JOB!!!

I am thrilled beyond words to announce that after 164 applications, I have found a full-time teaching position! As of November 1, I will be one of two teachers in a Grade 1 & 2 classroom at a wonderful private school in Mississauga.

I could not imagine a better fit for me -- the school's founder and principal is an alumna of the same program from which I've just graduated. And the teacher with whom I'll be team-teaching was a graduate of the same program just last year! Needless to say, the school's pedagogical approach is a seamless match for the theories and practices in which I've been steeped these past two years.

Meanwhile, the school's location will help get Jeanette and me get further west, as per our plans. We'll stay put for now to let the coffers refill, but eventually we'll pull up stakes and settle as far west as we can comfortably manage (sorry, Vancouver friends; not that far west).

It is an indescribable relief to feel the pieces of our life plan falling into place at last. Indeed, September proved to be an emotional month. After Labour Day came and went, there descended a cloud of disappointment at not having found a teaching job for the start of the school year.

This gloom hit the low point in mid-September when I lost my wedding ring. Faithful readers of this blog may recall that after the weight loss resulting from my cancer treatment, I'd started wearing my wedding ring on my middle finger. A few weeks ago, I foolishly thought I'd gained enough weight back to safely return to using my ring finger. That very weekend, while playing soccer with Alfredo in a local park, I noticed the ring was gone.

Alfredo was a champion in helping me look for the lost ring, but we found no trace of it. I returned on my own later that afternoon with a metal detector and searched until sundown. No dice. The ring was gone. I've since put up posters offering a reward for its return but have heard nothing.

You'd think this would be grounds for divorce, but Jeanette was a rock. I, on the other hand, was a wreck. The problem with shaping stories for a living is that you can't help but read symbolism into this kind of event. It was hard not to see losing my wedding ring as a sign of our marriage falling apart as a result of my being unemployed and in student debt. Jeanette just rolled her eyes at my melodrama.

But the bills still needed to be paid, so I turned my attention to finding other work. Fortunately, this search was more fruitful. At one point, I was up to six part-time jobs, including my publishing work, bookstore hours, some tutoring jobs, and facilitating play-based workshops for a marvellous company called PlayLab. With a full-time teaching position now wonderfully imminent, I will be stepping away from all but two of these jobs. I hope to continue on with Annick and PlayLab as much as my time will allow.

Beyond the stress of job searching and the distress of losing my ring (I'm currently wearing a temporary replacement, by the way), September also offered some buoyant highlights. For one thing, the weather has been gorgeous. We've enjoyed some beautiful weekends up in Harriston, whooping it up at the Fall Fair and spending Thanksgiving in short sleeves taking in the fall colours.

On the cooler (as in arena ice) side of things, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto has outdone themselves in generosity this fall. Alfredo and I have been to not one but two Leafs games! We've been waiting seven years for tickets, and then boom! Two sets of tickets in as many weeks. The first was a pre-season match against the Philadelphia Flyers. The seats were two rows up from the ice, and a friendly usher named April gave us two pucks from the Leafs' warm-up session! The Leafs lost in an overtime shootout, but it was exciting right up the end.

This past Thursday night, we were back at the Air Canada Centre to see the Leafs take on the New York Rangers. The Leafs lost again, but this time we got a goody bag with hats and a foam finger. We were also shown on the Jumbotron during the first intermission, which was pretty cool.

So, it's been an eventful week. In addition to attending the NHL game and landing the teaching job, there was one last amazing highlight that I have to share. Wednesday morning was my most recent checkup at Princess Margaret Hospital. I brought copies of The Adventures of Medical Man signed to Dr. O'Sullivan and Dr. Irish. Often I won't see either doctor at these appointments, but I was in luck on Wednesday--they were both in the office.

After Dr. O'Sullivan examined me and gave me the all-clear, I presented him with his book. He was so thrilled, he went dashing out to fetch Dr. Irish. They returned together and ooed and ahhed over their copies. Bear in mind that during my treatment it was rare to have them both in the same room at the same time. Being able to give them both their books in person simultaneously was more than I'd hoped for. I couldn't stop smiling.

What an unbelievable week. I am so, so, so, so grateful for having so, so, so much to smile about.