Where Have I Been??

Some of you may wonder where I've been for the last few months. I disappeared off the grid, or so it seemed. Well let's just say this year was more jam packed than any year I've had!

To start I switched grade levels, going from 3 years in third to my first year of second. I definitely did not expect such a difference between 2nd and 3rd! Granted half my class was quite young for being in second, and many of them just were not ready for second both academically and maturity wise.  It was a rough start, and I had some particularly challenging students. Eventually we started to hit our stride...

But soon after the school year started, I started to experience some really intense stomach issues. Now I've dealt with digestive issues since I was a teen, but this was a whole new level of pain and discomfort. So I underwent some testing, started a new prescription, and switched to a new diet. I eliminated processed foods and went organic. I was also about to start a strict elimination diet to find my trigger foods, but...

I found out I was pregnant!! We'd been trying for over a year, and the doctors didn't know why it just wasn't happening for us. But after giving vile upon vile of blood and having an HSG (btw...that hurt...BADLY), boom it happened.  Unfortunately my first trimester was rough... I was exhausted, sick most of the day, and trying to hide my pregnancy while still working.

During this time I was also being trained as the new teacher support provider for my school. Here in California we have a program called BTSA that new teachers must complete to clear their credential. It was my job to walk 3 new teachers through the process this year. I had to attend out of town trainings, observe the new teachers, and meet with them weekly. Let's just say my students had  to deal with me being out of class a lot at the beginning of the year, between stomach appointments, OB appointments, trainings, and observations. Not the ideal way to get in a grove!

Just before winter break, my husband was away for 3 weeks traveling for work. During that time we got the surprise of our lives... I was expecting TWINS! No wonder the first trimester was so rough! We were shocked, overwhelmed, and excited. By the way, twins do not run in either of our families.

After winter break, I finally entered the 2nd trimester and my morning sickness eased up. I finally announced the news at work to my coworkers, students, and their parents. Everyone was shocked. The idea of me at only 5'2" carrying twins was a bit comical to imagine.

A few weeks later we found out that the twins were identical, which meant I was now classified as a high-risk pregnancy due to an increased risk of complications. I was scheduled to see a specialist at a better hospital 2.5 hours away. The specialist deemed it necessary for me to return every other week for detailed ultrasounds to check on the twins. More subs for my students! I have to say I'm really grateful that my school has a pool of solid substitutes to choose from.

These exhausting biweekly trips continued up until the beginning of May. However my doctor recommended I take early Maternity Leave to try to avoid preterm labor. So last Friday was my last day in the classroom, just in time too. I now measure 45 weeks pregnant, even though I'm only 32 and a half weeks along. And I can't walk or sit for more than 20 minutes without getting major pains in my hips and back. Luckily we're really close to the end of the school year, when I left there were only 10 full days and 3 half days left.

Leaving the classroom has been bittersweet. I miss my students and coworkers, but I also know that taking care of myself and these boys is more important at the moment. I think the hardest part is knowing that I won't be returning in the fall. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom, but I will miss being in the classroom. Even after this difficult year, I can still say that I love teaching. Eventually when the boys are older I plan on returning to teaching, but we don't yet know when I'll make the transition back into the classroom.

My hope is that once me and the boys settle into a routine, I'll be able to keep up with this blog and bring you all some more of the tips and tools I've used along the way in my classroom.