My new job
Jun 9th, 2008 by learningumbrella
I can finally tell you all about this, because everyone who needed to find out first hand has been told now. It’s very exciting- I have a new full-time job, as the Director of Religious Education at my Unitarian Universalist church. I’ve been feeling a tug on my heart-strings, calling me to do this work, and it is the kind of work that I love the most. I will get to play with curriculum, find and create stories, organize people, try out new programs, write, read, listen, and watch children grow. I’ll also have the mundane chores of keeping a program going, but even those are things I enjoy (maintaining records, budgets, organized space, etc.).
It’s going to mean big changes for my family. I’m closing the daycare, which is sad because the kids will miss each other. I need to find part-time care for Carbon and Hypatia. I’m going to keep three days of office hours in my little (it’s a pantry closet) office at church, and then I will have evening meetings to attend and Saturday activities as needed and then Sundays. It’s going to mean that DH has to watch the kids more while I’m out at these work activities. It’s going to require a new schedule for me to do the necessary chores around here (I am not thinking DH will do anymore than he does now, because I’m a realist about these things). It’s going to change the time we sit down to dinner some days. It’s going to require that I pack lunch boxes for us all during the week. We need to get a second mode of transportation, since one car will not be enough when we are both working out of the house. I need new clothes. I need a new laptop.
One thing we are not giving up is homeschooling, but that’s going to look different also. My hope is that I can find another homeschooling family who wants to babysit my kids for those 3 days a week. It would be nice for Carbon to be around other kids around his age. I’m not going to worry about homeschooling on those days at all, and I’m going to focus our educational efforts on my days off. This is going to be plenty for Kindergarten, and then we’ll cross the next bridge when we get there.
I know you can homeschool and work at the same time. And I think this job will be compatible with homeschooling. I was really clear in my application that I had these plans and this obligation to my children, and they have chosen to hire me under that understanding. So, this should be a wonderful situation for us all! I’m really thrilled.
Wow! Congratulations! Sara, your church is very lucky to have you as the new DRE! I’ve been interested in your blog posts about Spirit Play over the year, and I’m interested to see what you’ll have to share next.
Wow! Congratulations to you! It sounds like a very exciting job – one that’s perfectly suited to you. I wish you all the best!
Here’s to ch-ch-changes and what they bring!
Oh wow! Congratulations! That’s a tough job and takes a special kind of person - I bet you’ll be awesome!
I really liked our DRE and I was so sad when she left. Our new one is very different, but just as good, so the transition hasn’t been too difficult - although, we don’t go nearly as often as I would like because up here in the Great White North, many families (including us) spend Sunday mornings worshipping at the Church of Hockey.
I’ve been making a list of questions to ask you about something… but now I’ll have even more questions… as soon as I get my act together and figure out what I want to do. lol
When do your full-time duties start?
Good luck!
That sounds like a wonderful new venture for you. It will definitely take some getting used to.
Best Wishes!
Congratulations! After taking an Intro to Liberal RE class this past semester, I’m convinced you DREs are the real champions of our denomination!
Sara, I will again wish you and the congregation my heariest congratulations. Knowing both of you well ;-), I feel this is a very good match. You are WONDERFUL, and I am glad the congregation hired you. You will come to find it a very family friendly place to work, and you will have the most fantastic minister colleague supervisor. Oh, and that tug on your heart strings, my dear, may just be a call! Love to you!