I’m not really someone who starts a task and completes it, unfortunately. I have a huge stack of half-read books to attest to this.

But I was talking to my best friend about our hobbies, and writing/blogging is one of mine. And I love doing it! It has been a great joy to me since I started this blog in *checks notes* 2016!? That can’t be right (it is).

So, I am going to really try to get back into blogging. Consistently. Defiantly. And no, that’s not me misspelling definitely.

There are a few reasons I have not found the time to be writing as much. Let me tell you a bit about them. This is going to be a self-indulgent, let me fill you in on life lately kind of post. Then we’ll get back to the nitty gritty.

reason #1 – i’m a teacher now!

If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, then you know I taught sex ed/healthy relationships for a long time – 6 years. In 2019, I decided it was time for something a little different and started pursuing my Bachelor of Education (you can read more about the beginning of that journey here).

So I’ve joined the world of the teaching profession and it is… busy. I am so happy with the subjects and grades I teach (social and english, grade 7 and 8) and the school where I’m teaching.

But did you know that almost 50% of teacher leave the profession within 5 years? (Read more here). Being on this side of things, I can empathize as to why, though I have no plans to leave the profession! There seems to be this perception that teaching is “easy,” teachers get so much time off, and only work 8-3 (ha! laughable). The struggle for me this year has been that the work. never. stops.

Christmas Break? You have planning and marking to do.

Spring Break? See above.

Long weekends? See above.

At any given point on any given day, there is something I could be doing. Even if there’s no marking, there’s planning and prep. Even if there’s no planning and prep, there’s marking. Even if there’s none of that, there’s meeting with students, communicating with families, working on various piles of paper work.

I’m not trying to complain (much), only trying to illuminate the work teachers put in. But we chose this. I chose this. Some days are incredible. Other days I can’t believe someone left me in charge of a classroom. But I love my students. Even on days that I don’t really like them, I love them.

That’s why I keep coming back.

Reason #2 – i got engaged!

So again, if you have been following this blog for awhile, there’s been a mention or two of my boyfriend fiancé! Now it’s a funny thing when you know a proposal is coming but don’t know exactly when. Everything became a possibility for a proposal. Going out for dinner? Proposal. Friends invite me over and Brian isn’t supposed to be there at all? Secret surprise proposal! Coming home from work on a random Tuesday? Maybe a proposal!

Then the day actually came, though neither of us knew it was the day until later on. He asked to go look at a fire in our neighbourhood and I thought, proposal! Because duh. Then I saw there actually was a fire – but that’s okay, I’d been wrong a thousand times before.

Then he did it. I think I blacked out for a minute because I was genuinely surprised. Shocked even. Which I did not think was going to be possible.

Now that was only like 3 weeks ago so it doesn’t quite explain my long absence but pre-planning a wedding before getting a proposal did take up some time (I’m not kidding. I did a borderline obscene amount of wedding planning for a non-engaged person).

Anyway, we’re getting married! Some day I’ll write a long mushy post on this love journey but suffice to say: meeting, falling in love with, and now marrying my best friend and absolute love of my life, the true definition of a soul mate, is the best thing ever.