Work!

Work is always an exciting venture. Thankfully since Chandler and I have been married we have both been blessed with a lot of good work. There have been some ups and downs with our jobs, but all in all we feel very fortunate with the opportunities we have had to work. We feel like the way our job opportunities have come about has been a blessing in and of itself - a miracle each time.

Cardboard cutout! (a promotional thing at the BYU library)

I am a ballet teacher, and I love my work and the progress I get to see in my students! The way the job came to me about 10 months ago was a miracle, and the fact that I love my job and my students is so wonderful! Over the summer I was teaching dance every morning and working most evenings at the UVU Research Call Center. Chandler was working at the BYU Library scanning books for Inter-library loan. I wanted to get a job with more hours during the day and looked for months to find a good job - nada. Luckily Chandler was able to work full time hours, even though it wasn't the most glorious of jobs. He also got another job for a month or two in the summer moving books in the BYU library from one end to the other. Again, not the most glorious of positions, but Chandler worked so hard to do what he could and make the most of it.

Since school started, things have been different. My teaching was moved to the evenings (since my students are in school), and Chandler began working fewer hours at the library since school is a full-time job by itself. He also got an opportunity to be a Teachers Assistant for one of his previous professors. It quickly became clear to us that it was not realistic for Chandler to keep both jobs and try to be successful with school. So he decided to just keep the TA job and leave his job at the library. Naturally, we have worried about finances and how we would make things work just like everyone does. I have had moments where I felt like I should be doing more. Even with working at the call center and as a dance teacher I had so much free time during the day. I didn't want to waste it. Chandler was working so hard and I wanted to do the same! Since June I had been looking and praying for another good job but had been turned down nearly everywhere...

But we have been blessed along the way. :) Along with my regular classes, I picked up 2 students who are doing private dance lessons. Also, my friend and fellow teacher who teaches at the same place I do had a baby a few weeks ago. It has worked out that I have been able to substitute for some of her hours - almost doubling mine. I have loved being able to teach more for the last few weeks! Also, about a week ago I got a call from one of my previous professors. One of his colleagues was in need of an assistant for a ballet class at a new high school for the arts. I told him I would love to look into it, and one thing led to another and a couple of days later I got to start! It is definitely a unique opportunity to be in a high school setting. It's a real challenge actually to keep 40+ kids in line. But I am grateful I have more reason to get up in the mornings and that I have yet another opportunity to work - and in my own career field! Chandler and I joke that I could pick up a fourth job because I still have some time in the middle of the day, but who knows what will happen. :) I just know that I am grateful for every opportunity that we have had, and that because of our opportunities to work we have been able to live a very comfortable life within our means. We are really blessed and grateful for work!