Almost a Grown-UP!

Once upon a time, there was a young woman who got married at a shockingly young age. It was rough, but it seemed to work. This frightfully young woman went to college and had a job. She taught classes full of small children and was pretty sure she had this kid thing all figured out, after all, she went to school for that. And she had been a nanny. I mean, people PAID her to take care of children, so she must be good at it.

Poor broad, didn't have a clue.

Real life has a way of smacking you on your ass with humility. Mine came in the form of 4 children. I was an amazing parent until I actually had kids. To this date, I am pretty sure I have learned more from my children than I have been able to teach them, which is saying something (not a good something) since we homeschool.

My children are approaching the age where I am no longer required for sustenance twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Although Jamison is no closer to weaning now than he was 6 months ago, we can at least throw a juice box and string cheese in his general direction and hold him off for a bit.

This means that for the first time in 9 years, I might have the opportunity to be a grown-up in a world of grown-ups. I might be able to MAKE some money instead of just spend it.

There is a problem with all this; you see, I am not the same young woman who believes she knows it all. And I am not sure I want to teach kids anymore. All this time spent in the trenches has turned my heart. I now understand that if you want to have amazing children grow up into fabulous adults, then you need to equip parents for success.

So I am packing up my lunch box, throwing my trapper keeper into my backpack and going back to school. I took some classes while we were on the east coast, but I am doing more. In May I will get certified to teach Love and Logic and by the end of the year I hope to finish up the credentials to be a Family Development Educator.

Matt has been awesome about this. He gets that, while my children will always have my heart, occasionally being a stay at home mom makes my brain rot and run out my ears. With full understanding that it will create more work and cost money for me to go back to school, he has been nothing but supportive.

So here is to a new chapter, turning over a new leaf and whatever other cliche seems to fit the moment. I am so thrilled to go on this new adventure, my heart and soul yearn  for a life lived bigger than myself and I feel like I am headed down the first steps of that path.