Sharing my heart...

So I know a lot of you are dying to know what has been on my heart lately since I keep mentioning it but haven't explained it. Well I think it's time I shared.
Here goes...I lost my job.

Yup, there it is. My position here at the school has been terminated due to budget cuts. Our district received a HUGE cut this year and after trying to cut corners as much as possible, they decided they had not other choice but to start cutting teachers. Since I am one of the newest teachers and still probationary (I would have been tenure after May), I was one of the first to get let go. It's sad, but true.

Seriously though? What is wrong with our government? Anyway, I'm not going to go into that right now.

First of all, I want everyone to know that I am at peace about it now. It was a very difficult time for me at first. I was feeling a lot of hurt and betrayal but the Lord is good and has really brought comfort into my life. I do not know how I would have gotten through this month without Him and my VERY supportive husband. I am still unsure of quite a few factors that I really don't want to get into but I know that this is going to be for the best and, to be honest, I'm kind of looking forward to the future!

My husband and I have done some budgeting and we have decided that we can easily make it with his two salaries and have no difficulties. I am probably going to take at least a year off from teaching and there are a couple of reasons why. First of all, there are no local job openings because every district is in the same situation that mine is. Second of all, since we are in the process of trying to start a family, we are praying that God's timing is right in this. If it is, I am going to be a stay at home mom and I couldn't be more thrilled about that! It was always something that we dreamed about but we were never sure how to go about it with me having a job. Now that I don't have one, we feel like maybe this is in God's plan. Something else I have always wanted to do is homeschooling. I really feel strongly about homeschooling as does my husband, especially since I have a degree in teaching anyway! We are thrilled to be able to raise Godly children and I am so looking forward to having the freedom to teach what I want in my own home!

As of now, we are not planning on moving back to our home state of Iowa but of course that option is never completely thrown out. We are going to put our land and possibly even our house on the market to see if they will sell (since Nick says EVERYTHING is for sale at the right price, haha) but we are not too concerned if they don't sell right away. We aren't too hopeful with the economy as it is, but I guess we never know until we try! Nick is hopeful that if we can sell our house, we may be able to begin building our own home!

Anyway, all that said, I guess not having a job (and currently no children) means that I am going to have a lot more free time. I am already really excited about being able to keep a clean house and organizing the rooms I haven't had time to touch since we moved in. Besides that though, I really look forward to enjoying all things crafty! I have been knitting, making jewelry, and sewing a lot lately and really look forward to jumping back into the paper crafting world!
In other good news, there are currently 20 days of school left and I LITERALLY have 14 1/2 personal days left that I need to use! I was saving them for a possible maternity leave and now that I won't be coming back, I somehow have to figure out a way to use them! Haha! I plan on taking off MOST of them but I really don't feel right using all of them because that would mean I only have 5 1/2 days of school left this year! I couldn't abandon my kiddos like that. However, I am taking at least one day a week off and and will see what else comes up!

Well that's it for my sad story. Thanks for sticking with me. I suppose I will grace you with a picture now! :) Look what we got this weekend. YUCK!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a WONDERFUL MONDAY! :)