Globe-trotting Grovers: Mama's back in her School Psychologist career!-Mother's Day, etc

our story

It all began on the evening of Nov 29th 2003, at former Chat Noir French Restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA. Brad approached me [Jana] and we instantly connected; it was love at first sight. The next 4 years that followed were a whirlwind of romance, growing pains, and adventures. We circled the globe, traveling to South America, Europe, and Asia. Then one night, Brad surprised me with a romantic beachside proposal. We made it official on August 23rd 2008 with an intimate wedding at a hip art gallery in Laguna Beach. A year later we finished redesigning our home in the beach village of Corona del Mar.

On May 18th, 2010, we were blessed with a sweet little miracle of our own, our baby boy Taj Leon. He stole our hearts and took our breath away! Then, 19 months later, his incredible little brother, Jax Franz, arrived on Christmas morning (December 25th) 2011. What an amazing gift we received! In an effort to slow down the clock and enjoy our beautiful family, in Spring of 2012, we sold our CA seaside home and moved across the country to our dream lake house in Brad's hometown of Bemus Point, a resort village on Chautauqua Lake in Western New York! Even though we are living a more slow paced life, we are living a life far from ordinary!

From the West Coast to the East Coast, our Grover family adventures continue! So won't you come along and join us on this journey of love, family, and travel we like to call our La Vida Grover!

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Mama's back in her School Psychologist career!-Mother's Day, etc

In a small community such as Bemus Point, it really is about who you know and word of mouth. Just as I was entering into my 3rd month of substitute teaching at both Bemus School District and Chautauqua Lake School District, and debating about whether to take a very temporary and shady substitute position for a school psych (as well as subbing for the school counselor simultaneously) for Chautauqua Lake SD, a fellow school psych colleague and friend (the School Psychologist at Bemus Elementary that I met a couple years back and has mentored me) called me to give me a heads up a more long-term opportunity. It just so happened that this other small rural school district I had never even heard of was needing a School Psychologist long-term substitute to fill in for their psych who had been out on leave and extended leave for a good chunk of time. I hit it off right away with their Principal, who was also a former School Psychologist, when we spoke via phone. It was a great conversation with good positive energy and her complete understanding and support of my getting back into my career after being a SAHM was very refreshing and comforting. I was immediately offered the position which included a salary and benefits. After being approved by the School Board, I started as Pine Valley Central School District's School Psychologist following Spring Break and the day after we returned from Australia. I hadn't slept for 2 days and was majorly jet lagged but my first days being back in my career were exhilarating!

I feel like I was back in my groove and overcame such a HUGE hurdle transitioning from being a stay-at-home mom for more years (FIVE) than I was a school psychologist previous to that for El Rancho Charter School. I had thought about this nervously the day I stepped out of my career to focus on being a full-time mom. I never once regretted stepping out, and always knew that it would be within the right timing that I would be able to continue to pursue my career. I remember my mother's wise words how babies are only little for so long, and that my career would always be there waiting for me to get back into. She was 100% correct! Life is fleeting, and childhood is such a short precious chapter. You blink and you miss a milestone or a treasured moment. The timing couldn't have been more perfect as my substitute teaching gig prepared me for the work hours. We had already been "practicing" our new dual working parent routine with Brad as he would often get the boys ready to go to school in the mornings. Now that I would be working a solid 5-days a week full time schedule with a commute (40 minutes each way to get to South Dayton, NY- north east from Bemus), I would not be able to get the boys ready for school in the mornings or be home in time for when they finished school. Daddy Brad really stepped up to the plate and handled all morning routines, after school bus drop-off, and we had a friend's daughter help us a couple days/ week by waiting for the boys to get off the bus and stay with them until I was able to get home. I value his unconditional support, and we are incredibly fortunate his job allows so much flexibility for me to to be able to get back into my field. We developed this system pretty quick, all while juggling the two intense Baseball Little League practice and game schedule for the boys. Spring 2017 was sure crazy busy for us, and bittersweet for this mama, as I was propelled back into the working world in lightning speed. I enjoyed the challenge, being able to compare the similarities and differences of being a School Psychologist in 2 different states, and quickly adjusted to how things are done in NY State. It was almost like learning a new language, the terminology and procedure is so different!