So I thought that maybe being graduated, taking a new job during the day and only having class 2 nights a week would make us a little less busy. But, of course, what was I thinking! Life is always busy. Just always in a new way :)
But despite the new things filling up our life, we are still doing well. Austin still works full time and goes to school before and after his 9-5 shift. He is taking his last science credit (yay!) so comes home late late after a lab on Tuesday nights.
But he still beats me home. Tuesday and Thursday I have class from 4:40 to 9:45. Man those are long days! But they are very worth it.
About 3 weeks ago, I started a new job, still in the Chandler district. It was hard to leave, but after 4 years working in the afterschool program at CTA Independence I was offered a position to be a special ed paraeducator at Humphrey Elementary.
I have worked in schools for over 5 years, been taking care of kids all my life. I know how to teach, been doing it for years. I thought, no big deal, I can handle this job. But boy... I sure was humbled.
My students are part of the SpEd "Edge" program. My classroom is full of k-2 grade students struggling with emotional disabilities (bipolar, Explosive Emotional Disorder, ADHD, ect...). I've been there 3 weeks and I've chased down a kid who was running off campus (4 times!), been told I'd be shot with a gun and stabbed with a knife, been called a whole slew of names I won't repeat, found a child hiding from me in a supply closet, and on and on and on. I never dreamed about this side of teaching! But on top of all that, every day I get dozens of hugs, excited "Hi Mrs. Baxter!"s and the joy of seeing a student GET IT when I finally reach him. Working with ED students has been the hardest job I've ever done, but it really is worth it. These poor kids have so much going on in their lives. They are growing up often in broken homes, with troubled siblings or imprisoned parents, and they don't have the same mental capabilities that we have to deal with it all. My heart breaks for them everyday, and even though they can scare me to death and drive me up a wall, I am so glad for this job at Humphrey!
They turned out better than I'd hoped! I am pretty proud of myself :) It wasn't exactly a 5 star meal, but by george we felt pretty fancy eating good fish and drinking from our stem glasses. 
I would say so! Huge, vinyl pieces were shaped to make a fancy looking bounce house. But inside, it's a maze and prismacolor luminarium. It was so fun! We loved it.
Well, that's our thrilling plan for Spring Break. Nothing out of the ordinary - heaven knows we can't afford it. Although, we did have a little adventure early this morning.
Then, last weekend, we took home Rufio, the fire-belly toad that previously resided in Cole's (Ausin's brother) room.
And then these two guys, whom I believe we are calling Thud Butt
and Pockets (only if you've seen Hook, will these names make sense).
But anyways, at 3:30 this morning we both hear this strange noise, like a combination of a quack and those wooden, ribbed stick instrument. Austin sits strait up and asks me if I heard that and if I know what the noise is. Very groggily I answer that I think it was the frog. Turns out, I was right, and a very flustered Austin, whose adrenaline was pumping, got up and proceded to move the whole frog tank out of our room and set it back up by the front door. He continued the noise for the rest of the night, and I've heard it many times today. 
Forgive the sideways shot, but here's our little Christmas tree. Nice and cozy in our little apartment! It smelled so good and really brought the holiday spirit in. We had a blast our first Christmas together :)
