Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Craziest Day of MY LIFE!

It all began 1 month ago when I had the great idea of surprising my dad on his 60th birthday. I went ahead way in advance and took a personal day, got a sub for my class, and completed sub plans. I planned with my mom how I was going to surprise dad and Ryan had a golf tournament in Birmingham so it worked out we would go together. Well, little did I know, my whole plan would change so quick and so drastically!

On Sunday before my dad's birthday, my friend who teaches in Auburn mentioned to me about coming to meet her principal the next time I was in town. Well, I got a GREAT idea, I THOUGHT! I would take dad on his birthday to Auburn (one of our favorite places to be) and we could shop around for houses and eat at our favorite bar-b-que place. Then I could just QUICKLY jump in for 5 minutes to meet the principal while we were there. I love to multi-task :)I got to bham and took both of my parents to dinner Monday night. I told dad our plan of going to Auburn and he was so excited! We started the day off with our tradition of father/daughter breakfast and took off for Auburn. On the way down there, my friend who teaches, mentioned that I needed to apply at Auburn schools and go through a screening interview...SO...I thought since we are going to Auburn anyway, while I was in the car I could start working on that. I called my SWEET school in Huntsville and both the secretary and principal who I owe my life to, were digging through all of my portfolios, interview binders, resumes, etc. They scanned all my documents in and emailed them to me so I could have them in Auburn. I was on the phone with Huntsville City schools getting paperwork, Auburn City schools finding out what I needed, phone ringing off the hook, dad driving and answering happy birthday calls...it was already starting to become hectic and it wasn't even 8:00am yet.

So we arrive to Auburn and go to 2 houses I had made appoinments to. I liked them both alot. Here is a picture of one quick shot I got...who knows if we will end up with either one, but it was a good start.
We go the house next door which was for sale by owner. The sweet lady showed us her house and I look down at my watch and realize I am supposed to meet that princiapl in 10 minutes! My heart was in my stomach...for those of you that know me I am NEVER late. I start to panic! Dad rushes out to the car, gets my suit, heels, and makeup, the sweet lady lets me change in her house and I had only met her 5 minutes before! ha! awkward for us both I am sure! She then lets us use her computer and PRINT off all the papers my sweet principal sent me so I could give them to the next principal. i think I owe my life to her as well. We rush to the school (seriously running) and of course get lost. It is a new school in Auburn and I didnt know exactly where it was. I rush into the principal's office meet her for 5 seconds and we talk about how she can not interview me until I get my stuff squared away at the board. I could just come back another time to do all of that. I figured since we were already in Auburn, though, I could go ahead and take my stuff to the board and be done with it and my dad and I could enjoy his birthday as planned...WRONG!!!!!!!! We go to the board, the sweet lady who I had been on the phone with all morning, puts me on a computer and lets me finish my application right there on the spot. She then says, normally we dont do this, but we have moved around our schedule and can go ahead and interview you now to be screened. I called dad in the parking lot. He said 'sure! I am enjoying the pretty weather and making work calls, Good luck, you will do great!" I go to my interview. It goes great! As I finish they tell me the principal wants me back at her school to interview me in 15 minutes! WHAT??!?! I didnt even know any of this was going to happen and my sweet daddy is driving me all around Auburn on his birthday!! I felt so bad, but was excited too. I go to see dad in the parking lot to tell him how sorry I was this had turned into this, he said "its fine I am glad you are getting this done and I am happy for you..BUT we have a problem..my car wont start!!!" Keep in mind I had to be at the principals office in 15 minutes!! Dad finally gets his car started, AAA takes FOREVER to get there and dad pays him 20 dollars to follow us to the school so I can be on time. HA!!! We then FLY in his truck to the school with a maintenece putter car trying to keep up! I rush into the school, interview with the principal and she hires me on the spot! wahoo! What good news after this hectic day! I run out to the car to tell him I was hired and we laughed the entire way to lunch as we rehashed the day and all its details! Its a day I will never forget and a birthday he claims was his favorite! Nothing better than daddy daughter time, I guess no matter how you spend it!

Here is sweet dad enjoying a country cooked meal at Byrons on our lunch date!
We were back to Birmingham by 2:00 for my mom to haul him off again to a bed and breakfast! whew!

Happy Birthday Dad, I love you! Thanks for helping me get my next job!

5 comments:

  1. CONGRATS Leighton!!! I am exhausted just reading this!! So happy they hired you on the spot! you are awesome, so I shouldn't expect anything less :) Hope ya'll have fun house hunting! You will find the perfect one

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  2. Congrats on the job!! I'm exhausted after reading that!! :)

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  3. Leighton,

    I'm so excited you are moving to Auburn! Good luck with the house hunt and let me know if I can help. Congrats again on the job. Talk to you soon:)

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  4. WOW!!!!WOWW!!!!!WOW!!!!!! Congratulations! And, every word your dad said, I could hear him saying it:) So sweet:)))) And to get a job that quick says a whole lot about how you are respected as a teacher! I'm so proud of you.....and surely not surprised:)))XOXOXO

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  5. Wow! What a great and intense story!! I really think I held my breath until the end! Whoa! Congrats!! And I'm so jealous you are teaching in Auburn! WAR EAGLE!

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