"The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you've come."

I had a very bittersweet moment last Monday as I wrote my resignation letter to my current Principal.

I've known it was time to move on for a while but was only kinda looking for a position elsewhere and didn't really want to go unless it was on to bigger and better things. It's healthy for teachers to change schools/settings/environments, especially ones who like to learn and give new challenges a go,  but I had become very comfortable in a place where I was hugely (and most importantly, knowingly) valued, where I had made many good friends, and where I knew what was what.

Unfortunately, when we moved last year, my school was now over 45 minutes drive away - there AND back. That's an hour and a half every day I was losing. Couple with that 2 lovely girls I now have and need to spend a lot of time with (as well as that stinky dog) and it was, more than it ever had been before, time to go.

I only just missed out on a position that was very much the equal to what I currently had a month or so ago and that really knocked me. I thought I had it in the bag and to just miss out was a bit heartbreaking. It was very difficult for me to then decide that I was potentially happy to take on a role that wasn't quite what I was used to, to get my foot in the door out here. And so, that's what I did.

The most important thing at the moment is my family, so it's a good thing that I'm (hopefully!) decreasing the amount of work I will do, for a wee while at least. In saying that, I haven't taken too sharp of a pay decrease (with the savings in gas, it's really nothing), and it will be nice to really focus on my classroom again, rather than wear a million different 'hats' around the place.

So for this...

...I am happy. I get to cross another thing off my 30 before 30 list. It remains to be seen whether I will be more fulfilled or happy I guess, but right now, even though I will miss good friends, an awesome team and I think most of all familiarity, I'm just excited about the prospect, challenge and the change.

Ka Kite Reremoana, ka tonu koutou i roto i toku ngakau <3