Tie a Knot in the End of the Rope...

...and hang on! And hang on we are...for dear life! This is the time of year that school teachers, students, and families just slap a smile on their faces and vow to get through! This year, though, seems a bit crazier than normal, both professionally and personally! I am going to do my best not to gripe or complain in this post, because I love what we do...really love it. In saying that, though, the Hardy Party could use a serious prayer if we just come to mind! We are in the middle of not one, but TWO musicals: South Pacific (HUGE AND AWESOME) at the high school and Beauty and the Beast at one of Jared's middle schools (smaller in scale, but with 13 year olds...need I say more?!). South Pacific will be performed May 15 and Beauty and the Beast goes on May 18. In the middle of that weekend will be Jakob's 3rd birthday party and Lily Hope's baby shower (both of which I am more excited about that anything school related!). Whew! Until then, we are having evening rehearsals from 6:30- 9 three days a week which are proceeded by private lessons from 3-6 daily and on Saturday in preparation for next week's studio recital. Needless to say, my kids and I are seeing a lot of each other these days! Jared is building everything for the middle school performance before May 8 when we all go to Amarillo for Greater Southwest Music Festival. Yee Haw. So, that's school...I think! I'm certain that I'm leaving something out, but whatever!

Monday at my doctor's appointment, I was told that I had "failed my first pregnancy test." (Just my doctor's sick sense of humor!) Evidently hemoglobin is an important part of your blood. Who knew!? Mine has dropped just over 4 points in 4 months, officially classifying me as anemic. Not that great, I understand, for someone facing a necessary, planned C-section! Thankfully, it should be a relatively easy fix with iron supplements and lots of steak! It does help explain why I have been so tired for so much longer this pregnancy.

The main thing that I am asking you to pray for if we come to your mind, though, is Jared's job. No. It is not in jeopardy. Quite the opposite! I need to speak very carefully, as nothing has officially happened, but we do feel the waters rippling and the whispers starting. When we came to Frenship almost 6 years ago now, Jared's main job was to build the numbers back in the choral program. As a team, that is exactly what has happened. Many of you know that Jared teaches at 3 campuses and has done that for three years now. That is not normal. We had seven choirs compete at contest this year and receive sweepstakes, (yea!!!) and Jared took four of those groups. He does a LOT. He handles it fantastically, but we are starting to really feel it more than ever as we prepare for life with two kids. We are really striving to clear some things out of our schedule to become much more family fixated...at our home and not our offices! Well, long story short, we will have over 225 students at the high school next year...225. That's huge, y'all. We are having to open up at least one other choir class as we cannot put everyone in the classes we currently have without having 90-100 voice choirs...nightmare in the making! We have asked for a third director at the high school who would take half of Jared's job. (do you hear the angels singing?!) The new director would do men's choirs at one middle school while Jared directed the men's choirs at the other middle school. Then Carl and Jared would move toward more of a true co-directorship at the high school, a trend that is really catching on in Texas. The third director would assist in those choirs, accompany, and teach at least one high school section of men's or women's choirs. Our administration has been absolutely fantastic in helping us get this position. From our principals to our superintendents, they are on board and see the massive need for this position. We have decided at the request of our administration to add a year-round elementary honor choir that will meet weekly under the direction of, you guessed it, Jared Hardy. We were so excited about this since Jared's school load would be lightened considerably with the acquisition of this new director. Two school board meetings later, though, the economy has evidently hit our part of the country, or at the least the fear of it hitting. As of February, we had found, interviewed multiple times, and obtained the most incredible guy for this new position. We love him, our administrators love him, and our HR people love him. We just had to wait for the 'yes' that must come from the school board. This is where we need prayers. There have now been two hiring meetings for new personnel and as of now, no choir director has been approved. As of Monday night, we were told that it didn't look good. My heart sinks at the thought of Jared's schedule next year with not only this year's responsibilities, but MORE. Add all of that to the joys and stresses of a new born and a three year old, and I am border-line freaking out for my family. I believe with all of my heart that satan is at attack as Jared and I are truly tying at God's urging to create greater margin in our lives. Would you please specifically pray for this position to be approved by our school board? We are unsure of when the next hiring meeting will be, but I trust God will bring it to your heart/mind in an appropriate time. Please pray for the school board members as they do have so much to weigh. I understand that completely, but I am praying they take care of their own. We need this. Our district. Our program. My family. We need this. Thanks for letting me rant and for praying.