Hello blogger, hello readers, and hello world!
It's been four years since I've posted a blog and how I have enjoyed these past years so very much. When I say hello world, it is mainly due to the fact that I feel as though I've been able to live in a fantasy world since my daughter was born. For a long time, I had dreams of becoming a mommy, and once I entered the career field, I added a dream to the mommy dream - to have the opportunity to be a stay at home mom. Both those dreams came to fruition and I thank God for making it happen, as well as many friends and family members.
When our daughter was born, we had the help of so many, whether it was the welcome shower gifts of diapers and formula, or her yearly gifts to celebrate her birthday and holidays. There were surprise gifts of plane tickets or tickets to Broadway shows. There was the huge financial gift to cover adoption costs, one we will forever be grateful because that is what set us up to stretch our savings until our daughter started Kindergarten. There have been the gift of friendships and gifts of time with them. We have discovered some of our daughter's gifts and talents and have been gifted with a great dance teacher and soccer coaches. With all of these gifts we have also given back our gift of time. Time for cooking for family and friends. Time caring for and helping others. Time hosting play dates and planning outings around town. Remembering how time itself is a gift.
All the while, having an inner clock count down to the day I knew this fantasy world would change how it looked, the day my daughter would start kindergarten and life would change as we knew it. I tear up even as I write this, remembering those first days of school for my daughter and how hard it was for both of us. But as she persevered and built up her resilience, she continued to grow as a kindergartner. She was at a school where the principal had known her since she was two (thanks to my nieces also attending the same school) and had the most perfect teacher we could have asked and prayed for.
In the meantime, I was praying for my career and how it would look, going back into the workforce six years after being out of it. I had been applying for remote jobs for education companies and educational jobs within various companies. I was hoping for one particular job that just wasn't having an open door. My prayer was something like this, "God I would love this certain job, but I also don't want to tell you what to do. Please help me be open to the opportunity you would have for me." So while I held out for what I wanted, I still applied and looked in areas where I felt qualified. The more I applied, the less qualified I felt. No doors being opened made me somewhat question my skills and usefulness in the workplace. Did the world move so rapidly that my skills were now outdated? Were my skills even needed anymore? Just a few thoughts that tried to find their way into my mind, but again, I found myself in a position of hope and trust in God, that He knew exactly what He was doing and where I would be needed.
As I waited on His timing for my next chapter, I helped start a Girl Scout Troop, joined the PTA and SAC at my daughter's school, started volunteering at our church and helped my daughter get involved in fun events to help foster her love of friends and community. I also started substituting at local schools.
Then in January of this past year, I started looking at open positions posted at a few local schools. One school happened to be at a school I subbed twice at and felt a good vibe from. I submitted my application and soon received a call for an interview. I also happened to have a friend who had worked there and knew some colleagues still teaching there, and she kindly gave a positive recommendation about me. I prepped for my interview, prayed about this path and asked for family and some friends to pray too. The interview came, went well and very soon after I got the call, asking if I wanted to become a Wildcat! I, of course, accepted with much gratitude. I was so thankful to the AP who interviewed me, thankful she could see my talents and how valuable I was in the education world. She even said, it'll be just like getting on a bike again.
And it has been! I knew my heart was in education all along. All of the other jobs I had applied to were more out of duty and feeling like I needed a job, but education is where I am meant to be. I was excited to apply all that I learned from my positions outside of the classroom into my teaching. I was excited to join a new school and teach a new grade. I was excited to learn new ways of teaching, share my previous learning with colleagues and help young minds learn from me. And it felt right. I’ve grown wiser in my return to education. Before, self care took a back seat because I prioritized job duties. Now I am more in tune with my mental and physical state of being as the day goes on. I used to go home with nauseous migraines more often than not, but not anymore, thanks in part to me being mindful of my limits and also knowing once I get home, I want to be present for time with my daughter. My last school I worked out had such a great camaraderie, and that was something very important to me. I felt welcomed the moment I started my new position, and still do. New colleagues checked in on me, my team offered help before I even started and continue to do so. The front office staff are extremely helpful. The administration is grateful to have me. I enjoy showing my appreciation for all of them and building relationships is a top priority for me, at work and in life. So for the time being, I know I am exactly where God wants me and I will trust in Him to keep me and guide me to where I belong.
So, hello, world! I'm back in the teaching world. The trust and hope I put in God kept my faith strong, just as God had done when I was praying and hoping to become a mom some seven years earlier. My first day on the job was the very day we celebrated my daughter's adoption day. It was a full circle moment. One that made me grateful for the journey I've been on and where God has led it to, and with excitement to see where it continues to lead.
