It Is No Lie

As of this last week I (Deidre) am officially an employee of Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services. I will be working as a Teacher's Assistant at the organizations high school. Optimist High School (OHS) is a non-public school that offer specialized education to youth within one of its many programs as well as a select few referred to the school by LA Unified School district or other local districts.

As a TA I will be in a classroom with 12 students and two other teachers. OHS demands that it holds a 4-1 student teacher ratio at all times. At times I will simply be assisting students as they work through their self-study items and at other times I will be teaching my own class. That is all I really know right now. I spent the last week learning how to de-escalate aggressive situation without using any force, or touch for that matter (we are a strictly hands off organization), but my school training does not begin until Tuesday, Sept. 5th (two days before students return).

I cannot express how excited I am at this opportunity. All the students I will be working with are either neglected, abused and/or what's considered "at-risk". These are the students my heart breaks for, the ones I was put on this earth to love and I am so excited that I finally get to do it. Just earlier this week I was reading in Acts where Paul recounts his conversion before his accusers. He tells them of how Jesus instructed him to seek out Ananias that he might know his "assignment." I have found my assignment. It is to love and encourage these students. I believe that God has given me a very specific call - a call to give hope to children in hopeless situation, to believe in the ones many have given up on, and to help them reach their fullest potential, wildest dreams and hopeful equip them to lead self-sufficient lives.

Unfortunately, I will not get to do this full time quite yet. Due to financials, I asked for a part-time position so that I can still wait tables part-time. Being that it is a non-profit organization that demands such a high student teacher ratio, salaries are not too great. But by God's divine plan they just happened to have a part-time position (for a minute there it didn't look like they would). So I will be teaching half the day and serving pizza the other half. Oh the life! :)
The plan is to support raise soon. Cami's job pays half time and he is to raise the other half of his pay. Once we have raised what we need, I will be able to leave the restaurant industry and give myself fully to teaching. But until then, I believe this will be a good transition, allowing me opportunity to fulfill my "assignment", while still leaving space for me fulfill my higher calling of loving my husband well. I know that my wifely duties are about to increase now that he has begun his masters and will have less free time for household duties.

As you can see, many changes are in the works, and yet more are still to come. In addition to all the above it looks like we will be moving also. Both of our teaching jobs are rather close to one another and about 25 miles away from where we currently live and on the other side of downtown LA. So in the next month we will not only have started two new jobs and begun Cami's masters work, we will also be moving, quickly followed by the third brother's wedding in three months.

I am ready for the day when all the dust settles and normal, regular, even mundane life begins. . . but then, what's the fun in that ;)