When we moved to Washington last year I was desperate to quickly find a job with good pay and benefits while Ben attended Graduate school. Everything worked out perfectly and I was able to land a job a few weeks after our move that paid better than any job I had up til then and also provided benefits. It didn't take me long to discover that this job was going to be less than ideal for me. I had just graduated with my Masters in Social Work and was hoping to find a job as a school counselor. Unfortunately for me, in Washington they require a counseling degree, not a social work degree. But I had found a job as a "Behavior Intervention Technician" in a middle school. This job wasn't exactly what I wanted to do but it was right up my alley as I had been working with teens behavior issues since I began my college experience. Turns out I was to be little more than a babysitter in the In School Suspension room at the middle school. My initial job description promised things such as classroom interventions and student counseling, etc. Well I soon figured out that there was no possible way for me to be in the classrooms when the ISS room was always full of students. And how could I counsel the students when I was constantly watching the room to make sure kids were working, keeping their cell phones put away, and not talking with other students. Needless to say it was a hard job and the staff and administration were not interested in my ideas for improvement. All they needed was a place to put kids when they misbehaved but not drastically enough to merit them being sent home. The days were long and I tried to do what I could to counsel the students and keep them from coming back to ISS week after week, but I spent most of my time with the same group of trouble makers.
I am sure I made a difference somewhere along the line, and the teachers and staff report never having had a better ISS room, but I can't help but feel like I just wasted a year of my life. I am so thankful to have had a job though, especially in a school setting; I love working with adolescents. However I am thrilled to have worked my last day yesterday! It was such a long year, especially towards the last few months with a bun in the oven. I am ever so anxious for our baby girl to arrive now and unbelievable grateful to have the opportunity to stay at home with her for a few years. I think once life settles down I might try and work in the schools again someday, but I am so ready to be a mommy.
Ben and I went out to lunch to celebrate after school. Its crazy to think that every restaurant outing could be our last with just the two of us. We also went and walked through some of the beautiful parks and gardens here in town. I didn't take a camera but we will go back soon and take pictures. My
mom is coming into town soon and she is a master gardener so I know she will appreciate this place called "Manito Park".
Our last stop was the grocery store to load up on ice cream. At my last doctors appt they told me to keep eating my ice cream and taking long showers while I can. So I am just following doctors orders! :0 Ben also agreed to watch all the Harry Potter movies with me. I haven't seen the last two movies and he has never seen any of them. So we will be eating ice cream and having a Harry Potter marathon for the next few days.
