Update!

Ok my whole job situation just got crazier.
First of they, after NOT contacting me, and I had to call, they said they have some applicants with Director Experience. What the hell? How am I ever supposed to get experience if people dont give it to me?!?!? Dumb.
Anyway but they are offering, or like offering to interview or whatever for a regular position. But it is less money that before, and now I am like panicking. Is this right?!?!?! Should I be doing this??!?! I mean this is a huge deal. And not for seriously that much more of money. I mean yeah its more, but still. Expecially last night both brent and I had dreams about staying here. Mine was way cooler. Our social worker told me to wait for the next big thing and not to move. and Andre 3000 ending up dying so I went to his funeral and then when I showed up, he "woke up", and he told me he loved me so much and to marry him, so I did and I thank Traci and she said see! I told you. Well t hen we got married and I ended up pregnant finally and had cute black babies. And brents dream was lame and he just got a promotion. But is this right for us?!?! Do we move?!?!?! Are we destined to stay here forever....or at least for a while longer?!?!?! I am so confused and I wish GOD would just tell us already. Like I want a clear answer. So stupid signs in dreams, either saying I have a crush on Andre (haha!) or that I am losing my mind. was it a sign or stay here?!?!?! I mean both of us had a dream to stay here on the same night!!!!!!!!!! gosh. I just dont know. Maybe I should get an 8 ball......maybe that will answer all my problems!!!

The Good and the Bad (well sad)

The Good
oh my gosh! She emailed me AGAIN! She basically just said when can you move and when can you inerview? AHHHHHHH. I know I shouldn't get ahead of myself by getting overly excited, but this is a very good step! I am so pumped. SO I emailed back, and then today thought, dumb, I should just call. So I called, but I am waiting for a reply. Both times she emailed me it was around 5 o clock, so I wonder if that is just a time when she can talk freely, or check emails, or whatever. I am so pumped!

The Bad
We got a call last night for another placement.....a little girl. I know what your thinking. This is BAD Amy Lynn?!?!?!?!
Well it is because we said no. I actually left the entire decision up to Brent. He said no because...of......really everything. I mean I might be moving. Then WE would move, and I am having a hard enough time trying to get Goober moved, let alone another foster child. And our house is too small, and the dynamic with Anthony and Devon is like...well what it should be. Like 2 brothers, fighting and playing and having so much fun together. It is sooo perfect. I dont want to mess with it. And this little girl was a year old. SO Having a 10 month old and a year old. WOW!!!! Now...I am not saying we wouldn't or couldnt have done it. BUT wanna know the clincher?!?!?!?!?!?!?
It wasn't even permanent. I made Brent call the lady back, and tell her no. And thank GOD I did, because then he was feeling...I don't if guilty or regret or whatever it was, but he asked questions. Something I didnt, dont, and never think about. I just hear....wanna a baby? and I am like YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So yah, she would have only been with us for a few short months. Which would have killed me. They were very very positive about this little girl going back to her parents. And usually social workers are SO dead on about these things. NOT saying they make mistakes....but they are truly 99.9% right. (or at least the good ones!)
Of course I was sad and unhappy and depressed. I felt like I lost this child. y baby. My baby girl. All my hopes and dreams of barbies and pigtails with lace and frill went down the toilet. While I know I will get my pigtails, and I will be able to pull out my barbies SOMEDAY! I want that day soon. Who knows. ONce we get moved and situated, I can have a girl next year. Or maybe, by GODs graces, I can maybe end up pregnant one day?!?!?!?!?! (just throwing that thought out there Lord!!!)
SO happy sad day yesterday.
But on the brighter note......goobs is walking like across rooms and stuff!!! AHHHH my babe. I dont have my girl, but my two boys mean everything to me. And I am SOOO happy!!!!!!!

Job Update!

