It's fun to be married to your ESP twin!

I've never felt that I'm psychic or have a sixth-sense in any way.  However, we've been experiencing a few gives-ya-shivers moments of ESP in the Schildgen-O'Keefe household lately.

1) Yesterday we were both grabbing a quick lunch in between cleaning the house (ps we're so DOMESTIC over here!) and both finished our buffalo chicken wraps.  I could tell Dennis was still hungry (standard) and wondered what he would get into next.  As I began washing the dishes, I had the fleeting thought that I should tell him to grab some grapes from the fridge.  As most of these split-second thoughts go, I then rationalized that I didn't want to seem nagging or have him think I was telling him what to do so...I didn't say anything but didn't give it a second thought.  A few seconds later, who's reaching for the grapes?  I said, "That's crazy because I was JUST going to say that!"  He replied, "I knew you were, I knew you were going to tell me to eat grapes instead of chips so I did."  Ok, a) bonus points for following my unspoken directive you charming man and b) we can read each other's minds!!!

2) Later that night we were rediscovering our love for the show 'Scrubs' (awesome, love it) and Dr. Cox was doing one of his sarcastic soliloquys.  I was, again, sub-sub-consciously thinking that that character reminded me of our friend Bill Miller (just because of his wit and delivery) but didn't say it aloud.  Seconds later...Dennis: "Dr. Cox reminds me of Bill Miller."  So close to when I thought it that all I could say for a few minutes was, "I was JUST thinking that.  Oh my gosh Dennis, I was JUST thinking that!  Are you kidding me?!"

Now that I'm typing and re-reading this, I realize it's similar to when you wake from a vivid dream and want to share it with someone else.  Doesn't mean much to them but to you it's so intense!  Sorry if that's what you're getting, but I had to post for posterity.

**In other news: my friends Jess and Leo McNamara are due to have a bebe any day now (due date was June 29) and in the shower the other day (where the best ideas are hatched) it came to me: they are going to name their baby Colleen.  Don't ask me why (fine, ask, partially because they are Irish and told me that it is a semi-unique, two-syllable name) but I have this FEELING that that will be her name!  Psychic, psycho?  You be the judge.

"Hope": A four-letter word upon which we hang our dreams

I have always loved the word hope.  (If that's your name...lucky you!)  But lately I've been wondering how much you can and should rely on hope.  I'm not saying anyone who hopes does so in vain; rather, I'm questioning in which situations you are to hope and when you are to take action.  I vacillate (thank God for spell-check on blogspot!) between accepting that "things will work out the way they are meant to" and believing that "if it is to be, it's up to me."

So now it's a few months later and I'm reflecting on this profound albeit brief post.  I won't say it's been a rough couple of months, but I have definitely had to be introspective about life's twisting and turning pathways when it comes to my career.  This may come as a shock to you, but as a teacher, you don't make that much money.  That being said, there is pretty much nothing else I'd like to fill my days with, so I constantly try to evaluate and reassess the career choices I make.  I want to make sure that while I'm doing something I love, it's also practical and not self-serving (not that teaching is self-serving, just that there are many things one could justify as "something I love" that shouldn't be pursued as a career). 

Teaching at a charter school has been rewarding and felt very authentic, but the pay is still sub-par what I would make at a public school.  I have gone on several interviews and gotten called back for second interviews, but it's tough (hello understatement) every time I get the call that they went in a different direction.  I have become good at not taking it personally but still wonder where the road will take me--and where this will all end.

Until last Monday!  I received a call from a principal in Edina saying that they were excited to bring me on to their team as a 5th grade teacher.