What's new so far in 2011?

The changes for the new year began a few weeks early for our family.  Tuesday, November 30th was Joe's last day teaching History at Ira H. Hayes (a charter high school located on the Gila River Indian Reservation).  While this job did not last more then a semester it was a true blessing.  It was the opening in the education door that he needed and he was truly happy to be back in the education field.  While teaching at this school, he was able to start working on the necessary internship hours to complete his master's degree in Education Administration.  He experienced many new things and learned things while teaching and interning at this school that we feel he would not have been able to learn anywhere else.  There were two major concerns with this job: 1- the location required an hour and fifteen minuet commute each way and 2- the stability of the school and the likely hood that he would soon be losing he job due to the lack of funding.  It was these two concerns that cause him to continue to look for other job possibilities while teaching at this school.

Towards the end of November, a new job opportunity presented itself which he accepted.  So Wednesday, December 1, 2010 Joe became an Assistant Principal of Skyview High (a charter school  located in Tucson Arizona).  This new job would require either a commute of about 2 1/2 hours each way or a move of the whole family.  The only reasonable solution was to leave our home of just over 5 1/2 years in Surprise Arizona and move to Tucson.  We decided that we would allow our children to finish out the semester at school and move over their Christmas break.  So on Monday, December 27th, we packed up our home in Surprise and moved to Tucson. 

So here we are today January 21, 2011 (about 4 weeks later) with a new job, a new home (in a totally unfamiliar place), a new school for the kids, and a new ward at church.  Surprisingly enough with all of these changes we are doing well.  Dad loves his new job!  It is so nice to have him back at a job that he enjoys.  He was able to transfer his interning hours to the new school and complete the necessary time so he is ready to sit for his Administrative Certification whenever.  (Since he is working at a charter school the License is not a must but would be an added bonus to have.  I am hopeful that he will get that done soon.  What an accomplishment.  Way to go sweetheart!)

The home is nice and is in what seems to be a nice neighborhood.  Our neighbors have been very friendly so far.  The ward at church has been very friendly as well.  Everyone has been warmly welcomed and the kids are quickly making friends there.  Kiley is in primary this year and ,after only being there twice, LOVES her teacher.  She loves being a big kid.  As of right now we don't have calling but I know that will not last of very long. 
   
As for school, the three older kids seem to be adjusting well to moving to a new school mid year.  They are each making new friends and their teachers say they are a great addition to their classes.  For the first time they are not all at the same school.  Rebecca and Savannah are together at a middle school (in 6th and 8th grades) while Joe attends the elementary school in 3rd grade.  The girls are riding to school each morning with a neighbor and walking home together after school.  Little Joe is riding the bus to and from school everyday.  Lucky for him it picks him up and drops him off pretty much right outside our door.

So that is what's new so far in 2011!