Posts I wanted to post sooner...

I stopped up to school today to turn in my TQU paperwork.  I had lunch with the ladies.  We laughed and had a good time.  I'm going to miss those gals a lot.  Hopefully they'll still want to hang out with me.  They have to -- I'm their token Republican friend. :)

I thought today was a good time to publish some thoughts that I wrote before I had turned in my resignation.  Everyday that I snuggle my Audrey or have extra time to read "one more book" with Madeline, I know that I'm making the right decision for me -- to stay home.  It might not be right for everyone, but it's right for me and our family.

The posts are kinda long and melancholy.  Sorry. 


February 11
I left work today knowing that it was my last day at work as I know it for a long time. Sure, I'll be back for seven school days in May. But that won't seem very real. It'll just seem temporary. Today was the end of the day-to-day routine of teaching. It was a bittersweet day.

On my way out, I ran into Jim. Of course he and some others know that I'm planning on resigning from teaching soon after the arrival of Audrey. What do you say to an admired colleague? A teacher that you strove to be like during your entire professional career. How do you say goodbye and thank you? To the guy who interviewed me and hired me, who informally mentored me for nine years, who offered me a spot as a chaperon to Spain three times.

We just hugged. Knowing that this was the end of an era and the beginning of the end. The end of us all teaching together in "the promised land". At a beautiful school with windows. The end of the block schedule. The move to a prison-like building with no windows. Another administrative change. The future splits as our staff and our Modern Language family divide into two buildings.

The irony is that it started and ended in the same faculty bathroom. It's the bathroom that I freshened up in on a rainy January day in 2002. I fixed my hair, took a deep breath, and headed back to the office for my interview. Much the same today. I wiped away my tears, took a deep breath, and headed home to my family to start a new position in life.

It's gonna be a whole new world at school. So it seems to be a good time for me to say goodbye. To let go of one dream and embrace another.

A career change.

March 10
It's 70s/80s Day at school. Tammy sent me a pic of my advisement. I can't deny it -- I'm gonna miss the kiddos a lot. They are the reason I became a teacher. I love the kids.

Some days they drive me absolutely crazy and I want to pull my hair out. But more often than not, with a little perspective, they make me laugh. Adolescence is hard. Sometimes they just need a smile or a pat on the back. It's a privilege to work with them. To see them grow and change over the course of a year or two. I'll miss seeing that.

I'll also miss my colleagues more than I can say. I already miss "the good ole days". When Ankeny seemed more small town than big corporation. We had lots of fun. Sometimes too much fun.

70s/80s Day. Faculty meeting bingo (never had the guts to actually shout out "Bingo!" but we developed a lovely prototype). Benchwarmers. The usual "ship" place. Friday breakfasts. Summer brunch. Curriculum review (and the scarf to go with it). Mongolian beef. Palmer's runs. End of the year parties. "Retiring" students.

The list could go on forever. Lots of good times.

But I'm excited for even more good times at home with my girls. And a chance to be a full-time mom and wife. Dedicating all of my efforts to my own family instead of coming home exhausted after giving all my energy to the kiddos at school.

It'll be a great change. Change is just...well...change. And that can be kinda scary.