Saying Goodbye

A few days ago I announced that I intend to shut down my blog and Facebook page. I will also be including my Twitter in this shut down as I hardly use it effectively and only ever post to it when I post to Facebook because I have them linked. It doesn't make sense to keep it for a blog that is no longer up and running.

I briefly mentioned why I am shutting down, but I don't feel that I gave enough information to you. So I am going to in this post.

I first want to say that I absolutely love blogging. It has been so much fun to grow my blog, meet new people and share my experiences of the last nine months with so many people! I am sad to be ending my blogging run, but I think it is what is best for myself and for my family. It's time consuming, and time just isn't something I have on my side right now. This is not a decision I came to easily. I spent over a month praying over this decision, waiting for God to show me the right path. And He has now. God is helping me get my priorities straight.

Why don't I have any time on my hands? Well, because we have a lot going on. Always. And I enjoy it, but I have to be sure to keep my priorities straight. Unfortunately, blogging isn't at the top of the priority list so I'm choosing to remove it from my schedule. It's an added stress to sit here and think that I should be writing for all of you but I just don't have the time to do so. Why would I keep the stress of something on my shoulders when I know I won't be able to get it done anytime soon? It doesn't make sense to me.

Life has always been full of things to do around here. There's just so much to get done all the time. Of course there's Kaley. She's my number one priority, as well as Pat's. We do everything we can to make her life as enjoyable as possible and to spend as much time with her as we can. Yes, there's the inevitable loss of time due to her having to go to school. I have to send her to school and I am happy to say that she loves going to school. And I am lucky enough to be able to work at the school she attends so I get to see her throughout each day. A quick hug when we pass each other in the hall makes all the difference to her!

Then there's my work schedule. I work between 25 and 30 hours each week at the school. But, let's be real. I'm a teacher so my work comes home with me at the end of each day. Between grading papers, lesson planning, communicating with parents and getting my supplies in order for each lesson, I'm looking at working an additional 10 to 15 hours. Unfortunately, though, I don't get paid for those hours. Because of this I have begun working a second job. We're trying to pay for a wedding here, people, and weddings aren't exactly cheap.

And don't forget that I'm still in school. I was 2 points away from a passing score on my last exam. Two. Points. Ridiculous. So I have to retake my exam, but it isn't available for retake until the middle of March. That means I have plenty of time to study and complete my last two classes before I retake the exam, but it takes up a huge chunk of time each week. And I need to take advantage of every opportunity available to get in more studying.

What else? Wedding planning. We're actually doing pretty well when it comes to wedding planning. The date, venue, reception hall and entertainment are all figured out. I have had several meetings with photographers in the last two weeks and am setting up meetings with caterers over the course of the next couple of weeks. I still need to find someone to bake the cake and cupcakes, and then there's a lot of little stuff to get done, but I'm feeling like we are in a good place at the moment. We will get there. I just need some dedicated wedding planning time over the next few months.

Last, but certainly of massive importance is Pat. His appointment with the VA a few days ago didn't end very well. We have several major decisions to make in the next couple of months and a lot of talking to do in terms of our course of action as it pertains to his injuries. And the VA? They're not helpful. At all. I'll just leave it at that.

Add in the other things we have going on like going to the gym, running, coaching cheer, four basketball games every Saturday, and the need for family time, it amazes me that I ever get to bed at night. But I'm managing.

 

All of these things are important in our lives. Kaley loves cheer, Pat enjoys running the scoreboard for the basketball games, and I need to go to the gym and run to keep my sane. I love my jobs, Pat has decided he's going to walk for another ten years, and we will have a beautiful wedding at the end of May.

Our life is busy, but it's a good life. We enjoy the time we spend together and we all work hard to keep our family happy. It isn't easy, but we all make sacrifices and we all understand that everything is worth it in the end.

I will miss blogging. But I hope you all understand that there are a great many more things going on in my life that take precedence over this blog. Maybe someday I will be able to come back. In the meantime, though, I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to share my life with all of you and to meet some of the most amazing people I have ever known. I appreciate each and every one!