Sometimes snacks are necessary

So I drew a card this week-

I interviewed for a first-grade maternity leave on Friday at Shipshewana-Scott Elementary. (One of my college roommates is pregnant with twins and will be taking a leave, at least for the first semester but she says it's "90% sure" that she'll be gone the entire school year.) I couldn't tell how the interview had gone when I walked out of the room. In teaching there are enough different styles and philosophies that one is never sure about what the "right answers" may be. Did I miss any of the "essential academic and social goals of first grade"? Was my "thumbnail sketch of the four-blocks method" adequate? Apparently no and yes- the principal called me back two hours later offering me the job.

I also found a dirt-cheap apartment about a mile from the school, living in the basement of a couple from my church. It's small, simple- partially heated with a wood stove. The country road they live on is beautiful- woods on one side, a lake on the other, perfect for evening walks. I can move in before I leave for Cameroon and start paying rent upon my return.

I do feel less pressure, grateful that I have some structure to come back to when I return from Cameroon, grateful for the way the pieces seem to fit together. Yes, it is somewhat disappointing that the decision feels like choosing a good snack in order to hold me over until I can gather supplies and create a more satisfying, nutrient-giving, hot entree. However, before my hand moves toward the table to return this card and draw again, I know the time for be-laboring the pros and cons is past. Instead the time has come to savor the snack.