What I've been up to...

**CHAOS**

Doesn't even begin to describe what my life has become.

I have found myself asking "What did I get myself into?", 

But then on days like today (we had a school fund raising carnival) when I am casually walking the school grounds watching my own kids play I am humbly reminded why I got myself into what I have. Why I chose this career path for myself. 

I was reminded that I don't just have 2 kids anymore...

I have a whole ton of them, all under the age of 5.

As I enjoyed this time with my own kids, I was frequently approached by my preschool kids with big hugs and big smiles.  I loved just how excited they were to see ME!

(as if I am someone special)

I'll tell you what, they sure did make me feel special.

Days like today put a whole new perspective on my job, my title, the role I play in these little ones lives... 

And it intensifies my purpose in their world, my world....

This world.  

I thoroughly enjoy being a teacher and interacting with such adorable, fun, crazy, little ones everyday.  I am learning a great deal about myself, along with my own children through this process as well.  Lessons that I don't feel I would have ever learned, nor appreciated as much as I do now.  I am learning what it really means to be patient and I am learning that I am totally capable of being patient.  I have gained a new appreciation for what amazing children I have and for the minimal time I now get to spend with them everyday.  The time away from one another has been good because we enjoy our time together SO MUCH MORE!  I enjoy being with my kids everyday, but not really being with  them.  We are at school together and it is relieving to know that though they have both embarked upon their own little journey's and gaining independence, I am still very close (Brenna's classroom is right next door to mine actually).  It's given us just the amount of space we needed without really having to be that far away from one another. They find comfort in knowing that I am there in that school somewhere, and I the same.  It is also fun to have those moments when we do pass by one another in the hallways and we get so excited to see one another.  I know that this excitement won't last forever, so I am soaking it in as much as possible.

People told me that being a teacher required a great deal of commitment, this I thought I understood.  I didn't really.  I wasn't quite prepared for just how much time, money, and effort teachers put in daily just to ensure that their students are getting the very best education they can give.  I was given my first assignment to lesson plan for two days.  I wasn't prepared for the fact that it would take me 5 HOURS to plan for just these two days.  Providing fun, engaging, cost effective, new, and exciting lessons really is difficult to do.  I wasn't prepared for that.  I'm sure that this is something that I will get better with in time, but this was 5 hours of unpaid time that I devoted to these children.  As I was planning these couple of lessons, I realized that I wasn't doing it because I had to, but because I wanted to.  It was fun and important to me.  Last night I was up until 1am because time got away from me as I searched the web for more lesson ideas.  I quickly became consumed by all the fun ideas I had flowing through my brain... 

I am SO EXCITED to be doing this!

 I haven't really ever felt "at home" in a job until now.  

Though I miss my free time, as limited as it was, I'm not quite certain I would want to go back to just being at home.  I've needed something different for awhile, I just didn't realize it until now.  Not that I don't love, or appreciate the time I did have as a stay at home mom... it was just time for a change and this is a change I think that we all can handle and benefit from.  

Due to the new demands that my job requires, my family has had to really commit to a pretty strict schedule.  The kids are very active in after school extra curricular activities, which requires that we all play a role in life at home.  The kids haven't really been too keen on the "helping out" thing, but I have really put my foot down on their cleanliness issues.  Before it was easy for me to just pick up after them, but now I simply don't have the time.  It's been hard to hold them accountable for their own messes, but thus far I have stuck to my guns and they have had no other option but to comply.  Their rooms have stayed clean and I have kept on them about having friends help clean up messes made prior to going home.  They are beginning to understand it's easier to encourage their friends help them clean the messes they help make rather than have to clean it up alone.  I have also held them to the rule that NOTHING happens after school until homework is done.  This they haven't argued one bit.  We walk in the door and the first thing we do is sit at the table and do homework.  This does become difficult though simply because all that extra curricular stuff we have going on.  Brenna goes to dance three days a week (Mon., Tues., and Thurs.).  School gets out at 3:45 and we don't leave until 4pm because I have to clean up the classroom and get ready for the next day.  Brenna's dance classes start as early as 4:30, but we have managed to stick to this homework rule even with the crazy dance schedule.  Tuesday nights she dances for two hours, but on Mon. and Thurs. she is only at dance for 1 hour.  It keeps her busy, but not too busy...

AND she loves it.  Sam is in Karate 2 days a week as well.  He goes Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.  He also has the option of going Mon. evenings, but thus far I feel we just have way too much going on to commit to another night.  Though he hasn't been in karate long, thus far he seems to really enjoy it.  We are hoping that through this activity choice he will learn self control and respect more than what we have been able to teach him.  Our little Sam has quite the temper, one that gets away from him far too often.  I hope that he learns to better control that temper before it becomes a bigger problem for him and us.  I'm quite confident that he will gain this and much more from karate.  

On top of all our daily commitments we have had a whole lot of other stuff on as well.  My mom sold her house and had to move.  We spent all of last week helping her pack and then a crazy busy weekend getting her big house moved into a smaller, cozier house.  The weekend prior I also had the opportunity to photograph the 2012 Utah Buddy Walk.  I have still not yet found the time to edit and get these photographs posted, but in my defense we have a WHOLE LOT of new stuff going on in life AND there are nearly 500 pictures to go through and edit... 

I will however BE SURE to get this done this weekend and get a post done.  I can't wait to blog about this experience, it was truly amazing and life changing.  This is an event I intend to support in whatever way possible in years to come.  These children and their families are seriously inspirational and FUN!   

So, there is a very short run down of what I have been up to...

A whole lot going on and a whole lot to get used to.

Gotta keep reminding myself, 

CHANGE IS GOOD...