Last year was a year of lots of lay-offs in our school district with some re-hirings.

I was terminated, along with over 600 other teacher's assistants. In May, we were offered positions by seniority, based on what they thought they would need. It was a take-it or leave-it proposition. If you turned down what the district offered, no unemployment and no job next year. If you accepted the postion, you weren't supposed to be able to change it.

So, I had worked at a high school walking distance to my house for 2 1/2 years. But, when I was rehired, I was given a position at an alternative high school. I was told one of the duties was to escort the students from the bus to the classroom every day (4 flights up). Now, with my arthritis, I can handle one flight of stairs at a time, but didn't see how I could walk up 4 and keep up with teenagers. So, when I went to see an orthopaedic doctor, I got a note from him indicating to "avoid stairs". I brought this note over to the special education department early in the summer and prayed a lot. I really wanted to return to my original position.

Last Tuesday, I reminded myself to call the union leader, who was meeting in the special education department. She called me back when she was out of her meeting and let me know I was going to be assigned back to the origianl high school I had been at. After I was done talking to her, I went over there and shared the news with whomever I could, a few secretaries and a couple of deans, including the one who is in charge of my department. I was so happy to get this news. This means, unless it is icy out, I can walk to school, walk home for lunch, be in complete control of my food, go to the WR as often as I need to, (and have people around me who actually have noticed my weight loss journey and say things about it, like they get inspired by it). I got a letter to sign the next day, saying I was accepting this position. I got a copy of the letter back this week. We have meetings in exactly seven days. Hopefully, I will get the meet the teachers I will be working with. School starts on the 25th.

So, I just wanted to share that I GET TO RETURN TO THE SCHOOL AND POSITION I WANTED TOO!!!!