10 Ways it's a New Day

We've got a number of changes going on around here as we prepare for Josh to start his new job on July 1.  Here are 10 ways we feel our new day/life fast approaching. :)

1.  NEW JOB: Is it possible I haven't yet said what the new job actually is?  Too funny.  The official title is  Project Manager for Effective Teaching and Learning.  What that means is that he's a district-level administrator in charge of projects relating to core curriculum, providing professional developments for teachers and parents, managing data systems, working with other directors and principals on standards and data, building individualized student achievement plans, directing technology and Race to the Top initiatives, etc.  I say it sounds like he'll just fill in the gaps where they tell him to.  :)  

2.  NEW CAR:  This was the change that we were most excited about after his actually getting the job.  Josh's current car belongs to Pearson, so we had to pony up the cash to buy our own set of wheels for Josh to drive.  Josh's must-have for this car was that it must get at least 30 mpg.  My must-have was simple - I had to like how it looked.  :)  After months of scoping, researching, comparing, and waiting, we settled on a titanium gray 2011 Hyundai Elantra.  It arrives this week, we are told, and we can't wait to go get it in Kentucky.  An added perk to the new car feel is how good it'll feel to drive it off the lot knowing we saved up the cash completely and are not taking on any car payments. :)

3.  NEW PHONE/NUMBER: It's actually a little bittersweet to say goodbye to Josh's ATL phone number that he's had since 2004.  I don't know if I'll ever really get it out of my head - 678-249-8224.  That number has seen us through every single big thing in our married lives (minus our first move) and every single trip Josh has gone on since then.  While he may have been out of town often, that 678-249-8224 was our lifeline to him and it's gonna be SO WEIRD to learn a new number for reaching him.  Alas, like the car, it was a Pearson-provided perk and it goes with the job that we are leaving behind.  Along those lines, we actually have to pay for him a phone now ... as well as internet again.  :(

4.  NEW INSURANCE/COSTS:  Josh is poring over insurance booklets for his LSSD (Lebanon Special School District) benefits lately trying to decide which plans will suit us best.  One thing is clear though, medical insurance is gonna cost us more now - boo on that.  And the coverage won't be as comprehensive - Ugh.  Thank you, Pearson, for the wonderful medical insurance you've gotten us thus far.  In this case, we know again that you don't know what a good thing you had until it's gone. :(

5.  NEW DENTISTS:  While we can at least keep our current doctors, pediatrician, and allergist, what we do have to sacrifice is our dentists - ours and the kids.  :(  I am so put off about not having a dental plan that covers pediatric dentists that we are discussing just paying for Anna out of pocket so she can continue at the current pediatric dental office for another year at least.  Noah, at least, should be fine going to whatever new dentist we end up with - though I don't like it still. :(

6.  NEW PHARMACY (maybe):  With the new insurance, we can't do the current mail-order pharmacy fills and discounts we have enjoyed the past few years.  Oh well.  We can still use Walgreen's, but apparently, they recommend and have some discount plan if we use CVS.  I'm sure we will switch, but I'm also sure I'll have to warm up to it first.  : /

7.  NEW NORMAL:  There's the obvious new normal we are excited to get used to - and that is knowing when Josh will be gone (during the school day) and when he will be home (EVERY afternoon).  To that same end, I will also always know exactly where he is - ha!  He's so all over the place traveling with Pearson, that when he is gone on trips I don't usually even remember what state or town he's in.  Goodbye to that life!  Now I can participate in evening bible studies because I know he'll be home with the kids.  We can develop a regular family devo time now that Daddy's schedule is reliable.  I WILL have to step it up with the menu-planning and actually cook for a full weeks menu, but I don't mind.  One downer is that we won't get to have Josh home in the middle of the day sometimes like we did when he was working from home, but again, that is a sacrifice we are willing to make. :)

8.  NEW OFFICE: This week when Josh was looking for a new phone, he held up his current Blackberry and said, "How will you email me during the day now?  - Oh that's right, I'll have an office! You'll just email me there!"  We cracked up at that, at how we really have to switch gears now.  It will take awhile for our brains to catch up to our new reality. :)

9.  NEW SCHEDULE: Josh was looking over the school calendar and some event dates his boss expects him to plan on.  He started to tell them to me so I could mark them on the calendar that he would be gone before he remembered that he won't be gone in the same sense that we're used to, "Oh, that's right, I don't have to tell when something is coming up at work.  I'll just...go to work!"  How novel that work duties will fall within set hours every day.  End of story!  Can you tell we are so excited about this new chapter, new life we are getting?! :)

10.  NEW FAMILY:  With Pearson, Josh works from home or on the road.  There has been no office he reports to at all.  It's sort of an isolating job, not counting conference calls, conventions, and such with the rest of his sales team and/or clients. Josh hasn't really minded that aspect of his sales job, but he IS, surprisingly, really excited to have a face-to-face community of co-workers again.  Feels like going back in time a little to when we were both in the school system before Noah came along.  Worlds are sort of colliding - in a good way.  :)  I have been pleased about Josh's new start with LSSD, too, because while he IS the new guy, he isn't really. They all know him because he's been working with this district as their Pearson sales guy.  That's how he got wind and invite to apply for this job to begin with. :)