Good challenges

I'm in trouble.  I haven't been posting.  I've started getting Facebook messages, texts, and phone calls.  I'm sorry for disappearing!  Thank you all for being such wonderful, caring family and friends - Dave and I are very, very lucky.

So, to answer the primary question I've been getting, work is great!  Since I'm writing in the public sphere, I'll give you more the general picture than the specifics.  I'm approaching the end of my first month, and it has truly flown by.  Things are busy, really busy.  We have new programs going, including the preschool program I'm teaching.  When I'm not with the kiddos, I'm switching my brain over to the main part of my job - getting to know our teachers, scheduling, working on policies and procedures, and generally coordinating our operations.  It's a challenge learning these two very different new roles simultaneously, but I enjoy both, and these are good challenges.  The first week or so I was pretty overwhelmed, since I'd been asked to take a leap of faith and dive right in.  While I still have lots to figure out, I'm feeling more confident that I can do this, and more importantly that I want to do this.

It feels like I am finally in the position I've been looking for, and working towards.  When I was first getting to know Dave back in 2006/2007 I remember telling him that I really wanted to run an environmental education center one day.  I also think back to a year ago, when I was almost done with my grad program and just starting to look for work - I said that I wanted a position that let me combine teaching, curriculum/program design, supervising, and program coordination.  That's pretty much a perfect description of what I'm doing right now, and it's just so gratifying.  I felt lost professionally this last year, at times rejected, and I questioned my decisions and goals.  I'm not sure it made sense to everyone, but for me, my work is a big part of who I am and how I define myself.  I by no means want to speak negatively about my previous role, it was a learning experience and I took a lot from it, but now I feel at home.

And those good feelings transfer to my life outside of work.  I think the only person who might be happier than me about my new role is Dave.  My husband is amazing.  I can't begin to tell you how patient and supportive he was this past year (and really always).  Being honest, it wasn't easy for him this fall.  I was a royal pain.  Now I come home energized, happy, and telling stories of adorable students.  He's said, "This is the woman I married!"  Why yes, here I am!

We're also feeling more able to plan our extracurricular activities, including kayaking, biking, triathlons (mainly for Dave), and just enjoying our quiet time at home with our Kindles, games, or my knitting project.

Now if only Dave's boss would come back from vacation and their servers would stop acting up...then we'll both be calmer!  Haha.

So thank you, to all of you, for standing by us.  It actually reminds me of our wedding, and the importance of having family and friends by your side, pledging with their presence to support you in your marriage, through the good times and the hard ones.  And there you all are!