It's been about 2 weeks since I blogged my first blog. Not too bad....
It's that time of year again (I know Ms. Johnson is CRINGING!!! Don't worry - Me too!!!!) - the holidays! I LOVE the holidays. I love decorating. I love the festiveness. I love helping with the cooking (Yes, Daniel, I know - you do the cooking. :) ). I love the corny TV specials. I love having people into my home. I love being thankful. I LOVE family!! But, all that being said, I DREAD the holidays. There. I said it.
I saw a post last night that summed it up, "Let's have a family gathering for the remaining family members who still speak to each other." HA! No truer words have been spoken. I hate having to figure out what time I'm going where. I hate having to figure out who I'm going to offend if I don't spend the right amount of time there. I hate figuring out if I'm bringing or cooking the right food. I hate having to worry if my husband is going to bring up politics (or my son!!!!), because they are as right-winged as you get! Sure to spark controversy! I hate having to worry if my dogs are going to be crazy (and Lord knows I hate having to worry if one of their precious hairs ends up in a dish!!).
Am I crazy here?? I can't be the only one. Can I get an amen?!?!?
I LOVE my family - every crazy last one of them. Heck. I'm queen of the crazies. :) I just pray, every year, that it will get easier. My wish is for everyone to be healthy, happy, and enjoy the fellowship.
I hope that everyone everywhere, if just for the season, puts aside any hard feelings, disagreements, and hurt feelings to truly enjoy family.
I think back to the time when my Nana was with us and Daniel's Grandma was with us. Those ladies were the glue that held the families together. We need more Nanas and Grandmas in the world. More ladies (or men!) that bring the family together as often as possible, insist on sitting down to family meal, and leaving behind the crazy/business of life. Unplug! Talk! Play games! Just spend time enjoying each other. Life is short.....
God has put a lot on my heart lately about family and excess. He's working in me. Changes are a brewing. I'm excited to see where He takes me....
Monday, November 18, 2013
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Bear with the changes.......
Here we go! My first blog. I have had so many life changing events in the last 4 months that I thought - I need a place to testify, vent, share, and write! So, bear with me, here goes!
Four months ago, I was a classroom teacher in an urban school teaching with some of the most amazing people and friends a girl could ask for! My husband and I owned our own home, had steady jobs, and our son was a senior in high school. We had a crazy-busy life with long work hours, enjoying our son's senior year activities, and keeping up with FOUR DOGS!
Then, God threw me a curve ball which He SO loves to do. God laid it on my heart that it was time for a change. Because, as we all know, having your only son graduate high school, move out (so to speak), and go off to college is just not change enough. NO WAY. God often has more faith in my abilities than I do. :)
I have always wanted to work on my doctorate, but I planned to wait until Matt was out of school. While looking through the local college websites, I stumbled upon a job. Not just "a" job but "the" job. It was the job of my dreams. Where I always wanted to end up after I had taught in the classroom for a good long while. Apparently, I had made it a "good long while," because fast-forward a few weeks, and I GOT THE JOB!
I did it! I made it! But, I'm leaving my friends. :( It was HARD. I'm not going to lie. It was one of the hardest transitions/decisions I've ever made. But, it was one of the BEST decisions I've ever made. My husband and I completely let go and let God. And boy did He deliver!
I closed down my classroom, gave away my things, and moved out of Fulbright for the last time. On the last day I had lunch with my friends. We came back to the school and I slinked off to the bathroom. I texted them and said, I can't say bye. It's not good-bye. It's too sad. I can't do it. So, we didn't. I went home. Did I have time to be sad? NOPE. Because in exactly ONE week, I would start my new job AND move to Conway! My husband - always the amazing husband, decided that we should move to make the transition easier for me. It took a bit but we found a house that would take our crazy dogs. Our house was all but sold, so off we went.
As life always goes, everything didn't work out as it should have. The house sale fell through. So, we had a rental, a mortgage, and (did I mention less salary) a child in college. We continued to trust that God would see us through it all. I'll save the whole house ordeal story for another blog. That truly deserves its own testimony.
Zoom ahead to now. The house has finally sold. We've settled in. Things are work could NOT be better. I have an amazing partner and new friend at my job. We are the dynamic duo! I know we're going to do amazing things together. We work for the best boss in a fantastic department. I enjoy EVERYTHING about my new job. Seriously. It truly is a dream come true.
