The last five years have brought a lot of change. I've lived in three different states, been unemployed for a year, suffered from a "broken foot," and come to all sorts of conclusions about life and myself. Some even dare to say I've learned to "go with the flow." *GASP*
I left teaching because I had to leave Colorado. I couldn't breathe and it was killing me - somewhat literally, but mostly figuratively/emotionally.
I spent a year living with my parents, during which time I suffered from major depression (even worse than when I was in Colorado). Thank God for my parents though. I wouldn't have been able to restart my life without their love and support.
I'm back in MN and I'm surrounded by old friends and new. I can breathe, mostly. I'm employed and have found joy in my new life as an Advising Coordinator. I'm helping college students to become teachers. It's fulfilling and there's a built-in filter between the traumatic lives of little kids and myself. One of the things I struggled with in Colorado was not being able to keep an emotional wall between myself and the crappy things that my students were going through. I felt for them and it tore me up inside.
I've survived my first semester back in college. Next semester I'm taking on a couple of new roles; student teacher supervisor and returning college student. I'll be supervising two student teachers working in 3rd grade. They'll be working in their own classrooms, with their cooperating teachers, AND together teaching joint lessons. It's something new the University is trying out. I'm excited to be in on the experiment.
Shortly after returning to Minnesota, I discovered I am 27 credits shy of a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative & Professional Writing. So... I'm taking a class I need to fulfill that degree and another one which is an experimental course.
I've found a doctor who knows what's wrong with my foot and is treating it effectively. Apparently it was a neuroma, not a stress fracture. I'm receiving a series of injections into the nerve. (It feels about as horrible as it sounds, but it's working).
I'm getting ready to go home for the holidays. I just saw my parents a few weeks ago when I surprised them for their anniversary and Thanksgiving by driving 24 hours to the Alpaca Ranch in NM. I won't get to see all of my family - it seems I never do these days - but I should be able to see the majority.
I'm a two-time godmother.
...
Things have changed a lot, but there's a level of familiarity and comfort in being back in MN. It's like coming home after a very long journey. I've changed. The University has changed. My friends have changed. But we all still fit together.