, Jamie is doing a great job), to eat more healthy. We visited a couple of Whole Foods Markets to try and buy some healthy alternative snacks and foods for the family to eat. It is a great store; to bad there is not one in our area. 

Not much else going on and when I do find time to blog, I end up spending it either reading or playing Mafia Wars on Facebook. One day things will go back to some sort of normal and I can blog some deeper thoughts. In the meantime, I have not disappeared, I have just been busy.