Saturday, July 21, 2018

Another year gone by

And I'm finally posting again.  Life has been wonderful, thank God.  The kids are great, I changed careers completely, and we're all happy and healthy.

That's right.  I left the cable company after 11 years to pursue dental hygiene.  I realized I just couldn't work in sales anymore - I was tired of it and wondered what else I could do for the next 20+ years.  So, last year, over the course of 2 months, I applied and got accepted to college, landed a new job as a dental assistant, quit the cable company, and started the fall semester taking prerequisites for the dental hygiene program.  I LOVE the dental field.  I had no idea how awesome it is.  I wish I'd have come to this realization years ago, but hey, at least I'm in now.  I have taken lab classes - biology, chemistry, and anatomy & physiology, along with statistics, and sociology.  I'm happy to say I have a 4.0 average.  I never did this well in college 30 years ago.  I have 2 more prereqs to take, then it's 2 years of dental hygiene classes.

The girls are pretty much happily settled in their careers.  K is a highly in-demand hair stylist/colorist in a beautiful, busy salon.  She bought her own car a year and a half ago and has been with her boyfriend for almost 8 years.  He recently got into the construction union and all he talks about is marrying my daughter.  They spend their time hiking, visiting wineries and restaurants, and traveling.  Last year they went to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini.   J is a dance teacher at an awesome competition studio and also teaches kickboxing at a nearby gym.  Teaching has become her passion - she still loves the dance competition circuit and would like to always be a part of it.  She has been asked to tour, judge, and teach master classes but hasn't' decided if she will yet.  She's been with her boyfriend for 2 1/2 years and he just got into the electrical union.  These union jobs are so hard to get into, but once you're in, you're set for life.  It's an awesome accomplishment and I'm so proud of them.

W finished 11th grade and I sent in the very last of his paperwork to the city.  I always read other's accounts of how bittersweet this moment is, and yeah, it is.  Because W turned 17 before the end of the school year (June 30), he is officially done with homeschooling.  Of course, he will still have a "senior year", pursuing his interests (as always) and taking his secondary completion test.  He goes to the gym almost every day, has part-time employment, and has grown into the most incredible young man.  Homeschooling has been the best thing.  He has an "old soul" sense of maturity that is noticed and commented on by so many.  He's just about 6 feet tall now and carries himself with confidence.

I don't know what the future holds for him, but it's a really exciting time.  The world is at his doorstep.  His interests range from computers to culinary arts to law enforcement and everything in between.  He still plays the ukulele, harmonica, drums, and piano and has formed amazing friendships over the years.

I started this blog in 2004 when I was thinking about homeschooling J.  J was 8, K was 11, and W was 4.  W has homeschooled since he was 5.  And now, 12 years later, he's all grown up and ready to start his future.  Bittersweet doesn't even begin to describe how I feel.  I will probably post again at least one more time for a final update on all of us.  But for now, I'll say so long.  Thank you to all my subscribers and readers.  These past 14 years blogging have been so great.  I'll miss it.