Ok so she emailed me last night wondering about how many early childhood classes I have taken. AT LEAST SHE EMAILED ME! I am thinking that I am looking like a good candidate! So I pulled out the trusty (dusty) transcript, went onto UNDs website and I cross checked every class that I had with classes that UND said would be required for an early childhood license. I have 18 credits. I checked with google and found the North Dakota licensing requirements for preschool directors, and you need at least 16 credits. SO I think I am qualified!!!!! Whether or not I get the job....that all depends because there might be somebody who has more experience or something. There is always somebody better than you out there somewhere! (or so they say....)
So the only down side about this all is that I am starting to freak out about the realization that I MIGHT actually get this job. Which means I would move to fargo, which means.....what the H Diggity would I do with my boys?!?!?!?!!??!!? I CANNOT live a whole week without them. I just cant. Expecially anthony. He changes so much everyday. I miss his little giggles and coos. And I love how in the middle of the night he says maaaaaammmmmmaaaaa mmmmmmmaaaaaammmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaa. So I grab him and have him snuggle with me in bed. sigh. I cant live without that. Devon is in school, he is going to start hockey, and he has made a lot of friends, and has started to go to their birthday parties. So he needs his daddy, and I think he should be with the life he has in GF right now. Until we can all move. I dont want to keep "rocking" his boat by making him move houses and schools and friends AGAIN.
The only issue is that Goobs (nickname for Anthony) is still in foster care. He cant technically leave the county. They might be able to work something out because of how close we are to adoption with him. I dont want to get my hopes up. But gosh darn, if I have to move without my baby.........*pAnIcK aTtAcK*
But then again, I might not even get it. I did have a dream last night though that they just offered me the position. They said I needed training first. I said ok when and where. She said in two days in Honolulu. I said.......alright!!!!!!! I will start packing!!!!!!
So is that a sign.....or an omen. Or wait.....are signs and omens the same thing......hmmmmmm

DUMB JOBS!

Grrrrr. Ok there is this other job that I applied for I really really REALLY want it. I am not sure why I am wanting it so bad because it is not an Elementary Teaching Position. It is actually a preschool position, but with power. I dont want to say too much, but yah being in charge would be awesome! I totally feel like I can do this and I totally feel like I am in a position where I CAN do this. I turned in my Resume and then I finally called today to see the progress. Well she said she remembered me (YEAH!) But was really curious about me having preschool experience. Well I havent had a lot of classes or whatever. But grrrrr. I mean whatever works out, works out. It would be hard for me to move, without the boys and brent, and I am not sure how we could and would do it. It would be easier for Brent to move first. But he stupid wont get his act on it. He looks for jobs, but he wont apply. Or he applies way above himself, which is a good thing, but I mean apply within what you can do also. Grrrr about this whole thing. They are planning on doing interviews next week. I hope I get one because then I can prove my case to them. cross fingers!!!(and toes...and whatever else you can cross). Because I honestly feel like if I dont get a job out of town.....we are never going to move. I know my husband too well.

Dont Read

Describe what standards and benchmarks, in your area of instruction, mean to you. How do you assess that you have met the standards?
OK sorry for this post, I need to save this. It is for my job application, and student Red River wont let me log into gmail. So this is the only program I can log into to save this.
yes I am applying for jobs while I am subbing on the regular teachers computer! What of it?! And yes I will delete this post too. But feel free if you really wanted to read all about how I feel about benchmarks and standards and technology and how I am ready for this job. Gosh people! Just freaking hire me already then I wont have to go through this hell!!!!!!!!!!!


Standards and Benchmarks mean a lot to me. Working as a coordinator for the after school program, 95% of my students were low achieving. This means they were not meeting the standards and benchmarks. That also meant they were not excelling in school. I took those benchmarks and standards and incorporated a lesson plan in which I could reach my students on all of their different levels and help them reach the benchmarks, the standards, and excel in school and in their self esteem.

As a teacher having the standards and benchmarks really helped to correlate my lesson planning and making sure every students needs were being met. There are so many ways to teach a single topic. Standards help make sure the teacher is staying in line with what is expected of them, and making learning fun.

The standards and benchmarks also help us test each student and treat them as an individual while we are teaching them. We see where each student is, create a lesson plan to get the students below standard up to a level that is necessary, and then to take those students who are on standard, to get them to an even high level of learning.

Benchmarks also really help us as the teacher and the parents understand where their student should be academically. Sometimes it is hard to gage with all the different levels of intellect, but with benchmarks’ and testing, we can see where a student falls on the scale, and then make sure they are getting the lessons and the work that is best fit for them as an individual.






