Life Update- Big Changes

I’ve let another month slip by since I last posted.  For over a month, I have had very good intentions of posting more frequently, but then I just sit down and read other blogs.  Ha!  I’m still keeping up with everyone’s blog I normally read but just haven’t been commenting.  I decided I had better sit down today while the motivation hit me and do a life update.  Here’s some bonus footage of Jake to start us out.  He looked so sweet resting in the grass that I couldn’t resist taking his picture.

What’s New?

Well…I have left my job.  I know.  I still can’t quite believe it myself.  However, after having my heart attack back in December, it’s just become more difficult to do everything I was doing and keep up that same pace.  The last couple of years has been tough at work because of adjustments and changes we’ve all been through since the “you know what” happened.  I adapted and adjusted, but I don’t think things will ever be the same in public education again.  Maybe it’s just me, and I’m getting older.  I let my principal know back in February when intent forms were sent out, that this was the decision I had to make to try to preserve what was left of my health.  So, I won’t be returning to my job in August when school starts back.  I hated to do it.  My principal has been amazing to me, and she runs a great school.  I really hated to leave my kids.  There were lots of tears, and reassuring them that the next librarian would be great to them.  I have been with most of these children since they were four years old.

I Quit My Job During a Recession

So what’s next for me?  I’ve decided I’d like to step out of my comfort zone of education and try something different.  I’ve been applying to jobs online, and I am really interested in working remotely from home, even if it’s just part-time.  I had to take on the role of our school’s learning management system administrator and tech support/customer service person, along with doing my regular job of being a librarian, during the time that “you know what” happened.  I figured out that I really kind of liked it and was pretty good at it, so I’ve been looking at jobs that can flex some of those skills.  I’ve applied to over 20 jobs and have received three rejection emails so far.  I just keep plugging along and applying.

Taking Care of Me

I’ve also spent a great deal of June and July just healing.  I’ve been living with neuralgia pain from shingles since last October, uncontrolled blood sugars for over a year, and then a heart attack last December.  Educators also take on a lot of trauma from what some of these kids go through and put us, educators, through.  When I finally slowed down, I figured out that I am a breath holder.  I have literally had to start doing breathing exercises because I have been holding my breath for who knows how long.  I’ve also been suppressing some anxiety as well.

I am finally starting to feel somewhat human again, and not like a robot on autopilot.  I have a new endocrinologist and will be seeing my new cardiologist in a couple of weeks.  I am hopeful the addition of these new healthcare providers to my team will be the change I need in these areas.  I even managed to squeeze in a lunch date with my best friend!

Going Forth

So, I’m healing, looking for a new job, and working on adjusting our budget to one income while our family goes through this process.  This is the worst possible time to leave a job.  Inflation is through the roof, and things in the world just seem so uncertain.  We are going to have to tighten our spending and make some adjustments.  I’m scared, but I’m also hopeful that this is the change that will give me a better quality of life back.  I’m still stunned that I went through with leaving my job at all, but I just felt a great sense of peace when I finally made the decision.  Here’s hoping I made a wise choice!

I promise to pop in here more regularly from now on.