Sunday, July 15, 2012

Weekly Wrap-up for July 15, 2012: On Turning 27 and Really Good News.

Today is my 27th birthday.

There is always something amazing about turning another year older and looking back on the events of the past year. I always wonder whether I am truly wiser and ready to move on to another chapter in my life.

And this year, for the first time in a number of years, I feel really good about what I did in the past year, and where my 27th year is going to take me. I think I grew a lot in the past year in regards to maturity, a sense of self, and a knowledge of what I want to accomplish. And since acknowledging all of those things, I am ready to move forward and put 26 behind me.

I also got some of the best news ever on Thursday, and while I shared it on twitter and facebook, I also want to let all of you know here-I have a teaching position for the fall. :)

I can't tell you how excited I am to have my own classroom and to be able to share with my students everything I am passionate about. I am also blessed in that I will be returning to the school I was just at this spring (I also taught in the same school last school year). I love knowing that I will be returning to a place filled with familiar faces-teachers and students.

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. That people and places and events happen to us because they are supposed to. That every chance encounter, that every conversation have an intent and purpose that we might not understand at the time. And while I may have doubted that in the past, I can't deny it now, you know what I mean?

All of the discouragement, anger, and sadness in the past brought me to blogging, to creating my project, and to this place as a person. My search for finding myself a life beyond teaching has led to new friends and challenges. So while I may have wanted a job sooner than I got one, I know it was for a reason and a purpose. I'm okay with all that now.

I very much started this project with the intentions of finding some deeper meaning to everything. Instead, I figured out that I already knew a great deal, but I had the capacity to learn more. I could change myself...and I think that has had a lot to do with the good things that have been happening recently.

I have learned that I have to make things happen for myself. That I have to continue to take on my own self-education. This place has helped me do that.


I want to take a moment to thank ALL OF YOU for supporting me in this long journey towards employment. I have to thank all of you (and Dickens, Shakespeare, Austen, and the rest of the gang) for helping me get to where I am. I feel accomplished...honored...and loved because of the support I have from a phenomenal online community. And as I transition into teaching and a fabulous career, I am going to continue here as best as I can because this has become very much a part of me and my own creation.

Thank you again.

37 comments:

  1. I'm so happy for you Allie!
    I remember the thrill of getting my first teaching job, of setting up my classroom and making all my lists and resources for September. You're in for a treat :)

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  2. Happy birthday, congrats again, and I love how happy you sound here. :)

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  3. Congrats! That's amazing news! Lucky kids! Your blog is one of my favorite bookblogs for a reason. :)

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  4. Happy birthday and CONGRATULATIONS!!! It's been a long road for you and I'm know you're going to do a great job. They're lucky to have you!! I wish I'd had a teacher like you when I was in high school. I look forward to hearing all about it in the fall.

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  5. Happy Birthday to you! Congratulations on this new career in teaching!

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  6. Happy birthday, Allie! And congrats on that wonderful teaching position. If there is someone who can influence young people that is a teacher.

    I love your picture. I am so tired of all those journeys to find onseself. What about stopping and thinking: "what do I want to be" and take charge :)

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  7. Happy Birthday. Will look forward to hearing how you find your new career. You may have to change the names of the "learning" ones. You're inspiring for one so young. All the very best,
    Pam

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  8. Happy Birthday and Congratulations! I'm so happy that you are getting all that you want :)

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  9. Happy Birthday my dear Allie! We could not believe we had a beautiful little girl 27 years ago. Since the day you were born you were our sunshine. With two older brothers to torture you, a precious little sister to bug you and a terrific husband you have grown into a beautiful woman. We are so proud of you for this wonderful blog that I personally have learned so much from and enjoy to your achieving this teaching position which you yourself accomplished on your own.

    I think you may need to adjust your "About Me" on your blog-;)

    Love, Mom

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  10. Happy Birthday Allie :-) And congrats again on the amazing news! xx

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  11. What a terrific birthday present...a teaching position. Congratulations and Happy Birthday!! If you teach anything like you blog, I'm sure your students are in for a treat. I'm so happy for you.

