Life change and Lucille Ball...

   I have always prided myself on having a good work ethic.  I show up early and pour my heart into what I do.  To me my job was the best- something that I loved so much that it never really felt like a job.  Until this year.  Suddenly I looked around and realized that what I had been pouring my heart into for the past four years was slowly taking  a toll on myself, my marriage, my friendships, and worst of all, my own children.   I was so busy helping my students improve their game that by the time I got home I had nothing left to give to my own children.  I found myself not liking the "mom-me" very much, and constantly referring to myself as "mother of the year" in a sarcastic way.
   I tried to balance.  Not so much.  I seem to have workaholic issues there.  I bought a new day planner, thinking (stupidly) that if I wrote more things down I would be able to be more "present" for my kids.  Um, not so much there either.  I started cooking dinner each night.  A good thing, but lawsy mercy I'm tired by the end of it!
  So I put my notice in.  I resigned.  This will be my last year teaching in the public school system.  I'm happy and at peace about my decision and feel that of all the years to end with, this is the best one ever.  Third grade is an amazing grade to teach, and I have a fabulous group of children and parents to work with.
   I don't really know what the future holds for me, and for once in my life I'm okay with it.  That unknown factor kind of gets me excited by all the possibilities that could be waiting for me just around the corner.   Spending real time with my family and doing some repair work on my relationships will take priority. Learning to love myself again as a wife and mom gives me faith that everything else will just fall into place.