This time of year..............

makes me feel a little happy and a little sad. Up until this year, I have taught special education. I taught for 15 years at a middle school in a quaint little town here in Michigan. I loved my job and I loved being a teacher. That's what made me happy this time of year. Also, over the course of the last 8 years, I have adopted three sweet, little boys from Russia. They, along with Jimmy and Ben, have become "where my heart is". So as the new school year approached each year, I had a tiny pain inside about leaving them. It did make it easier knowing that, they love to be at school though. For the most part, our schedules were similar, except they had days off throughout the year, that I didn't. But the worst was having to get someone to watch them while they were sick, while I still had to go to work. It's hard to concentrate on your job when you have a sick child at home.

Last year, was exceptionally hard for this reason. In the past, the boys have not gotten very sick. But last Fall, the boys came down with one thing after another, including the stomach flu two times, all before November. I missed a lot of work. Then in December, Elijah got some weird virus, and was sick for about 2 weeks. Talk about being worried and stressed out! That description was an understatement as to how I felt.

Then, add the anxiety that Jimmy was feeling about this being his last year of school. He was determined not to graduate and did not want to go to the next program that was available for the following year. Plus this next program did not have transportation, so I would have to figure out how to get him to and from home each day. I was becoming increasingly stressed over this as well. I didn't want him just sitting at home, waiting for me to get off work. I didn't want someone "babysitting" him until I got home. I wanted his life to continue to be full of activities, workouts, community outings, social interaction, fun........

With all of this going on, at the same time last year, I ended up getting sick as well (sinus infection, and two bouts with the flu), which is very unlike me to get sick. I became drained. So I decided to pray about it and look into my options. After contacting a few people, about several services, it was determined that I could actually resign. This would make it possible for me to stay home with them. I decided to resign in January of this year because of the little guys getting sick so often. It's good that I did, because Caleb alone, missed 11 more days of school.

My decision took a huge leap of faith for me. But after a month of praying about it, felt that it was best for us. I am happy with my decision, although it was a difficult transition for me emotionally. I love teaching. I have a Masters degree in special education. I worked hard to get where I am.

So, what's up for this year? Well, I am still trying to get Jimmy to try the new program for a couple days a week. I plan on taking him to the Rec center every morning to swim and workout. I will take him to his bowling group on Wednesdays, his Friday program, out to do errands in the community, hopefully find a job for him to do that he enjoys and possibly be driving him to and from this program I mentioned. And, I'm in the process of becoming a substitute teacher for the school district that we live in. So, as I look at it, I have the best of both worlds. Teaching and being home for my boys. I am at peace. I am blessed.