Happy Summer

Wow! Just like that a year has gone by that I have gotten to stay home with Henley and have not been teaching or coaching. CRAZY! 

To say that staying home was a bit of an adjustment for me is a total understatement. I went from teaching 7th grade English and coaching 7th and 8th grade volleyball, track and soccer...meaning during volleyball season I didn't get home until around ten o'clock three nights a week, during track season I didn't get home till ten or later one night a week with the occasional high school track event thrown in there to get home even later from, and during soccer season I didn't get home until ten two nights a week. My life was pretty chaotic, but I loved it! Don't get me wrong, I definitely complained about it, especially at the end of each season, but I loved it! I loved the coaches I worked with, I loved my athletes, I loved my team of 7th grade teachers, I loved my students, I loved the subject I got to teach, and I loved my school. Leaving at the end of last year, although I was excited to not have to wake my baby up in the mornings and to get to see all of her milestones, it was still really hard for me. I questioned my decision many many times. 

Some of our athletes praying before their big race

Now, a year later, I am so thankful for all of the extra time I have gotten to spend with my little girl. I love that I am the one who gets to tell Ben first hand the things that she said or did during the day. I have so much fun with her and wouldn't trade it for anything. I do still miss my other job though. I don't really think about it most days, but the milestone days are hard for me. I miss the big games, the holidays and the last days of school. I always had so much fun with my students leading up to those days. I used to give my athletes little candies with words of encouragement before big games and I loved getting to see them accomplish something big. In my classroom, we would always have so much fun even when we were reviewing for their exams. There was music being played, candy or peppermints being passed out and lots of jokes being told. The laid back atmosphere was my favorite! I also loved seeing that they learned so much after a year in my classroom. After their exams, when we still had time in the classroom, I would bring donuts or a treat and we would watch a movie or play games and have so much fun just enjoying each other. After a year of struggles and frustrations and both of us putting our all into each other, it was so much to enjoy each other and have some fun. I loved teaching and coaching! 

Girls coaches - the people who I spent most of my time with! 

Before heading out on our FCA Retreat

Thankfully, I still get a taste of it with my little one in tow. I am so blessed by the kids that I have gotten to tutor this year. After tutoring one almost 7th grader over the summer, I decided that I definitely wanted to keep tutoring throughout the school year. I posted something on Facebook and a friend actually reached out about her two kiddos. I absolutely loved tutoring them this year. I started with them the second week of school and we have had such a good time together. I am so thankful that I still got to be in teaching mode twice a week and enjoy watching them learn. I love that I still got to create relationships with two students and go to their games and cheer them on in life. I also loved becoming better friends with their mom. I have learned that being a stay at home mom can be a little isolating at times, so I was so thankful for another friend and now workout buddy! 

She has my heart! Henley enjoyed a friend's daughter's softball game the other day. Something we couldn't have done if I was still coaching. 

All in all, this year has been wonderful for me! Yes, I have missed my old job, but I am 95% sure that one day I will go back and enjoy the classroom again. That job will still be there for me. My new job is still incredibly rewarding and these days with Henley will not always be here. She is getting bigger by the minute and I am so thankful I am here for everything. I have learned a lot about myself from being a mommy and although marriage is not always easy, I think our marriage has gotten stronger through the things we've learned about each other in this new year. 

God is so good, and I am so thankful for all of the blessings that he has given me. I am learning to trust him and give up control of everything in my life. He knows the things that I need and he is definitely working them all out. 

Happy Summer Everyone!!