Life's Great Ah Ha's!! And that's the story!

I honestly don't even know where to start with this post. I have some pretty amazing thoughts and feelings running through me today.

I spend a great deal of time (as I've mentioned in previous posts) with reflecting, planning, preparing, thinking and PRAYING!! I read daily devotions, the Bible, self help and leadership books. I am the kind of girl believe it or not, who is always looking for signs.. big signs, little signs... but not the sign that says "You will do better in Toledo," that I pass on a regular basis. Sometimes while I am watching for the signs, I forget to have patience, listen and open my heart.
I have had a lot of let's say, rough moments in the last few months. Dreams coming true, then shattered days later. Changing everything in my world except the 2 people I share my ENTIRE life with! I've had good days and I've had bad days since I came to Ohio. I am making every effort to adjust and look at all things positive. It doesn't always work, but I would say most of the time it does. Anyway.....
I have days where I feel like nothing but bad news or bad changes come my way and it gets the best of my emotions (hello, school uniforms lol.) Then I have days where I open my heart, I open my mind and I listen carefully so I can take it all in. And when I do that the Lord fills me up. Today was a big ah ha, a big sign (and I'm still not talking about the one I passed again today "You will do better in Toledo.)

Lily is in a public preschool to finish out the school year. I debated keeping her home instead of switching schools for only 6 weeks, but she said she wanted to go and so I was ok with that. Side note... she is doing really well, of course she is because she is my daughter after all. Well, today we had a parent meeting. I was thinking it was in the evening and then happened to see it was actually in the afternoon. The meeting was to meet with a few local principals and have an opportunity to ask questions for those of us who have Kindergarten bound students. .... Ok, gotta rewind here a little.

It took me a few years to decide where Lily was going to go to school when we lived in Parchment. I want her to have the best (don't we all.) With the move to Toledo happening so fast I went into full school panic mode. Where was she gonna go to Kindergarten, it's right around the corner?!?!?!? I went hardcore into looking at the schools. I found that the home school Lily would be assigned to is not a school desirable to anyone. I was in tears. For me, it was the worst thing that could happen as a result of the move. I keep looking, I discover TPS has school of choice (yes!!) I found 4 schools I thought would fit our family better, yes I said family because she may attend the school but we all belong to it. I'm all excited because I don't have to be devastated anymore... oh wait, Jenni there is a stipulation!!! If you have a student going into Kindergarten you can't ask for a transfer of schools until you have registered the student at their home school, school has started and the transfer school has space for you. Gaaaaaggghhhh. Can I not catch a single break?!?!?!

Well thank goodness family has co-workers who have friends in high places. I was able to reach out with help to the superintendent and he heard my story. He's somehow moved by what is happening and who it is happening to that he made some calls to some other administration and we have been able to enroll Lily into the school we want her to be in (and check this out, they are now in the process of changing how the process works for Kindergartner's because it's a terrible system.) Now, this does not mean she is approved. The truth is that it still comes down to having space for her in the school but we are ALL cautiously optimistic and we should hear more this summer.
Ok... back to the parent meeting....

I debated just not going at all. I could e-mail questions if I had to and I would have to take Lily... blah blah blah excuses. I decide to go anyway, meet the principal of the school I plan to send Lily and maybe I'll learn something important. So I get to the meeting (I swear we are getting close to my point, my ah ha, my sign just stay with me,) there are probably 6 parents there and only 1 principal shows up. It's quiet, nobody seems to have any questions so I start asking away. I'm starting to feel like maybe people are labeling me "that parent" for a number of reasons. I'm liking the answers to my questions and more and more it is sounding like we should be pretty golden on Lily getting into her school we've chosen and I'm just enjoying what I am hearing (finally, thank goodness.) Well I am seriously starting to feel better and better about school working out (minus that whole uniform thing.) Now, at the meeting they introduce 2 guests. One is a Pastor and the other is a children's ministry leader from a church that is pretty much in the backyard of the preschool (which is only about 10 minutes from where we live.) They stand up to talk about their growing children's programs and how they want to really get involved with the community starting with neighborhood youth. They are from Church of St. Andrew United Methodist. OK, I'm listening!!! Could His sign be any bigger!?!?! Seriously!!! At the break, I go over and introduce myself and ask some questions. We start talking and I learn they are about to start a new sermon series.. involving health, fitness, nutrition!!! Ok, He has spoken!!!! So, school, possible new church, children's ministries... all my worries settled in one move!!! I can not contain my giddiness!!!

I have all these thoughts and feelings processing in my head. I suddenly have peace.. maybe not entirely because I am still learning.. but peace. I feel like goals and visions are coming to light.. I have ideas to discuss, hellloooo  to blog about! What a joyous day!! What a sign!! What an ah ha!!! Not a single thing can take this away from me. How blessed!!!

So, that the story and I couldn't be more excited!!!