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  12. Oh Allie, this is so wonderful! I hope you'll be so so so so happy at your new job! And I totally agree that everything happens for a reason (I'm unemployed right now, and I kind of *have* to believe that for my own sanity, you know!) and I've met some wonderful people through blogging too- present company included :).

    CONGRATS again! (Oh yeah, and happy birthday! :) )

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  13. Oh Allie! I am in tears! I AM SO SO SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!! I wish I could crawl through the computer and give you a HUGE hug! You are going to be fantastic and I'm so glad that all the trials have lead you to where you are now. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

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  14. HAPPY BIRTHDAY and CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your students will be so blessed to have you as their teacher! Have a wonderful day and a great time preparing for your new school year-- and your Big Girl Job! : ) Love your blog!

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  15. Happy Birthday, Allie - and congratulations! I'm so happy for you!

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  16. Happy birthday and congratulations! Here's to an amazing first (official, permanent, full) year of teaching!

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  17. Happy birthday, dear Allie! And a huge congrats to you and your future students. You are so right: this bookish adventure is beautiful and is certainly re-creating a great many of us. (For me, I do still see it as "finding" myself, because for the longest time, I tried to hide who I was and create something false, but I do know what you mean!) I stumbled upon books and blogging, like you, and now I can't imagine not having it to enrich the journey. Cheers, and here's to a great year! :D xx

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  18. First of all, happy birthday to you! I hope you get very spoiled. You deserve it. :) Second of all, I am sooo happy for you! You have been so patient as you've worked and waited for this job and I know that your students will be so lucky to have you. I wish that you could have not had to go through all you did before getting your job but I have a feeling that now you will be a better teacher because of it. So glad that things are working out well!! :)

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  19. Happy birthday AND congratulations! Thanks for sharing the good news.
    -Jay

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  20. Happy Birthday, Allie. Hope you have a wonderful day and congratulations on your teaching position.

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  21. Allie I am so excited for you. To have your own classroom, from beginning to end! *fist pump* And cheers on your birthday.

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  22. I'm so happy for your new job! Also, happy birthday! Surele this year will be aweesome for you :)

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  23. Happy birthday and congrats on your teaching position! very happy for you

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  24. HaPpY B'Day and every good wish in cont'd creating ...:)

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  25. Yayyy...Have a happy 27th birthday, Allie! And congratulations for your new teaching position. Wish you all the best both for your career and your life. Oh, and for your reading and blogging also :)...

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  26. Woooooo 27! Happy birthday! And congratulations on the teaching position! That's such good news! What a perfect bday present!

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  27. Congratulations! I am in the same position as you -- I am an ELA teacher. I took on a medical leave for another teacher this past year and now am also working full time for the upcoming year.

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  28. YEAH!!! Congrats! I'm so happy for you and for your future students who will benefit from having you as a teacher!

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  29. Happy Birthday, and again, Congratulations! Here's to a wonderful coming year.

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  30. Congratulations on your new job! What a wonderful birthday present. Best wishes to you!

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  31. Congrats on the job! That is super exciting. I know that when September comes you will be extremely busy but I hope that you'll post on here occasionally so we can find out how your teaching job is going.

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  32. Happy Birthday! I'm so pleased that you're having such a great year. You deserve it. :)

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  33. Congrats, Allie! I'm so happy for you.

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  34. A job for the fall, your own classroom, best birthday present ever!

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  35. First of all- CONGRATS! I'm so happy to hear you finally got the teaching opportunity you were looking for. I've learned a lot from you and the way you tackle all these scary-looking classics that turn out not to be so scary after all. I'm thrilled to know your students will get to experience that as well.

    Second of all, happy belated birthday! I'm sorry I didn't know it at the time. Having turned 22 only three days after you hit 27, I can safely say Cancerians rock. ;) Best of wishes for you!

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