Teacher Job Fair

Disclaimer: I have decided to use this blog as a journal, so the entries will be fairly long, so please don't feel obligated to read all of them!

I thought I would quickly write about my adventure at the teacher job fair in Fredericksburg, VA. Well, first of all, it is about two and a half hours away from Virginia Beach and I was supposed to be there at 8:30 AM, which meant that I needed to leave by 6:00 AM at the latest. As most people know, both Matt and I would much rather be 30 minutes early to an event rather than 1 minute late. So, I got up at 4:20 AM to get ready and make sure I had everything I needed. Poor Matt had to get up with me so that he could drive me in the truck, our one legal car at the moment. Matt was able to give me a blessing before we left, which I was extremely grateful for because I was feeling incredibly nervous (I even had a nightmare a few nights before the teacher fair that I didn't bring any resumes and that I was completely unprepared). The blessing was a huge comfort and I am so grateful for a righteous husband who holds the priesthood and is able to give me blessings. Sorry, back to the story now... We ended up leaving our house at about 6:15 and arrived at the teacher fair around 8:15. Matt walked me up and we made the plan of how we would meet back up because we only have one cell phone right now because Matt had to give his back to Caffall Tile when we left. We decided that he would take the phone and that I would be able to find a pay phone no problem and that if he didn't hear from me by noon, he would head back at that time. I had no idea how long I would be there, so this seemed like a good plan. I got into the job fair, went straight to Virginia Beach Public Schools, talked to someone for just a minute and then headed over for my interview. My interview lasted about 30 minutes and I felt that it went fairly well. Then it was 9:00 and I was done. So I went in search of a pay phone. I found where the phone was in the conference center, however it was in a locked room. I then saw a hotel nearby, so I walked over there. (This weekend was surprisingly hot and humid). I got to the hotel in just a few minutes and discovered that they did not have a pay phone and that the nearest pay phone was at a gas station about a half mile away. I walked out of the hotel and could see the gas station. I decided that walking to the gas station was a better option then sitting in the conference center for the next 3 hours. Keep in mind that I was dressed up for the job fair in nice suit pants, a blouse with a shirt over that and high heels. I got some interesting looks from people driving by (this was not a street where people normally walk, especially not all dressed up and in heels!). I finally made it to the gas station, feeling a little damp from the humidity. I found the pay phone and the first one didn't have a dial tone; luckily the second phone did. I read the directions and realized that the only way to make a long distance phone call was to get a phone card. I went inside and bought a phone card. I had read on the pay phone that I needed a Verizon pre-paid phone card. So I bought the first Verizon card I found. I then dialed the number, entered the pin number, and was told that my card wasn't activated. I was quite confused and read the small print on the back of the card... It read "A Verizon Wireless Prepay phone number is required before this card can be added to an account. To obtain one, visit a Verizon Wireless Communication Store or any of our Authorized Agents or Retailers." That is when I discovered that the $15.00 phone card I just bought is meant to be for these impulse phones only. I became frustrated that I just wasted $15.00 and then saw a lady with her two young children walking towards me. I decided that my best option was to find someone with a cell phone and this lady was a good option. I approached the woman and asked her if she had a cell phone that could call long distance. She replied that she did, and I asked if I could borrow her phone to call my husband and that I would even pay her. She said, no problem. She handed me her phone and I called Matt. I explained to Matt that I was at a gas station and on a lady's cell phone, and that I needed him to come and pick me up, the gas station was called Sheetz and located across from a Cracker Barrel. Then I quickly hung up so that I wouldn't use many of this lady's minutes. I then stood by the gas station and waited for Matt to come and get me in the intense humidity. As I waited I saw MANY red trucks pass by, this is when I discovered how many red trucks are out there! After waiting for about ten minutes, I started getting scared that I didn't give Matt good enough directions to get to the gas station and that he was trying to figure out where the heck I was. (I didn't know that Matt was about 15 minutes away). Finally I saw a truck with a boy in it wearing a blue shirt and blue hat and I knew it was my dear husband! I was so relieved to see him and get into the truck with air conditioning! We then started home, but discovered a shrine to Stonewall Jackson along the way. We decided to stop and got to see where Stonewall Jackson died, it was pretty interesting. It was a crazy morning, but we made it home and relaxed for the rest of the day!