First Week

I just finished my first week in my new job. 

Whew. 

It feels like I've worked at the Y for 2 seconds and 2 months all at the same time. I also have been feeling all week like someone is going to come up to me and be like "Psych!! This was a dream. You still work at Christ Church!" It feels unreal. And really good. And very sad. SO MANY EMOTIONS.

Anyway, I had an all day training on Tuesday that was probably more confusing than helpful, although as the week's gone on more things from the training have made sense. I think this is the type of job that you could have weeks of training, but until you get into it, it's not going to make a lot of sense. It was great to finally get out to my site on Wednesday and have a visual for what it's going to be like. The woman who was the site director last year was super organized for which I am eternally grateful. Organization is NOT my strong point. (Just ask Dean why we switched from a shared table to separate desks after about 6 months.) But since she was so organized, all I have to do is maintain. So there's tons of resources and it's laid out really well. PTLOH. It gives me a lot more freedom to be creative when I don't have to figure out where to put what in the 10 billion cabinets and file cabinets and shelves.

I'll have two more days to prepare, and then Wednesday the kiddos come. I cannot wait. I am so excited to get started and build relationships and make mistakes and figure out what works. I am excited to practice my spanish with non-english speaking parents. I'm excited to get to know these kids' personalities and strengths and quirks. I'm excited for the ridiculous things they'll say and the sacred conversations we'll have. 

I like my supervisor, Jason, a lot. He has so much confidence in me, which has given me a lot more confidence in myself. At moments when I feel like I should be freaking out, his confidence in my ability to do this job well reassures me. I feel like, "OK. He knows what it takes to do this job way better than I do, so if he's not worried about it, I shouldn't be either." It's made this week much more peaceful than I think it would've been otherwise. 

And now I have two days to recharge and relax, and I am planning to take full advantage of them. 

God is so good. His provision and sovereignty in my life amaze me, and I am so thankful for His patient kindness and grace to me. 


Peace, 
Emily

P.S. I think licensing and paperwork probz are going to be my least favorite part of this job. Just sayin'.

A New Adventure

I've sat down a couple of times this past week and tried to write this post. There is so much emotion wrapped up in this story and I am terrible at expressing my emotions. :) But here's the gist of it...

I am called to work with the poor and marginalized. I have known that for as long as I can remember.

I worked at Christ Church for two years and am forever grateful for that time. I learned so much - a lot of which I haven't been able to process yet.

I felt God calling me to pursue the call to work full time with the poor and marginalized. I discerned. Talked to people I trust. Prayed. Cried. And finally listened at the beginning of the summer.

I talked to Dean about it and he was awesome, as usual. So supportive, kind, and selfless.

I found/was offered a job and things happened quickly.

My last day at Christ Church was Sunday, August 6. (Last day on staff, I will still worship there - duh.)

I started my new job today.

I am a Site Supervisor for a Before & After School Program with the YMCA at Fairview Elementary in Olathe, KS. I think it's going to be a blast. The demographics at the school are pretty diverse; I'll get the chance to break out my rusty spanish for sure. :) Around three quarters of the students are "economically disadvantaged". There will probably be around 60 kids in my after school program.

School starts a week from tomorrow and that's when I'll really get to start experiencing this new chapter of my life. This week is preparing. It's funny; I know very little about the details of the job, even after an all day training today, and I'm not freaking out. I don't know if it's because this has been such an emotional two weeks that I don't have the capacity to freak out (haha) or if I'm resting in the fact that it will all work out. That information will be given to me as I need it and that I'm going to kick ass with the program. That's probably it.

I'm sure as time goes on I'll be able to talk more about what my time at Christ Church meant to me and what hopes I have for the future, but for now I've got to stick to the basics.

Peace,
Emily