Decisions a lifetime in the making.

        When I was a teenager, I remember thinking I had it all figured out.  I was going to go to college, become a music teacher, get married, and then stay home with my kids.   I went to school, became a music teacher, and got married.  We were together 2.5 years and started to try for children.  When we lost our 2 angel babies, I needed time away from working on our family.  I kept teaching.  At the end of that year, I got laid off (or RIF'ed) due to budget cuts, and we got pregnant with our beautiful baby girl, Kate.  I was ready to carry out the plan.  It worked out perfectly.  Then I got called back to Stow.  Financially, it would be a huge hit if I didn't take the job, so I went back to work.  While I loved my students, I cried almost every day on the way to work.  I had already started my master's degree in Counseling while pregnant with Kate, so I was doing both.  After quitting the music job and taking a GA job at Walsh, I thought I found the perfect solution (again) - a part time job close to home.  Except that with classes, then practicum, then internship, I ended up missing more time with Kate than I ever wanted to.  I cried so many times during that year, which was also the year I got pregnant with Megan.  I graduated in December of 2013, and thought maybe I would stay home and be ready for new baby, but my internship site offered me a job and agreed to give me 3 months off after delivery.  Again, perfect, right?

       I thought so. I went back in June.  And, as expected, cried the whole way to work for the first week.  But then the second...and often found myself crying to or from work for the last 3 months.  

       In April, I discovered Jamberry.  Really never pictured myself as a direct sales person, but it has worked well for me and I'm loving it!  And the financial help has been a huge factor in our lives. 

       Monday last week, I wrote a letter and took it to my office.  I finally am following my dreams.  I won't give up on my career.  I will either teach music again, or work as a counselor again, or both.  I'm not planning to give up on that forever.  

       But I am planning on doing what I always planned to do.  I'm staying home.  You can find me raising the two beautiful girls God placed in our lives...and I couldn't be happier about it.