It Takes A Village .....

From the minute Brooke was born .... we've had help from family and friends.

A little over a week ago Brooke came home with an invitation to the Author's Tea, for a Friday afternoon from 2-3 ...... a perfect time for the school day. It would have been totally fine if you were a Mom who worked from home .. or a mom who has been at her place of employment for years. It is not so perfect if you've just started a new job, a job you've barely done for 2 weeks.

Brooke was SO excited about this event, she is so used to my always being there that she just assumed that I would be there. This is when you call on your village ..... Auntie Robin to the rescue. 

She left work in the middle of the afternoon and was the face in the audience, smiling with pride I am sure. 

Then an email, from Brooke's teacher, with the whole Fairy Tale reading recorded. I watched with such pride and was so touched that she sent it to me. She knew that I was struggling with the fact that I couldn't be there that afternoon. 

Then a little while later Auntie Robin posted her video on FB ... she thought to record it too ... of course she did ... cause that is what the people in your Village do ... 

We are so lucky that our village is full of people who care about us and our kids. I mean think about the alternative, our village could be full of idiots ... 

Another Lesson Learned

So I have a job again, hopefully you didn't miss my recent post making the big announcement. I love it ... I love getting up early, getting dressed in work clothes, and driving to the office. I love that every day is different and there is still so much to learn. 

I fully recognized that when I got laid off it was a blow to my ego. It was stressful and I lost sleep. I have been working since I was 15 years old. I didn't remember how to "not work". I was very aware that it was going to be difficult to pay for things if the not working thing carried on too long. 

I did not recognize .. until these last few weeks ... the full impact of that stress. 

I yelled louder and more often. 

I was impatient, mostly with the people who were the most patient with me.

My fuse was short and easily ignited.

At times, I was ruled by apathy.

I seemed to lose the ability to manage time.

Some days I failed to find joy .. in anything.

I'm sort of embarrassed to admit all the ways this affected me. I mean it was a job for Pete's sake but stress, it can be debilitating. 

The last week we've started building our new normal ... that includes everyone having to pitch in a bit more, especially in the morning, so we all get out the door when we need to. It has gone off without much of a hitch ... 

As the stress level started to drop, I noticed other changes too.

The voices are getting softer. There is less yelling. There is more patience. There is motivation. Time is being effectively managed. 

There is JOY. 

I learned so much from this experience [so much that I NEVER need to experience it again]. 

Everything happens for a reason and I think I will continue to find these "Lessons Learned" for a long time to come.

Every Thing Happens for a Reason....

Nine months ago, I lost my job. You all know that and so many of you have offered support, laughs, diversions, or wine.  I appreciated it all .. especially the wine!

The one thing that I heard more than once was "everything happens for a reason"

I do wholeheartedly believe that but let me tell you .. there are days when you do NOT. Some days it is easier to "believe" more than others. There are days when your faith wanes. You worry more than you ever have. You get through those days with laughter, sarcasm, tears and, yes, sometimes with wine. 

I say all this because I got a JOB ... a job that I interviewed for in the Fall and didn't get. 

Yesterday was supposed to be my first day, false start thanks to another foot of snow. So off I went this morning ...

Paperwork to HR ... check

Staff ID Card .... check

Parking pass ... check

Laptop set up .. check

Bathroom and Cafe located ... check

I realized sometime in the last 24 hours that a great amount of weight had been lifted from shoulders ... one that I am not sure I could fully appreciate until it was gone. 

I realized something else too, had I been offered the job in September .. I would have missed so many other opportunities.  

In October, I was sick most of the month and not having a job allowed me to really rest and recover. I started consulting at the girls' school and helped to develop and run an enrichment program. I started co-teaching Technology Integration at another Magnet School. I have gained so much insight into what goes on in the classroom. I have tied a million shoelaces, zipped a bunch of coats, walked at least a dozen kindergartners to their classrooms when they get to school late. I've covered lunch duty, bus duty, and hallway duty. I've had too many hugs, high fives, and "Hi Mrs. Romanski"'s to count. 

If I had been offered the job in September, I would have missed all THAT. 

Everything really does happen for a reason ......