1. I was called as the YW President in the Canandaigua Ward.
It was a crazy thing. The bishop called me into his office and sat me down...I was figuring he was going to release me from my calling (non-lds readers can take that as "unpaid, volunteer job") as the Young Women organization's secretary because the YW President was moving. So the conversation went something like this:
Bishop Warner: So, as you know, Barb is moving.
Me: Yes.
Bishop: And when a president leaves, her presidency is dissolved and a new president is called. Then she calls two counselors and a secretary.
Me: Uh huh..
Bishop: We're going to need a new president. Who do you think it should be?
Me: Um...isn't that your job to figure out?
...I proceeded to throw out some ideas of people who would keep me on as secretary, but he pretty much shot down all of my suggestions.
Bishop: So what about you?
Me: Um, I don't know if you are aware of it or not, but this? [Motioning to myself] This is not leadership material.
Bishop: I beg to differ. So take some time, pray about it, and tell me who we are calling as your counsellors and your secretary. Congratulations, Sister Steele.
So yeah. That happened. And it's been hard and at times I feel like I'm drowning, but I have an AMAZING presidency who gets crap done. And I love those girls so much. I'm in a good place.
2. I half-quit, half got fired from the YMCA. I really started hating it there. Like LOATHED going into work and working with one or two particular people. It was crushing my soul. And after taking on the responsibilities as the YW president, I'm SO GLAD I'm not there anymore. Because I would die.
It was an interesting experience, having never been fired from something before. My "supervisor" (self-assigned title) and I haven't gotten along since I was hired. Just a personality clash. It really started wearing on me. So incident after incident, we both kept reporting the other to our boss. I think our boss just got sick of it and said I needed an attitude adjustment. Which wasn't wrong. When I couldn't stop complaining, she asked for my letter of resignation. I didn't give it...I just left. Which was probably the wrong way to go about it, but I hated that place so much in the final weeks I was there. So I still have a bad taste in my mouth with the whole being partially fired thing, but it was one of the best things that could have happened. Especially since I actually have time and a desire to work out there now instead of just going there to work! Oh, and I get to spend more time volunteering at school and at home with these beautiful babies.
3. WE WENT TO TEXAS. Which deserves its own post. Which I will get to some day. But in the mean time, I will just tell you that I loved every second of spending a straight week with my very best friend in the whole world. Guys. Danielle Baer Williams is my soulmate. I'm so lucky to have her in my life.
4. We have a new addition to the family. No, not the dog. I posted about him last time. This addition is 12 years old and her name is Bailey. Over a year ago, Zac and I both felt pretty inspired to start taking foster parent certification courses through the county. Fast-forward to the beginning of March when our final home-study was being completed and I found out that one of my Young Women (in the aforementioned Young Women's program) was taken into foster care because her circumstances at home were not good. We were asked if we were willing to take her since we had a previous relationship, but our caseworker advised against it simply because our licensing wouldn't be complete for another week. So we didn't and she was placed in a different foster home. But fast-forward 5 weeks and whatever home she was in "wasn't working out." So we were asked to reconsider. And now we are trying to figure out how to parent a 12-year-old who has never been parented before in her entire life. It's an interesting adventure. This picture is from her first day of school in Canandaigua.
