To Begin

Here we go.

I basically have had one dream all my life. To teach. I returned to school in my 30's and finally got my teaching degree. So, my super power is that I teach. What happens when you reach a dream and realize...ummm...maybe not what I want to do for the rest of my life. It becomes your day job. It becomes a means to an end and a meal.

You do what I did, and remember another dream you may have developed along the way. I have always loved books. To be exact, children's books. You know the pretty picture kind. Where the words whisk you away to a place you remember from your own days as a kid. A realm of bliss. Euphoria.

At the end of this school year 2013-2014 I was completely burned out. I am now into summer by 4 weeks. Usually, I have already begun planning for the next year. This summer, all I feel is dread. About the last week of school I was actually looking for vacancies in my district. Thinking if I changed jobs maybe I could find joy in the job again. An art position came open so I called our districts endorsement guru. She said that I was 3 credits shy of having an endorsement in art! 3 CREDITS! One class! Ugh. I started looking for online art classes. Later deciding I wasn't up for that right now either. (I am also a mom, and wife.) I don't need more on my plate, I just need to find a way to like what I do.

Weeks later the birth of an idea was born. I had been drawing with some neighborhood kids using sidewalk chalk and posted a photo in Instagram. Jesse, my son posted this comment, "Mom you need to write and illustrate children's books. You are an artist." I said something to the effect that all I needed was a story. To which my sister replied, "You have a million stories. Just pick one." I dismissed these comments with a smile. 

Then, I began remembering.

Once upon a time there was a 10 year old moody girl who wrote poems in her bedroom window seat. She also doodled on paper, or material, or any blank canvas she could find. Yes, that girl was me. Then she got bogged down in life. Grew up. (In height not behavior.) Married. Had babies. Divorced. Married. College. Whew. I've been busy. Happy life, yes. But, happiness is eluding me lately in the area of livelihood. Maybe, there is something to this little seed of an idea. So, I decided, I am grateful for people who believe in my gifts. Time to put them to work.

The goal is to write a little bit everyday. Which may be difficult. If I want it though, I have to make it happen. In addition, I will need to also doodle or draw to keep my drawing skills up and increasing. I have written one piece that I am working through. I may not publish all my material here for views/fans. I will, however share some. They will be under the MINE tab above. I want to share my journey. I want to share the process. I need a place to keep it all.

The beginning.

This is it.