My life is once again in a transition stage. For the past twenty-nine years I've been a teacher. Out of all that time I've spent all of it save one year in the same job. I didn't realize how truly unusual that is in this day and age until I stopped to think about several friends' careers. It seems to have several jobs over the course of one's career is the norm these days. Oh, well, I've never claimed to be normal! I have one year left. So what next? Heck if I know! I've actually thought about being a freelance writer. Maybe it's my ego influencing me, but I think I'd do okay with that. I've never seemed to have a problem getting words on paper once I'm inspired. My only real question concerns how I would actually go about staring a second career as a writer? Anybody out there got any suggestion? I'm open to them!
This coming school year will be a year of lasts: the last first day, the last holiday breaks, the last spring break, the last senior class, the last research paper, the last everything that has been my "normal" every year since I graduated from college. I have to admit that the very idea of sitting in my chair this same time next year and NOT thinking about different ways to keep my class interesting or cruising office supply sites for cool stuff for my classroom is quite daunting. I think that, for now, I just won't think about it. What is it Scarlet says? Tomorrow is another day.
Erin and T.J. are doing great. They've celebrated their third anniversary (I know!!!!) and seem to be building a strong marriage and a life for themselves. I worry less now than I did in the beginning. I still love hearing about what they're up to and still don't mind if they pick and choose the things they want to share. I don't stalk on Facebook and try remember that they are young and busy... calling "mommy" every day just doesn't fit their profile! Ha! We text more than talk and that's really okay with me. I like being able to send her a message knowing that if she is busy she can wait until she has a break to answer. I don't want to interfere in their lives, just be considered an interested outsider.
John and I recently celebrated our twenty-ninth anniversary and are still going strong ourselves. I love the life we have built together and am excited to see what this next stage of our lives will bring. John still has a few more years to work before he can retire so I'm sure I'll be ready for him to by the time he can.
This summer I'm having trouble finding the motivation to do the things I normally do in the summer. Erin was able to come for a visit the first week after school was out and I refused to clean out closets when I could sit and visit with her instead. But, it's been a week since she left and I've still done nothing more than basic housecleaning. I know if I don't quit losing hours in my Nook and playing computer games I will regret not having done my rituals once I have to go back to school. What does that ritual entail? Those things my mother seemed to instill in me as I was growing up that were essential to the smooth running of a home: clean out closets and donate items I no longer use / want to Goodwill, wash windows, clean baseboards, clean ceiling fans and light fixtures, organize the pantry, clean kitchen cabinet doors, clean out and reorganize my laundry room, go through our DVDs and be realistic....that one always gets me. I really do want to do those things before I go back to school in August. I know that if I don't, I'll feel as if I've wasted my whole summer. But the pool looks so nice, the days have been beautiful, and the cleaning / organizing will be here tomorrow, won't it? Yup!
We probably won't see Erin again until her friend Bethany's wedding in August. We haven't talked about upcoming holidays so plans are still up in the air. When she was here we tried to remember the last time she was home. It was actually Thanksgiving before last. A year and a half. Now how did THAT happen? Getting TJ here with her has become relatively impossible. He is so crazy busy with the dairy that John and I have decided it is less stressful on all of us for the two of us to just go there. They live in a beautiful little town and we love visiting with them. We know how demanding TJ's job is and we don't expect him to drop everything while we are there. Seeing his drive and ambition is reassuring. He and Erin have things they enjoy doing together and they have individual activities they each do for themselves. It works for them, so it works for us, too.
I promise to pay more frequent attention to my blog. Maybe I'll be inspired and have something more to talk about than the mundane details of my middle-class life. Until then...don't forget to look for the beauty in simple things and tell the ones you love how important they are to you.
By the way, the pictures are from last year's anniversary trip to Disney World. No vacation yet this summer, but we're working on it! We did go see Harry Connick, Jr. in concert last weekend, though!!
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