Guess who got a job??

Me!! 

Let’s take a minute out to do a celebratory dance or two:

So, after 16 months of unemployment, I am finally back in the workforce. CLAP FOR ME!!!

Since President Obama made that epic jobs speech to Congress the other day then I got a job offer right after that, I feel like he got it for me. Thank you, Mr.President.

"You're welcome. Now come get this little muffin because I think she needs a diaper change."

As for what I will be doing: Working with babies, of course! A good friend of mine/former co-worker/de facto relative (our daughters are cousins through their daddies) works at a child & family development center in DC, so I hit her up to see if there were any positions at her gig. She told me there were and to send in my resume’ (expertly crafted by my friend KayPea). I got a phone interview right away, which lead to an in person interview and then a working interview. At the end of the working interview, I was handed the New Employee paper work with handshake and was told “welcome aboard”! I’ll be a co-teacher/infant care provider at that particular center. I was so happy, I could have flown home on wings that sprouted from my back! Instead, I just went to the grocery store across the street to buy juice, bread and tampons. LOL!

I felt like a 100lb weight was lifted from my chest when I was offered that positon. I’ve never gone that long without a job in my entire adult life. Long term unemployment is stressful, demoralizing and the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with. I was sending out resumes left n’ right and interviewing for positions almost every week all summer, with no offers. I was sick to death of that rigamarole and thought I’d surely come undone. Bless the Lord’s name something finally came through for me. And the best part is that I got the job that I really wanted, not something I was going to have to settle for (a nanny position).I hope to never be in that position again. I made it through without Ike n’ Tina & I becoming homeless, starving or otherwise half-dead, but there were days that things looked so dark that I couldn’t see at all. I am forever grateful to everybody who helped me out, even if it was just to tell me “It will get better”.

I know a lot of people are going to say “Congratulations” because that’s what good folks do when someone has a breakthrough, so I will say “Thank You” in advance. Right now, I’m off to get fingerprinted and a quick health check so I can report to my new job with the babies and my awesome new co-workers on Monday morning. My doula training starts tomorrow, so be sure to follow my twitter for up to the minute revelations and commentary and I’ll be posting here throughout the weekend to let all my Dedicated Readers know how it’s all going.

~pbg