all of the little things

I am so thankful right now.  Ever since I started working this past spring, I felt the desire and longing to be home with the boys more.  I love my job and teaching, but I feel like the boys are just growing up so fast.  I only have one more year with Rusty before he is off to kindergarten.  Kindergarten! 

I longed to go to working part time.  I teach high school in a very, very small school.  It is a wonderful school, and I love the job.  I appreciate the kids that I work with, my staff is incredible, supportive, and many of us really are friends!  Each day that I go there I feel appreciated and like a valued member of the staff.  My heart, however, was torn.  Many days I wished that I could whisk the kids up and take them to the aquarium or head off on a picnic or meet up with our mommy and kiddo friends.  I felt that I never had time for that, though. 

Then, an idea started working its way into the back of my mind.  COULD I go part time?  Would it be possible?  My dear friend Vanessa talked with me long and hard about it.  I didn't really see how it could be possible, but was reminded that with God ALL things are possible.  I started praying about it, thinking about it, and just waiting. 

Suddenly, everything aligned.  I felt the timing was right, and I went to talk to my boss.  She is an incredible lady.  She works hard for us, for the students and for the families of our school.  She listens to us.  She makes us feel like valued members of a cohesive group.  In my case, she heard the cry of my mother heart and began to try to make it happen.  We worked and reworked my schedule, but simply couldn't get it to the point where I was working part time but home two days a week.  That's what I wanted, to be home two days a week.  We just couldn't make the schedule work.  I still had to be there each day.

Then, another miracle.  One of my fellow teachers downstairs working in the elementary came to me.  He was going down different paths next year, and they included working part time.  Would I be interested in a job share?  This was the very teacher that had replaced me for the first half of my maternity leave.  He knew my classes.  He knows the kids upstairs.  He is a great teacher and although we are different, I think that is a blessing.  We can both bring so much to the students.  He is organized, thoughtful, and helpful.  I said I would indeed be interested and told him what I needed.  He approached our boss and right away she was on board.

The last hurdle was daycare.  Our daycare is a wonderful one.  They integrate a truly exceptional curriculum into each day, the kids are incredibly happy there, the staff is friendly and full of joy.  They are GROWING.  When we started with them just a year and a half ago they were relatively small.  Rusty was one of their first kids and they had one campus.  In that time-a simple year and a half-their programs have expanded hugely.  The owner of the daycare, who used to work on the big kids' side, is now full time in administration.  Her husband now works with her operating the daycare.  They have opened up a new site.  Kids are pouring in, because they hear about the wonderful program and the caring attitude of the workers.  We feel so blessed that even amid that growth, they still always take time to love on our kids individually.  I didn't know, with their growth, if they would be willing to keep our boys just three days a week rather than five.  I spoke with the owner, and she was so loving and kind.  She told me how much they love our family and how they want Rusty and Rocky there no matter what the amount of time.  I felt so blessed to see this last little detail fall into place. 

So, that's it!  It looks like I will be going down to part time next year!  There will be challenges.  For the first time in our lives we will really be having to stick very close to a budget to make sure all of the bases are covered.  There will be times when I have to have the most incredible communication with my fellow job share teacher.  I am sure there will be times when I will be spending my "days off" taking care of sick or upset kids.  All of that doesn't matter though.  We can stick to a budget, it will help us grow up!  I can communicate, it is one of my strengths.  Even in the sick days, I will still be WITH them.  I am just so grateful and thankful to the Lord for His wonderful and overflowing blessings.  It is so wonderful to see all of the little things coming together and I am overjoyed!