Today I start the beginning of the rest of my life! After being off from working full time in a classroom setting and raising my three beautiful daughters, I became a first grade Montessori teacher. As with most things in my life, good things come to me as a whirl wind and completely unexpected. But isn't that how life works? The other day when I received the email from my administrator that they were offering me the position, I sat in disbelief. "Is that MY email? Surely they sent it to the wrong email address and I will be so disappointed when I respond and they say....oops, our mistake, we didn't mean to send it to you!" Who am I to think after all this time and my 2nd interview in 10 years I would get it? Did I want this? Do I have any business teaching first graders? After I contemplated and my thought process ranged from not believing in myself to giving myself a good kick in the behind, after I obsessively went over EVERY detail in my mind, I finally took a deep breath, said a prayer and remembered that I was made for teaching. I have taught children since I was sixteen and haven't missed a year. I can do this! This is what I was trained to do. This is my God given gift! I am making a vow today to enjoy this and not to obsess over the details of the journey. I am embracing my joy that has been given to me. With confidence I will rely on what I know to be true and the practical knowledge I have learned. First grade will be a challenge but I am confident that through the trials and successes and with a little bit of humor I will still choose to have joy.