Opportunity

Living where I live, the opportunity to work in my field (secondary education) doesn't often present itself.  I think in the almost three years that I've lived here, I've seen one job opening for a junior high social studies position.  The big district here has had several opening in the social studies, but they all had coaching attachments so I was never even called to interview.

When we first moved here in 2008, I was pretty sure I never wanted to go back to teaching, but over time I discovered that I really missed working in a professional field.  I started pondering the idea of going back to work full time when Jack was about 6 months old, but pondering doesn't get you a job.

I've been working part time at our local Mother's Day Out program almost as long as I've lived here and I've loved pretty much every minute of it.  It has been a job that allowed me to meet people in a town where it wouldn't have been very easy to do so otherwise.  I met two of my closest friends there.  My boss is amazing and doesn't blink an eye when you have a sick kid and have to stay home, even when you only work two days a week and have one kiddo sick on Thursday and the other sick on Monday.

Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wanted to work in my field.

In an attempt to springboard off of my education degree, I decided about six months ago that I wanted to pursue my master's degree in library and information science.  I found a great program at the University of North Texas that is all online and started readying myself to apply, although I knew I wouldn't be able to start until Fall '11.  If I couldn't be actively working in my field, this was a great other option.

Then, God stepped in.

A few weeks ago, I was browsing our local classifieds online.  For some reason, the listings were all jumbled that day and the employment section was full of car advertisements.  If I clicked on a field, like education, though, the true job listings would pop up.

The middle listing of the three was an ad stating that the county library, the brand new, state of the art, amazing county library, was looking for a teen librarian.  I couldn't get my resume together fast enough.

But I was worried.  I'm not a true librarian.  I don't have an MLS degree.  All I've been is a teacher.  I've never even worked in a library beyond my "library aid" duties in the seventh grade.

I submitted my resume anyway and, two days later, was granted a job interview.  A week later, I was invited to attend a second interview.  A week and a half after that, I was offered the position.

Excited doesn't even begin to cover how I feel about this job.  I think it will be stimulating and fun and absolutely perfect.  I can't wait to jump into it, feet first.

January 17th, here I come.