Bittersweet

Today was a very bittersweet day for me. For the past 6 years I have woken up excited and ready for a new school year full of fun with a new group of children eager and ready to learn from me, their teacher. This morning I woke up to my new "job" as a full time mommy. I know technically I have been "unemployed" since June, but it has felt the same as always because I have always had the summers off, so now this journey really begins. I am a little sad to not get to experience the first day of school and all the excitement of a new school year with all of my friends and colleagues, but I know without a doubt that being at home with my children is where I am supposed to be right now. This decision was not easy and it did not happen without a lot of thought and prayer. Ever since Gracie was born 2.5 years ago I knew that I really wanted to be at home with her and we began praying, preparing, and asking God to make a way for me to be able to. I worked for the first 2 years of her life and during that time I realized that I was not good at balancing. When I was at work, I tried to put in 100 percent, and when I came home, I tried to put in 120 percent, and that left me EXHAUSTED all the time. I felt like my kids and my husband were only getting what was left of me at the end of the day and I don't think any of us were really happy. Being a kindergarten teacher is wonderful, and very rewarding, but also A LOT of work and very exhausting. I felt like I was with kids ALL THE TIME!!! I know being a stay-at-home-mom has its own set of challenges and there is not much recognition (there is no Mommy Appreciation Week like Teacher Appreciation Week :), and well, the pay is not great, but I know that when I look back on these years when my kids are grown I will be happy of the decision that I made and I won't have any regrets. I know that when I go back to teaching, the kids in my class will still be 5 and 6 years old, but my own kids will not be, and I don't want to miss these years of their lives because I was too tired and busy. I know, I know, not everyone is made to be at home with their kids,or able to be.  I am not on a soap box advocating that every mother "should be" at home, and I don't think it matters either way, as long as you and your family are happy, and for our family, this is happiness right now :) And besides, this is my blog, so I can say whatever I want to say :) Soooooo here's what I'm looking forward to in my new role:

*Being able to stay up later than 8:45 with my husband because I don't have to wake up at 5:00am to get ready for work.
*Actually taking care of my kids: making their meals, potty training, taking them to different activities, playing games, teaching them..... and taking care of my husband too :)
*Eating a real breakfast instead of a granola bar and banana while rushing out the door.
*Spending the day with the kids and seeing the world through their eyes, taking them to the park, the library, and having playdates :) watching them grow and experience new things
*Joining MOPS and having time to volunteer at church
* Having a semi-clean house without having to spend ALL WEEKEND picking up and  cleaning.
*Having clean clothes
*Cooking good meals because I have the time to
*Selling our house.... now that I am not "tied down" to my school or the school year we can get our house sold and be able to move when we want, and not rushing to do it during the 3 months of summer
*Having some "me" time to craft, scrapbook, sew, blog, read, watch some T.V., EXERCISE, and whatever else I want to do!!

I know we are going to be making some sacrifices, but I know it will be worth it!! Thanks for reading/listening, and because every post is better with pictures, here are a few of what we did today......

Colored with dry-erase markers

Put on our make-up

Went to the grocery store

 (Gracie LOVES the grocery store thanks to these wonderful "car-carts" at Kroger

Allie enjoys the grocery store too, she flirts with all the employees

Played with beans

Snacks

Played with our pretend cupcakes we made from salt dough......so fun!

watched the rain

tried to paint

painted our hands when we thought mom wasn't watching

Happy first day of school to all of our family and friends who went back today or sent their children back, we hope it was a wonderful, memorable day!