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| My home away from home for four-and-a-half years |
I remember that day so well. Waking early, driving with a stupid grin on my
forty-seven-year-old face, walking into the classroom I had spent weeks
preparing, and welcoming my very first group of first graders. I loved teaching from the first breath
of that first day.
I still do.
I invited you to follow my journey on that day, and some of
you have. I have run into you in
some pretty unlikely places. Thank
you for rooting for me – this middle-aged mom who went back to school and began
her career later than most.
My journey has now taken an interesting twist and I think it
is time to make it official.
When I began this blog on that first day, I shared that
“beginning my career at the end of my life” happened because I chose to set
aside professional aspirations in order to give the Motherhood thing my
undivided attention.
In keeping with that all-or-nothing philosophy, I sought my
first position in the same district as my baby girl, Hannah Rose. It has been precious to be close to
her. Seeing her
kissed-by-the-morning face walk into my room, mug in hand, asking for coffee,
brightened my mornings. Having
her pop in during a lull in her day to see the Darlings and have them rush to
her with cries of joy and arms open wide for hugs always brought a smile. Or the days she came rushing in with a
permission slip declaring that it needed to be signed and “turned in today!” made
me laugh and shake my head in feigned frustration. I have cherished these years close to her.
Baby Girl graduated a few weeks ago and my nest will be
empty come fall. Time to rethink
my career path.
To that end, I have secured a new job in a new district in a
new city. I am happy to announce
that I will be teaching in Mandan, ND – a city about 40 minutes from the Dahl
spread. It is a much larger
district and a fabulous opportunity to me to grow professionally. My new duties will be split between two
elementary schools and a bit different from classroom teaching. I will be focused now on reading
interventions. My official titles
are Title I Reading Specialist and Instructional Coach.
I am crazy-excited!
Will I miss the Darlings? Oh my, yes.
Their genuine honesty and witticisms will forever be a part of my
story-telling repertoire. Like
first love, one never forgets their first years of teaching, I am
guessing.
I will miss my coworkers as well, from “Red” the custodian
to the office manager, Becky B. and all my fellow teachers. These are my neighbors and Wing is my community. I leave with a tinge of sadness. But I know that I am about to meet
equally entertaining and priceless children and will get to know a fresh group
of wonderful coworkers. I am
filled with anticipation for this next chapter.
All of the above is Part A of my fork in the road. Part B is
pretty cool too. I begin my PhD in
a couple of weeks. Yes, I am about
to begin another degree. Why,
Vonda? Why? I can hardly believe they accepted me
into the cohort. Maybe I can fudge
it for a semester or two until they catch wind of how ill-equipped I am for
such a stringent program. But
until the jig is up, I will tally ho and sally forth into the world of academia
yet again. My wonderful husband is
fully on board too and incredibly supportive (wow, I love that man). Life is so deliciously intriguing and full of surprises.
The Dishy Mr. Dahl and I were driving across the state
recently. The day was near
perfect. After a wet May, the
prairie was alive and green. Atop
the gently rolling hills sat a serene sky of the bluest blue imaginable. Fluffy clouds dotted the upside-down blue
bowl. As the cottony clouds
floated over the prairie, they cast small shadows that came and went like ghostly
apparitions.
This is how my heart will remember Wing. My first teaching job experience was
near perfect. I learned a
tremendous amount about education, loving children, and playing a minor role in
keeping the heart of the community beating. The few brushes with unpleasantness (so little of it, really,
it barely deserves mention), are represented by the swift shadows that pass briefly
over the Grass Sea. Even the
shadows and momentarily concealed sun contribute to the breathtaking beauty of
the total scene. Everywhere I look
in the memories of my heart, I see God’s hand at work and the pastoral beauty
is pleasant and warm on my back. I
leave not discontentedly nor anxiously, but rather filled with fondness for the
community, teachers, and the precious children I leave behind.
I am also filled with anticipation for what the next bend in my
road will bring.
I believe more than ever that my years of raising the Dahl
brood were not at all wasted. Not
personally and certainly not professionally. I hope my life can be an example to those young mothers who
are torn between daycare and financial sacrifice. Hear me loud and clear, young mother…. your time with those
babies is but a breath. You will
blink and they will be moving into the dorm.
IT GOES SO SWIFTLY…
Hold them while you can and teach them what you want them to
know. There are many fine places
of childcare, but NO ONE will love them like you do. They will learn the values of someone. Let them be your values. Live your life with no regrets. I have none. I would rather begin my career at the end of my life than
wish I had done things differently.
It is not for everyone, but maybe it is for you. Follow your heart.
It is time for me to follow mine yet again.
And so…
I say goodbye to my first school, my first
love.
Thank you, Wing Public School, for letting me play a part in
your continued history and for
letting me share in your journey.
I am forever grateful.
