Thursday, September 20, 2007

I Work Hard For The Money

Today I completed my second four-day week of working as a teacher's assistant to a class full of two-year-olds. I think I'm starting to acclimate as I don't have to down two ibuprofen, soak my body in the jacuzzi tub and take a nap after lunch.

The director is actively looking for another assistant for Monday, Wednesday and Friday which would mean I would only work two days a week. That's my preference, but I don't mind working Monday through Thursday right now. It just gives me twice as much to spend at Barnes and Noble and Starbuck's.

The Tuesday/Thursday class is quite a challenge. We have nine boys and one girl; one boy with Down's Syndrome; a couple boys who I believe have some aspect of Autism; and a Chinese boy who speaks no English. The Down's Syndrome boy is sweet, but we have to watch him very closely as he likes to pull hair and pinch faces. But he did pretty good today. He and a couple other boys are speech delayed so they do baby ASL, which the other teacher and I are slowly learning.

It is the most physically demanding job I've ever had. But watching their little faces light up when they see you in the morning makes it so worth it.

***

Todd had a business trip to New Orleans so the kids and I were on our own last night. Taylor was supposed to have band practice at the church, but they already know the songs so it was cancelled. That meant we could go grab something for dinner and not worry about being back at a certain time.

When we lived in Arkansas the kids and I frequented Sonic - especially when Todd was out of town. Imagine our disappointment when we moved here last year and found out there was no Sonic in the entire state. But because we were faithful God blessed us with a Sonic in Lancaster - about an hour from here. That's how I see it, anyway.

Driving an hour away on a school night for fast food is insane. I'll be the first to admit it. I would never consider doing something so frivolous. Lucky for us they opened another one much closer. Only about 30 minutes away. Somehow that makes it much better.

So at 4:30 yesterday afternoon the kids and I set out for the new Sonic. Our friends that kept the kids when I had surgery in July found the new place and Betsy told me where it was. I thought she said it was on 29. So we headed down 29, but after about 30 minutes I realized she probably said 23.

We had been heading in the same direction as the Lancaster Sonic and I had to make a decision. Do I keep going or turn around? And if I turn around where do we eat? We couldn't go in anywhere because Katie didn't wear shoes. So we decided to keep going.

You know how when you're going to a place you've been to a few times and you know it's just around the next bend or over the next hill, only to find out it must be the next bend or hill? Yeah. There were a lot of nexts last night. We finally made it to Sonic around 6:00. So it took us an hour and a half. Ridiculous, no??

Thankfully my children are used to these kinds of things with me. Katie gave Taylor and I a French lesson, we listened to Taylor's favorites, the kids watched the first episode of "The Office" on his video iPod. I kept apologizing but they both said it was okay and they didn't expect anything less. Not sure how I feel about that comment.

We got our beloved Sonic food (Cheddar Peppers are only 5 Weight Watcher points) and headed back home. The car needed gas so I stopped in at a Wawa to fill up and buy the kids a treat as a peace offering for keeping them out so long.

Last Sunday we stopped at Wawa for lunch (they make great subs) and since I was going to be starting back on Weight Watchers the next morning I wanted a last hurrah of Ben & Jerry's Vermonty Python. To my overwhelming disappointment they didn't have it. So when I saw it in the freezer last night I bought some for myself. Sort of defeats the whole Weight Watchers thing, but I've made it last for two days now. I doubt it's going to make it to three since the night is still young.

We finally pulled into the garage around 7:30. Just call me Skipper - or Gilligan - because it was a three hour tour. Next time I'll try Highway 23 and see where that lands us, Little Buddy.

Labels: food, job, kids, weight management

Mused by Jenster :: 2:22 PM :: 18 People musing:

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------