Holiday update

Home for the holidays, what a concept. It seems like I left a long time ago, but it has only been not quite 3 months! Seeing my girls is without a doubt the best! I really was feeling so hungry for their presence and to hug and kiss them up!!

Alli and I are staying at our friends Amy, Cary and Asa Bush's house while they are in New Orleans with family. It a perfect cabin in the woods for Christmas. We have been visiting friends, eating too much, and sleeping deeply in a huge bed! It is lovely!

Hannah is working her new job and also still waitressing, burning it both ends, but happy and beautiful as always. We will spend Christmas day with her and Matt at his Mom's with the family!

Taking walks with my friends, drinking wine, the usual. kathleen keeps wondering "is this normal now"? It is the new normal for now!

I accepted a full time salaried with benefits position just before I came away. I am very excited about it. I will be a Child Care Quality Educator, funny title, isn't that what I already was? This position is similar to the work I was doing for the Behavior Consultation Project, except in this position I am working with the teachers and the whole program to support and coach their achievement of the their quality improvement goals, not specifically tied to a particular child in the program. In Virginia there is a program called the Virginia Star Quality Improvement Plan that preschool/child care programs get funding from and have to meet specific quality standards, thus the quality improvement plan. I will be in the role of mentor, coach, trainer to help them meet their goals.

Just realized my title for this blog is quite fitting! My first job was with New Beginnings and I thought that was pretty magical. It was a lovely job, with lovely people, but not enough hours, no benefits, and the work was within my skill set, but not what I was really passionate about. It was also starting up a new program, and I am really looking for established. So this is a better fit all around. I may still consult with them for some parenting support, but not a lot.

I am moving to a house in January in a great neighborhood with walking trails very close by! It is closer to my sister, my job and most of where I go in Cville. My animals will be most thrilled! They will have outdoor access all the time now, and won't be cooped up in a little apt! We are happy.

Happy New Year to you all and know I am out here thinking of you, adjusting to the new normal, but never forgetting the old normal!!
xxoxx