One of my friends decided to blog about her top moments from 2013. Honestly, this was a really hard year, so I don't know if these are top moments, but they are definitely important transitions that I underwent this year that have made me see the world differently.
#4 Leaving Teaching
I taught in public school for 10 years. Nine of those years were spent at Springville Junior High. I really loved working with those children and those families, but I always wanted to get a doctoral degree. Before I had my daughter I was worried that when I got a PhD I wouldn't have anything to look forward to and I couldn't see my future afterward. When I had my little girl, I realized I would have her whole life to look forward to and so I was finally free to go back to school. We debated and debated about whether to go now and wait, but I really advocated for going as soon as we could. I don't if this was the best way, but now that I am over halfway done with my coursework I feel much more settled and happy about the decision.
These pictures are from my last day teaching. In the top photo, I am with one of my ESL students. It was working with these English learners that led me to teach in the first place. I started volunteering at a high school and I realized that there were 100 children in the ESL program and only 1 was on track to graduate. I felt so strongly that these children needed advocates that I went back and got my teaching certificate and started working with them. Eventually I also taught English/Language arts and reading support classes.
Some of the girls in my third period class drew this on my board on my last day. I don't think they knew how truly afraid of tornadoes I really am.
We went to church the first week and no one spoke to us. We were dressed shabbily because our church clothes were in a storage shed and we were living in temporary university housing. I waited to go to Relief Society so I could introduce myself, but no one spoke to me at all or asked me who I was. As a teacher, I know how to take charge, but I actually have a shy nature and I sit around hoping people notice me when I don't have a responsibility in a group. Five more weeks went by before someone talked to me. Needless to say, I was not hopeful that I would make many friends while I was here. I was born in August and for my birthday, one of the women at church asked me if we could go to lunch. I said that would be great. When I went to meet her at the restaurant, 30 women and their kids were waiting for me. I was overwhelmed by the fact that these people would take time from their day and spend money to eat in my behalf. I didn't eat lunch that day; I went from table to table trying meet all these women and their kids, memorizing their names and faces, trying to figure out where they lived, and learning what we had in common--who we mutually knew--who had lived where I had lived and so forth. That day was such a shot in the arm for my social life in Kansas. It helped me find a babysitter for Hannah while Brian and I had class. It helped me not be scared to talk to people. It made me a lot of Facebook friends so I could learn more names. It has really made such a difference to know people and feel known.
I don't have a picture from my birthday lunch but here I am with a brownie Brian made me later that evening.
#2 Seeing family
My family lives all over the place. We were able to get back to Utah a few times but we also made it out to California once for a conference so we were able to see family in the San Francisco area.
#1 Watching Hannah Grow
When we moved to Kansas in January Hannah was still in a crib. She could not walk up the stairs; she scooted up and down backward. She only said about 25 single words. She was not an infant anymore, but she still had a lot of baby in her. Now, she speaks in multiple sentences and runs all around. She has a toddler bed and mostly eats what we do. One of the things I was hoping to get out of this life change was more time with Hannah. This has happened.
This picture is from Hannah's first day in nursery. She walked right into class and sat down to play with the toys. She mostly ignored the other kids. Now, she plays with everybody and shares/steals toys and talk to adults who are not her parents or extended family.
This is us after we got back from a trip to Indiana and Illinois. When she was a little baby, I liked to hold her when she was asleep. I am so glad that even though she is getting bigger, I still have some rock-a-bye moments. She will likely go to Preschool next year and one day she will move out and leave me, but it has been so nice to take on this graduate adventure so I could spend such substantial time with her during her toddlerhood and early childhood.
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