<p>Finally, after almost a year and a half of applying for on-campus jobs and not getting them (and getting pretty discouraged in the process), my son just learned that he was selected as one of 14 new tour guides out of about 100 kids who applied. I always knew that a lifetime of soaking up every possible fact about every place he lives, visits, or reads about would pay off someday!</p>
<p>He’s very happy and excited, and I’m overjoyed for him. He won’t be starting right away because there’s a lot of training first, but once he does he’ll be making $9 per hour for 5 or 10 hours a week, which will definitely be appreciated. (By both of us!) Plus, I really believe he’ll be good at it, and will enjoy it. I also don’t believe that’s enough hours to be concerned about his studies.</p>
<p>Anyway, if anyone does a tour at the University of Chicago this spring, and your tour guide is a little short guy with curly hair and glasses with a first name beginning with J., that’ll be him!</p>
<p>Plus, I’m giving myself the best birthday present I could want: my birthday is two weeks from tomorrow (I’ll be 39 again, of course), and I decided with J. that I would take the day off and fly to Chicago that afternoon, so we can have dinner together on my birthday and spend the weekend together. I was really busy at work when he was home for his winter vacation and didn’t get to spend a great deal of time with him, so this should make up for it at least a little bit. And, just as when I visited him in October, I’m hoping he decides to stay overnight with me in my hotel so I can spend even more time with him, and so I get to sit there and watch him sleep, just like I loved to do so much when he was little, and still love to do.</p>
<p>So I’m a happy parent right now.</p>