Working outside of the home

I am starting to get really excited but also anxious about going back to teaching. I love being at home and I know that I am going to miss being at home with my little baby girl, but I also love teaching. In the last little while I have gotten some kind of rude comments about the fact that I want to go back to work - weird - I thought we lived in a world where women could work and have a family...I just don't get this!

I know that I am a good teacher and that this is a talent that God has given me, I also am a good mom and that this does not change just because I want to go outside the home and work.  I think that even if we won the lottery I would still work with kids outside of the home - let's not be crazy - I wouldn't teach full time!

Just had to vent because I got one comment to many this last week!

The best kiss ever

The last couple of days Kat has been sucking on my chin and cheeks, I thought that it was her telling me that she was hungry - nope the are kisses. She has started the big, open mouth, oh-so- much slobber kisses. If Jake or I are kissing her cheeks she will grab our face,  open nice and big and start sucking on our cheeks and chin and all the while go "mmm, mmm, hhhaaa, hhaaa". I don't know where she got that from - I don't think that we make that noise when we kiss her. 

In two places at once

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to be a guest speaker for a conference on multiage education. I was speaking on using the arts to engage children in their learning. I was so pumped as using the arts to teach the core subject areas are one of my passions - I would one day like to create a classroom where this is done with autistic and other special needs children (my other passion when it comes to teaching). I was asked about 2 months in advance so I thought that I would have lots of time to prepare - boy was I wrong. 

Kathryn is not a typical sleepy baby. She only likes to take about 2 - 30 minute naps a day, sometimes not even that much. So I originally thought that I would be able to prepare an hour and half presentation during her naps, I soon found out that this would not work with her sleeping schedule. I felt like I had to rush to get it all ready so it was not as well done I as would have liked, but I did get it done thanks to Jake watching her on most of his days off. I hated not hanging out with them but I also knew that it had to get done and that it was something that I am passionate about and believe more teachers should do so it was important to me. 

Then came the day of the presentation. Kat was super cuddly that morning and I did not want to leave but my mom came over and watched her for the day. For the whole day I was there thinking about her until it was my time to speak, even though I felt it was a disjointed presentation, I was loving it. I didn't realize how much I missed talking about all of these topics. But as soon as I was doe, I couldn't wait to get home and find out all of the things that Kathryn did - turns out she had a  2 1/2 hour nap - seriously!

Looking back

2008 has seemed to be the fastest year ever! Jake and I have had so many new and exciting changes this last year. In the very beginning of the year we found out that we were expecting and we were so excited - we could not wait to share the news - it was leaked before the "3 month rule" was over. Oh well. My pregnancy was, thankfully, very uneventful - just the regular stuff, maybe a little extra kicking - she sure was and is active. As soon as we found out that we were pregnant we started the process of moving back as we knew that we wanted to be around family now that we were beginning our own family. 

Jake was working at a post-production house in Toronto, that was a great experience even though the hours were very long, he learned so much about the industry. I was working at a school that I loved, teaching grade 4/5 - you know I love the combined/multi-age grades! We told them that we were moving back and they were very supportive of our decision which made things so much easier. We were able to sell our condo without loosing money and were able to move back.

In June my best friend Tamara got married on the East Coast to Dean and it was amazing - we had an amazing time as we spent a little extra time out there knowing that it will be the last big trip for the next couple of years - although we are still planning lots of little ones. When we got back to Manitoba, Jake did not have a job and we did not have a house. Homeless, jobless, and pregnant - not exactly what I imaged 2008 to be. God really taught me a lot about patience this year as I really had to just let go and trust Him to provide for us and He did. We stayed at my Mom's for 2 1/2 months and it was great - even though finding our own place was even better of course. Jake found a job almost right away and they were great with letting him take time off for when Kathryn made her grand appearance. We ended up finding a place that we love! It was in the area that we wanted and the price that we wanted, and we found it just in time as we took possession only 5 days before Kat's due date. As soon as we walked into the place we knew that this was where we were meant to be - it is perfect!

And then came 2008's biggest blessing, Kathryn Sarah Sacher was born on September 23rd. With her big blue eyes, lots of long brown hair and a huge smile - we think that she is the most beautiful girl around. She is a very happy baby about 98% of the time. She is super alert and loves to talk. She has just learned how to blow bubbles and make "fluffing" noises with her tongue. Brains and Beauty this one!

We are so incredibly blessed and I can't wait to find out what 2009 has in store for us.