Well...here we go....

Well my readers and reader-ettes (??) I am now gainfully employed out here in the Colorado Springs area. I've been hoping for a while now to get a job out here that was more meaningful than the standard receptionist 9-5 gigs I've been seeing in the papers for the past few weeks, and I've done it. I've been considering a position with an organization called Children's ARK for a while now, so today I went in and turned in an application. I asked if I could schedule an interview right away, and as luck would have it, I GOT an interview right away. I sat and chatted with the woman who was doing the hiring for a good half hour or 45 minutes about the job and what it would entail, and at the end she said "Well, what do you think about all of this?" to which I answered that I was pretty enthused about the job. She replied, "Well, I like what I see...so let's do it!" and started getting out paperwork right away.

I suppose you all are waiting with baited breath for me to tell you what my job is. Well wait in suspense no longer young masters. (I don't know where that came from). I am going to be what's called a Residential Counselor. Children's ARK is a residential...I guess you could say..."therapy" center for "at risk" teenage boys. And I guess, from what I hear, by "at-risk" they mean AT RISK!!!!! From what the woman I talked to said, this is the last stop for many of these kids before prison. Some of these kids are dealing with drug abuse, or alcohol abuse. They come from the harshest backgrounds you could possibly imagine and Children's ARK is there to help them become functional and happy in society. And my job is going to be basically like a summer camp counselor for them, except this isn't summer camp for them, it's where they live. They go to school at Children's ARK. They eat there, they sleep in cabins with the other boys. And for eight hours every day I'll be working with the other counselors at leading groups, keeping them on task, eating meals with them, etc. etc. etc.

And right now, I can hear all of you simultaneously thinking "This lady is nuts." And to be honest, I kind of agree with you. I'd be lying if I were to say that I wasn't kind of intimidated by this whole scenario. I'm pretty nervous about this. I'm pretty scared. BUT this is what I wanted. I want to eventually be a guidance counselor, and this will certainly help me know what I can handle and what I can't. I just hope I've got the strength to provide the kind of adult leadership these boys need in their lives. In my interview we talked a lot about the unconditional love that these boys need to have from us counselors. We need to be able to be there for them day after day, no matter what they do. No matter how far they push us, we have to be there the next day saying "Hey, you messed up, and you have to deal with the consequences, but I'm still here for you." I just pray that I have the strength for this.

Anyway, that's all I wanted to say for tonight. If anyone has some words of encouragement, now would be a great time. I'd love to hear them. I'm sure I'll keep y'all updated on this new adventure. :)