Santa was kind this year...

Unbeknownst to me Santa brought me a Christmas gift in the form of signed court documents finalizing our divorce. Happy or sad? Hard to tell, bittersweet is the best way to describe what I knew was come, but didn't expect it to be over on December 24th.

Over the last year I have made the kids, myself, and my friends my priority. I told a friend a year ago, when this is over I hope that people say that I handled my divorce with pose and grace (it hasn't always been pretty, but I tried). As I continue to mend (aka see my therapist) I know that I can treasure the happy memories of the past and look forward to the new adventures that await the kids and me in the future. I am looking forward to travel, learning, success, and maybe even finding love again.

2014 is going to be an amazing year. I can feel it! Thank you Santa!

One Year...

Friday marked the 1 year anniversary of the say that the kids and I moved out of our home and the long road to divorce started. It was a long week last week, busy kids, being busy at work, not feeling well, the looming holiday season, left me stressed and anxious, a place I had not been in a long time.

After talking to my sister, she put it best "...Pace yourself. It's too much wasted energy to be annoyed at people doing the same damn thing. You know what to expect. Just prepare for that..." Funny, that is how I have tried to live for the last 12 months, but once things became complicated I forgot.

I have so much to be thankful for-

• Old friends and new friends who have supported me, and sometimes just tell me what I want to hear but I choose to believe them.
• An amazing job that I love! Coworkers who make me laugh and make my days short.
• Two healthy and happy children who work hard at school and in their after school activities.
• A roof over our heads and food on the table
• I have a family who tries to do the best they can to support me and my kids.
• My ability to laugh, because sometimes it is easier to laugh than it is to cry.

I am lucky. I have made it through a lot and I think that I have proved to myself and others that I am stronger than we thought I was.

Braceface...

 

Braces are part of growing up...

I don't think I was ready for this one.

When she was little, these milestones occurred at such a rate

that there was little time to appreciate them, before the next one came.

 

Braces and front walkover in the same week!

Whaaaa! My baby is getting too big!

 



Before-





After- pink and black United rubber bands.

I love her beautiful smile!

Hot Air...

I have wanted to attend the annual Hot Air Balloon launch at Clovisfest for a long time. This is a weekend activity that requires me to wake up earlier than one should on a non-working day, today I made it happen. Abby and I slipped into our favorite hoodies and jeans and headed to the Rodeo Grounds only to find out that the balloons could not launch due a crazy weather system that blew into Fresno the night before causing high winds in the upper atmosphere.

 

 

It was a lot of fun to see the balloons up-close and to learn more about the science behind them. I guess we will have to try again next year. 

 

Road Trip...

Labor Day Weekend was HOT in Fresno! The smoke from the Rim Fire blew into the Valley causing coughing, wheezing, and sore throats... it was time to get out of the junky air and enjoy a day on the beach! I can't remember the last time we had been to the beach... a clear sign it had been too long. We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the beach, digging in the sand, and exploring the tide pools.

Definitely more trips to the beach in our futures!

Back to School...

Last First Day of Elementary School

She looks cool, calm and collected. She was really nervous.

 

 

 

Summer Vacation...

Summer vacation has not existed for me for the last few years, while kids attended Vacation Bible Schools, day camps, visited their grandparents and cousins, suffered through long hot days at campus Club, I was sneaking away to work. Afternoons were spent at my home computer working and answering forwarded phone calls from the office. I loved my job, I loved talking to the little old ladies and their stories of their lives. I often said that I probably knew more about the people who I spoke with over the phone then their own children. But life has taken a turn, every day is better than the day before (and most days are pretty great), but, continuing to work from the office became difficult and stressful, and then doing something different became necessary... The big QUESTION was -WHAT???

After spending a lot of time volunteering at the kids school during the last few weeks of school, I realized that I missed the personal interaction I had with my students, watching them grow, develop, and create. I still feel proud of all of my students from the ones that I had nearly 15 years ago for 6 weeks in summer school, to the "kid" who checks me out at the grocery store, to the ones who have chosen careers in education, government, and those who have started families of their own- I had a little hand in guiding them into the adults that they are now. The ANSWER- go back to teaching!

I applied for what seems like a million jobs, interviewed and tested for what seemed like thousands, and then I found the one... the one that was the perfect fit, the one that meant that I wouldn't have to leave for work at 5 am to commute 50 miles, the one that gives student that opportunity to experience real hands on education with practical applications, in a state of the art facility.

I am happy to announce that I have accepted a position teaching United States History and Government and Economics at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology in the Finance /Business and Hospitality / Event Management Labs. The power of this organization is incredible, students WANT to be at CART! Teachers are facilitators, students really drive their education, and community partners provide the experience for practical application.

To everyone who has supported me through this change of paths THANK YOU! I could not have done this without your letters of recommendation and support or the phone calls and emails that you took time out of your lives to complete. Thank you to those of you who listened to me complain, whine, and get really excited about the changes that I am making. You all have been encouraging, inspiring, and reminded me (often) what I am capable of doing. THANK YOU!