In my last post (which I know was neglectfully long ago, but if you haven’t read it, please do, and understand that not much has let up since then) I wrote about my awesome husband and his awesome promotion, well, there’s more to the story.  I don’t like to count my chicks before they’re hatched so I held off on revealing that his promotion also meant that I was able to leave my job.  My last day officially was last Thursday. I am planning on dedicating more time and effort into turning my hobby, my art, into something larger.  Perhaps not a career, but at least something self-sustaining.

I have been a developmental therapist for the last 5 years, with the last four working specifically with children. If you’re not familiar with that line of therapy, it is basically a play-based therapy that reinforces life skills based on the needs of each client based on his or her developmental disabilities.  Sometimes it is filling in the gaps of areas that aren’t covered by more mainstream therapies like Physical, Speech, or Occupational Therapy, and often times will be reinforcing those therapies as well.  For the last three years and a few months, I have had the privilege of working with one particularly sweet little boy with Down Syndrome.  I was at his house for most of our therapy, and during those last three years I have not only seen him grow from barely more than a toddler into a little boy preparing to start first grade.  I have seen him grow into his charm, his sense of humor, his independence, and into athletic skill that truly exceeds those of most typical children his age.  I was a part of huge breakthrough moments that made me proud literally to tears.  I have been there through surgery, illnesses, and certainly our fair share of plain ol’ bad days.  But beyond my relationship with him, I was a part of their home for hours a day.  I was there to help him welcome both of his younger siblings.  I was there to see the triumphs and tribulations of the entire household, and even with my best attempts at maintaining professional boundaries, they are such a genuinely kind family that I could not help but to be made to feel like I was a part of it. I am beyond excited to be able to dedicate more time to my family, my artwork and everything else, but it was not an easy farewell.  I did not just leave my job, but what do you call it when it is more than just a paycheck?

In addition, last week was also my youngest son’s last day of preschool at the cooperative we have been with for the last two years, where my boys and I have both met wonderful friends, and an environment that makes it practically impossible for anyone not to do the same.  We are preparing for our oldest’s Kindergarten graduation coming in a few weeks as well.

And, last but not least, I finished another painting who will be making her way to a permanent home in the coming days.  She has pushed me technically and creatively.  One of my bigger pieces to date, at 2′ by 3′ a lot of hours have gone into it, and a as always a part of me bleeds out into the paint.

To put it mildly, this has been a painfully bittersweet week, full of the endings of chapters opening into the uncertainty of the blank calendar pages and canvases to follow.  So stick around… who knows what will happen next?

Earth Goddess; acrylic on board 3′ x 2′

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