The end of an era. . .

      Around this time in 2003, I was graduating from the College of Wooster and had my 2nd interview at Stow.  Days after my graduation, I received an offer from Stow to teach Elementary General Music to K-4 students.

     Over the past 7 years, I have built a life in Stow as a teacher.  I have directed 5 different choirs, taught at 6 different school buildings, had hundreds of students and met a lot of families.  I have learned so much about myself and about teaching music.  I have gained confidence and learned to challenge myself to be better as a teacher each year.  There has been a lot of stress involved with this level of dedication as well, but it has been a great job for the last 7 years.

     Today I met with the HR director, one of my principals and my union president to officially receive my RIF letter.  Starting this June, I will start to redefine who I am.  I will no longer be that elementary music teacher.

   I have applied to Walsh University to their program of School Counseling and, pending my acceptance, plan on attending Walsh full-time in the Fall.  I will collect unemployment while trying to get on my feet and figure out what happens next.  Although it's a big change and change can be scary, I am looking forward to what these changes mean for my life.  I know grad school will be a great challenge for me, but I also know I'm losing a load of stress off my life.

    I consider myself a "silver lining" type person.  7 is my favorite number, so why not go out after finishing my 7th year?  Why not see where God will lead me next?

Thank you for any prayers, thoughts, good vibes you can send my way.


P.S.  I thought about coming home tonight and enjoying some adult refreshment as a way to "unwind" from this stress.  I ran instead.  It felt better.  I kept looking outside all afternoon, itching to get out and pound out these feelings on the pavement.  I'm so happy that this is how I react to these things now!  I put another song on the playlist at the bottom - How You Live by Point of Grace - got into this song from a class at Walsh I took last year.  It definitely helps me look at things the right way and remember that life is worth living RIGHT!