Taking a Chance and Making a Change

I'm scared of change.  

Don't get me wrong, I like new, but something about the word "change" just scares me.  

And now I'm facing my fear and making a change in my life.


For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a teacher.  From loving kids to being a complete Type A personality, education was the career path that I've wanted to follow.  About 12 years ago, I was bit by the curriculum bug.  I was asked to be on a Social Studies curriculum writing team while I was teaching in Maryland.  I realized that I wanted to impact education from a different way.  Then I became an educational consultant with SRA/McGraw-Hill and was able to teach and coach teachers using curriculum and best practices.  

I was in love!

Not only was I working with curriculum, I was teaching teachers.  I was impacting the learning of children from the top down.  This is what I wanted to do.  Unfortunately, there wasn't full-time work with this type of work, so I went back to the classroom.  

So now, 8 years later, and I was still in the classroom.  Until now.

I've recently left my teaching position.  

I left because that "curriculum bug" is still biting me.  I left because I felt that if I didn't leave now, I never would.  I left because I want to grow. 

Most people leave their jobs because they have something on the horizon.  Not me.  My husband gave me the "green light."  I've learned when you have the "green light," you take it.  I have one year to "find myself" and find something that I love.  I know it sounds crazy, but maybe crazy is what I need right now.  

This about sums it up!

Wish me luck!

Alexis

Making *cents* of it all!

Everyday when my husband comes home, he empties his pockets on the kitchen counter.  Although this annoys me because it just adds to the all ready cluttered counter, I take the change that he leaves behind and I put it in a bag.  When that bag gets full, the money is transferred to a gallon milk container.

The other day, on a cleaning binge, we started counting just the quarters from a bag in the kitchen...GOLD MINE!  That got us thinking...let's get all of our loose change from all over (the counter, car, bedside table, even bathroom?) and see how much we have.

Then the teacher in me decided that this could be a great learning experience for the boys.  They can help sort, count, and roll the tons of coins that we have.  Not to mention that it's some good child labor!

So we got to work...

Yes, he's wearing a costume!

Here's most of what we rolled....we ran out of sleeves.  Can't wait to know the total amount!

Now I'm going shopping!!!!! Mama needs a new pair of shoes!!!

Alexis