I love

I love

tea in the morning & tea in the evening

I love

my kitchen

I love

having 2 daughters

I love

that I was home for 13 years

I love

being a teacher

I love

decorating my home

I love

correcting papers

I love

tidying up each night

I love

when the laundry is on schedule

I love

when I'm home for the evening

I love

my mudroom

I love

my classroom

I love

planning

I love

reading picture books to my 4th graders every day

I love

reading to Abigail in bed each night

I love

falling asleep after doing the 'work' God has for me in that day

I love

our little yellow bird and his beautiful cage

I love

how I've transformed my classroom in a 'natural classroom' that is calming, quiet, and filled with life

I love

our Hitchcock dining table

I love

kids pjs on my girls and tucking them in at night

I tell my girls all the time... "you have 'have it all'... just not all at the same time"

Stay home? Absolutely. There is no wavering in my conviction to raise my babies - me - no one else to do those days - all 13 years of them

Go back to the classroom? Absolutely. There is no wavering in my conviction that I did the right thing to step out in faith and the new (old, but new again) calling God had in my life.

Timing? Well, it's not our timing, but His. I fought Him the whole first year back. I questioned, cried, wondered, stressed. And then I rested. I rested in His timing, not mine. And I can see now, clearly, fully, His hand in mine as I do what I do each day. Knowing that I need to give to those 22 4th graders my love, my teaching, my heart.

Some days I'm so exhausted I can't see straight. But most days I only feel exhilarated walking in His path for my life.