So, in four months I've quit a job, started a new job, moved, sold a house, and delivered my son to college. When we change - we CHANGE. Our motto is clearly - go big or go home!
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, if that's not enough - I'm embarking upon National Board renewal! And I'm having the opportunity to travel to conferences and present with the dynamic duo. And we want to write! And we want to write grants! Oh, did I mention I'm applying for the PhD program to start in the Fall???? And, did I mention my husband is going back to school????
If any of you out there need empty nest cures, I gotcha covered!
While all of this sounds crazy, hectic, insane, stressful, I LOVE IT. I wouldn't have it ANY other way! My husband and I are having the time of our lives. We're enjoying our time together. Our son is thriving at college, and we truly enjoy the quality time we get to spend with him. We are truly beginning a completely new chapter. Who knows what lies next ahead? What we do know - it's going to be amazing! It's going to be blessed by God, and we are going to let Him guide us all along the way. We can't wait to see what wild and crazy ride He has in store next!
Until next time......
Four months ago, I was a classroom teacher in an urban school teaching with some of the most amazing people and friends a girl could ask for! My husband and I owned our own home, had steady jobs, and our son was a senior in high school. We had a crazy-busy life with long work hours, enjoying our son's senior year activities, and keeping up with FOUR DOGS!
Then, God threw me a curve ball which He SO loves to do. God laid it on my heart that it was time for a change. Because, as we all know, having your only son graduate high school, move out (so to speak), and go off to college is just not change enough. NO WAY. God often has more faith in my abilities than I do. :)
I have always wanted to work on my doctorate, but I planned to wait until Matt was out of school. While looking through the local college websites, I stumbled upon a job. Not just "a" job but "the" job. It was the job of my dreams. Where I always wanted to end up after I had taught in the classroom for a good long while. Apparently, I had made it a "good long while," because fast-forward a few weeks, and I GOT THE JOB!
I did it! I made it! But, I'm leaving my friends. :( It was HARD. I'm not going to lie. It was one of the hardest transitions/decisions I've ever made. But, it was one of the BEST decisions I've ever made. My husband and I completely let go and let God. And boy did He deliver!
I closed down my classroom, gave away my things, and moved out of Fulbright for the last time. On the last day I had lunch with my friends. We came back to the school and I slinked off to the bathroom. I texted them and said, I can't say bye. It's not good-bye. It's too sad. I can't do it. So, we didn't. I went home. Did I have time to be sad? NOPE. Because in exactly ONE week, I would start my new job AND move to Conway! My husband - always the amazing husband, decided that we should move to make the transition easier for me. It took a bit but we found a house that would take our crazy dogs. Our house was all but sold, so off we went.
As life always goes, everything didn't work out as it should have. The house sale fell through. So, we had a rental, a mortgage, and (did I mention less salary) a child in college. We continued to trust that God would see us through it all. I'll save the whole house ordeal story for another blog. That truly deserves its own testimony.
Zoom ahead to now. The house has finally sold. We've settled in. Things are work could NOT be better. I have an amazing partner and new friend at my job. We are the dynamic duo! I know we're going to do amazing things together. We work for the best boss in a fantastic department. I enjoy EVERYTHING about my new job. Seriously. It truly is a dream come true.
So, in four months I've quit a job, started a new job, moved, sold a house, and delivered my son to college. When we change - we CHANGE. Our motto is clearly - go big or go home!
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, if that's not enough - I'm embarking upon National Board renewal! And I'm having the opportunity to travel to conferences and present with the dynamic duo. And we want to write! And we want to write grants! Oh, did I mention I'm applying for the PhD program to start in the Fall???? And, did I mention my husband is going back to school????
If any of you out there need empty nest cures, I gotcha covered!
While all of this sounds crazy, hectic, insane, stressful, I LOVE IT. I wouldn't have it ANY other way! My husband and I are having the time of our lives. We're enjoying our time together. Our son is thriving at college, and we truly enjoy the quality time we get to spend with him. We are truly beginning a completely new chapter. Who knows what lies next ahead? What we do know - it's going to be amazing! It's going to be blessed by God, and we are going to let Him guide us all along the way. We can't wait to see what wild and crazy ride He has in store next!
Until next time......
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