How would you incorporate educational technology to improve instruction?

Technology is an ever changing thing in our society and is vital to everything we do. Students need to be aware of the technology and the role it plays in the real world. I would incorporate technology in any and every way possible.

Teaching students how to make a power point, brochures, and different varieties of paper structuring is an important thing to be teaching our students from the very earliest grade.

Teaching students how to work on computer, including typing, mouse handling, and basic getting around the computer options should also be a high priority.

Communication between the teachers, the teachers and the office, and teachers to parents would be easier and convenient if staff worked and communicated through their computers. I have seen an instant messaging system set up between the teachers to help with any quick issue during the day, reporting attendance, and any other notice there would be in a day. Keeping grades on a system where a parent can look and keep track of their students performance, and then communicate with the teacher about, helps keep that line of communication open between home and school.

Technology is such an important thing, and any way possible technology can be used, learned, and taught, I think it should be to its’ fullest potential.




I have learned so much from the experience I have had as a coordinator, teacher, and a sub so far to make me a very highly qualified employee.

I have learned that communication is the number one key component to whatever you are doing. Whether it is something minor like a behavior slip with a student, or a field trip, or something else going on through out the day, it needs to be communicated to the correct people. Talking with parents is a big thing. Keeping that line of communication open, and then keeping an open mind about everything really solves issues, and helps make a better environment for everyone. Communicating with staff about simple ideas or questions helps everyone learn, benefit, and makes for a better learning environment. Same goes with administration.

I have learned to stick with my goals and my beliefs, but to keep an open mind about everything else around me. I have learned that I will continue learning throughout my entire life, even some pretty simple stuff from the youngest of person!

I have seen and been part of so many different types of students from such a huge variety of backgrounds. I have handled and been through issues with students I would never dream kids would worry or have to go through, and been part of the happiest times of their lives.
The biggest thing that I could take from all my experience, because I have a lot of things I have taken, is being open with everything and everyone. Being a positive team player and taking responsibility. Never stop learning to be the best teacher you could be.

My baby is Baptized

I am so happy! My baby, actually my big boy is baptized. Everything is all sealed and done. Like a little blonde crazy irrate package! I just want to cry thinking of the road that led us to Devon and how we got here to where we are. It is just weird. According to the government and all paperwork, Devon was born to me and brent. He is our "natural" child as the courts say. It is weird, because it feels that way. I honestly feel like he has grown inside me since the very point of conception. I felt like I have held him, cradled him for 9 months. Labored for his appearance into the world, and have had 3, almost 4 years (yIkEs!!) of him! And you know, honstly, it is true. I have had this idea of a child in my head and in my heart. I knew somewhere somehow I would get my baby. He was growing there. In my heart. Then I did labor. I (we) labored very hard to get through all the hard time of infertility to get where made a decision to adopt. Then to go through all those labors of paperwork and home studys and visits and hospital checks and tests to make sure we werent insane! You know, I labored more than the average woman. Sorry ladies....I have you beat. Dont care how rough your labor was. hehe. Just kidding. While I have not had Devon in our lives for almost 4 years, we love him so much and he fills us, it is like, now I cant even imagine life without him. Seriously. How did I go on without him??? How did I survive this long without him?? While it is very sad that I never spent his first 3 years with us, but I am so happy he will spend the rest of his life with us. And yes I do tease him about never leaving mommy. I even say Devon you have to live in my mom and dads basement and get married and have kids, but you cant ever leave me. He says ok!! Watch....it will probably come true! Yikes! I will be eating my words then!!

And I while this post is all about Devon and nothing about Anthony, that does not mean at all I dont feel the same about Anthony. But it was Devons day. It is devons big celebration, so I am focusing on him. Plus, us oldest need and crave constant attention. middle (well anthony is still the baby, man we have been calling him the middle a lot lately...hmmmm does this mean we are fortelling the future?!?!?!?! I sure hope so! I will keep you posted!!!) children could care less. As long as his momma is holding him constantly....which I am doing and he is trying to type. darn kids

and a picture to satisfy my long adoring fans...or stalkers....either or! hahaha

Like my better picture taking qualities!? I was focusing!!!! And one more, cause I am too darn cute!!!!!