Stages in Life

Some of you may have heard, but I have decided to step-down from being a Stroller Strides instructor at the end of August.  It is not because I do not enjoy it.  Stroller Strides has been one of the most worthwhile organizations I have been a part of, but once Tommy starts going to school M-W-F in September, I want to have Tuesdays and Thursdays to do fun mom/kids activities in the mornings.  I am looking forward to using our memberships at the Zoo, the Childrens' Museum and OMSI! 

With this decision I find myself once again trying to figure out who I am.  For the last little bit (since April of 2007) I have been a Stroller Strides attendee and then late in 2008, I became an instructor.  I LOVE Stroller Strides and truly credit it and Rachel Heyer for saving my sanity when I first became a mommy.  I have met some of my best friends through Stroller Strides and I would not hesitate to ask any of the amazing women that are a part of this organization for help or advice on life or something one of my kids is doing.  But I just feel like it is time. 

When I first became a mom, I had the self-imposed problem of losing my job identity to "just become a mom."  It is so funny to me now, but that is how I felt.  I was depressed and lost.  All I had ever done, post-college, was work.  I was proud of my job and proud of what I had accomplished in those 9 years; similar to today, I am proud of what I have done and accomplished as "just a stay-at-home mom and Stroller Strides participant."  But I find myself again questioning, "Who am I without Stroller Strides?"  I am still not sure if I am giving up attending classes or not, I am just going to see how September goes, but the question still looms, "Who am I?"

I have thought about the following pathways:

• Nurse (but I would have needed better grades in college to get into nursing school)
• Lab technician (i.e the person who draws blood)
• High School Guidance Counselor
• Williams Sonoma employee
• Opening a bakery (which would require me to get a part-time job in a bakery first so I knew what I was doing)
• Opening a Mom Spa (which takes way too much capital that I do not have access to)
• Opening an outdoor neighborhood swimming pool with a summer league swim team (again takes too much capital that I do not have access to)

But in the end I do not know what I want to be when I grow up.  If anyone has input on any of this or can think of other things that I should be doing with my life, let me know. 

For now, I have decided for the next year, I am going to be satisfied to be a stay-at-home mom - that is if my mind will let me.  I am trying to be patient and know that a path will develop, but for right now I am back to feeling a bit lost.

I am also getting excited for Tommy to start public school.  We went and visited my mother-in-law in her 1st grade classroom.  She hatched baby chickens from eggs and so we went to visit the 13 baby chicks (she ended up with 14 chicks - one hatched after we left).  I think Tommy is going to have a great time in public school and I can't wait to be involved in both the classroom and making our school a better place.  So I do have that to look forward to.

I guess what I am saying is I know there are different stages in life and I think as I am moving out of the baby stage, I am struggling to find my place.  But I am sure it will happen and I just have to have faith in that. 

Cheers to different stages in life and being a bit lost.