One Less Thing to Worry About

With the influx of teachers losing their jobs, Aaron and I feel incredibly blessed that he was offered a contract for the 2010-2011 school year.  The fear of him possibly not being asked back next year was very real for us, leaving us feeling uncertain about what our financial future would hold for us.  But the excitement (oh the excitement!) we feel far exceeds the worry we experienced the past couple months.  We are so happy (and relieved)!!!!  The months before his evaluation, I would check edjoin.org EVERYDAY to see if there were special education teaching positions available nearby.  They were far and few between.  We applied for all the jobs that he did qualify for, but the responses simply reaffirmed our worry of Aaron being jobless coming the beginning of the next school year.

But then the magical words were spoken on April 28th, "We'd like you to come back next year!"  I know Aaron wanted to jump up and yell, "YES, YES, YES, I'll accept!" but he professionally displayed his gratitude.  Thank you, God, once again, for knowing our needs and filling our needs.

Aaron's evaluation began at 2:00 in the afternoon.  At that time,  I asked Ella if she wanted to pray for Daddy.  She said, "Okay!" really excitedly.  She sat down across from me, hands folded across her snack-filled belly, and proceeded, "Dear God, thank you for Daddy.  I love Daddy.  Amen."  Her innocence and simplicity perfectly depicts how we really should feel in life - feeling appreciative for the most important things in life.  I wanted to sit down and pray with Ella for God to soften the hearts of the people making the decision to keep Aaron, helping them to see the potential and purity in his teaching.  And although praying such a prayer is good and all, Ella reminded me that Aaron simply being is something I should thank God for.

A 3-year old doesn't have the stress and worries that an adult has.  More often than not, all of the stress and worry in my life fogs the happiness that I should feel, the raw happiness derived from simply being thankful for Aaron and the love he fills my soul with.  Thank you, Ella, for reminding me what life needs to be all about.  Really, what would it matter had Aaron been accepted to teach next year if he was severely injured in a car wreck on the drive home?  The last thing in my mind would be, "Oh, at least he has a job come August."

Regardless of jobs, income, cars, house, clothes on our backs...thank you, God, for my family.  What matters more to me than Aaron and Ella?  Not even a future baby can take away from the importance and perfectness of the family I have at this given moment.  Thank you, God, for my husband and daughter.  Amen.