Spring!

For us spring has started in a few small ways and a few bigger ones.
Small ways are the warm days or the days that start out cold and you end up pealing off the layers. There are puddles everywhere and we can see areas of the pavement down our street now. There is some brown grass showing through the white-ish drifts and Jack, the jack rabbit who lives somewhere down our block, is starting to lose his white coat for a more brown one. We have gone for a few walks, which we don't have the gumption to do during the winter in the cold AND I've been wearing my track jacket more often and my nice new warm winter jacket less often. Spring!!!
Two of the biggest pieces of spring have been our new niece and nephew... Not twins- both of Scott's brothers had babies within three weeks of each other. First with Eva to the Dave Robison family and second with Cade to the Jim Robison family. Exciting for all the family and making Scott and I aunt and uncle 15 times over!
Another big piece has been the job hunt. I applied to over 20 jobs in one week and heard back from six or seven different places, with four interviews and two job offers to follow. Then came the next big piece- two job offers for apx $10,000 less than what we had decided I was worth, which was $30,000 less than what Alberta Health Services is offering to start. So, do I want to wait for a job from Alberta Health Services, which I may not like as much or do I go with one of the offers that I have and stop looking or do I take one of the jobs and keep looking for a better one?
Big decision! And all of these job interviews, phone calls and re-writting of the resume all occurred while still completing the hardest semester of my school year. FYI for all those in school- A masters is WAY, WAY harder than the two year diploma or the four year degree- honestly the hardest year of my seven year post-secondary education... But it leads to the end goal! I am so excited to be this close to the end goal- I'm done the schooling (soon) that I had wanted to get as a must have! I honestly don't have to go back to being a student again if I decide I don't want to!! And, if I do go back a PhD is not a lot of student work and a lot more student teacher and research work. I'll be done in three weeks (hopefully)!!!
I am working on my project that I will defend on the 19th. I've been working on it for the entire year but now it's crunch time! Anyone who wants to see my project you are more than welcome to come to the University of Calgary from 12 to 1 pm on April 19th, Professional Development building. All the students defend in the morning and then the projects are open to the public for an hour!! And if you don't want to come but you want to see it, I will try and attache a link to the website when it is done.

So, for those of you anticipating what job I chose...
I will start working for the Community Link Centre in Airdrie on April 24! Long drives but I can't wait to work at such a fun place where they seem to enjoy my education and look at it as a great asset!!

Hope you are all doing well and if you are in the last push for school, like Scott and I, I hope you are handling it well and hanging in there!
Michelle