It’s been nearly a month since the school year ended, and about three months since my last blog post. I find it fascinating how time can seem to go by so slowly in some ways, and fly by in others. The past several months have been busy, full of change/growth (hence my last post), professional development, and travel. Here’s a brief photo recap:
While many of my colleagues/fellow educators were counting down the final days of school, I found myself wanting to hold onto each day just a bit longer, knowing that it was going to be the final year of teaching at my school. With careful consideration and planning with my husband, I made the decision to take a year-long maternity leave. My school district allows up to two years unpaid maternity leave, with a guaranteed placement back in the system once that time is up. Although this meant having to leave my school, the decision seemed to make sense to me. After all, I had been at the school for 8 years, and it was where my teaching career began. I’ve recently been looking for opportunities to grow and expand my expertise, so I feel as though the timing worked out. I will have a chance to spend quality time with the baby, and then return to work in a new setting. Although I was very emotional and nostalgic in the final days of school, I knew that I was making the right decision for myself and for my family. I took many photos with my students, and I plan to create a memory book from this past school year.
Here's a more recent baby bump photo. As I look back on previous 'bump' photos that I've taken over time, my belly looks so small in comparison! It's amazing how the perspective changes... there I was back in April thinking, "Wow! Look how much I'm 'showing'!" Meanwhile, it could have just been seen as a little gut/food belly from an outsider's point of view.
I’m now in the third trimester, with just about 2 months until my due date. I know that time is going to fly by, especially with the busy nature of summertime. I enjoy keeping active with various activities, but it’s nice every once in a while to just relax without plans, reflect, and enjoy some solitude when I get the opportunity.
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