Resurfacing

Yes, well I suppose it has been quite a long time since my last post. Once again, I can blame it on my busy life and of course on my laziness. Things have been hectic lately and posting pictures has been one of the last things on my mind. It seems there is always some dire emergency and I'm scrambling to get everything finished on my gianormous "to-do list". One consuming issue that has yet to go away is my employment status for next year. When we returned from Christmas break, everything appeared to be normal at work and then by February we were having emergency board meetings and whisperings of the director quitting. She reassured us that she was here to stay and then proceeded to have the board slap us on the hand for things she should have taken care of when the issues arose. Needless to say, a month after this stressful meeting, she resigns and for the 2nd time this school year, the preschool loses a director. Teachers are stressed out, parents are unhappy and some staff members are quitting now or resigning at the end of the school year. When did preschool become so stressful? It is preschool for crying out loud. I work with two year olds and I dread returning to work after Spring break. Now, I ask myself WHY would I not want to return to a job that is a supposed walk in the park? Afterall, my husband is constantly telling me "they're two year olds, how hard can it be?" Well, it is not that the job is hard, but that the work environment is draining. My assistant is not coming back next year and I have been cheating with another preschool in hopes of finding a better work environment. Now, I don't consider myself a quitter, but is it really worth the hassle of instability to remain loyal to a preschool that in the past seemed so nice but now seems to be sinking? I'm scared that this bundle of issues will not be resolved by the fall and I will find myself stressed out from the start. Larry is deploying again and I really don't need the added stress of an "easy" job. On paper, it should be a clear-cut decision...go for the new job that pays more. But do I really want to leave the preschool and the teachers that have been so successful with my children? I'm sick of being consumed by this, yet I can't make a decision with which I am ultimately comfortable. On a positive note, as a family we have been spending quality time together. For all my complaining, soccer definitely brings us together and forces us to spend more time as a family. Larry and I also had the opportunity to attend a marriage retreat (without the kids) at Myrtle Beach courtesy of the military. It was a much needed (at least for me) break from the kids and a welcomed opportunity to focus on ourselves as a couple and not as parents. We played miniature golf, sat in Barnes and Noble and browsed for hours, dined without yelling "leave your brother/sister alone and eat your food" and enjoyed a day driving miniature race cars. During all of the craziness of the last month and a half, we also managed to fit in a Dining Out, an afternoon of watching soldiers jump, many Easter celebrations and a mini-vacation with family. Maybe our lives will slow down soon, but I'm guessing not really.