A Dream Deferred

I drew the picture above in 1991, when I was in the 2nd grade. On the back it says "What I want to be when I grow up." For most of my life, it was my dream to be a 2nd grade teacher. Tomorrow will be my last day of teaching. Today one of my kids said, "Yay, Mrs. Bradley, you fulfilled your dream." It was bittersweet to hear him say that.

My past 4 years at my school have been good learning experiences. I have learned how to love better. I have learned patience. I have learned how to better work along side people. Don't get me wrong, some of my teaching experiences were really hard and frustrating, but I'm not leaving teaching because I hate it or dislike my kids.

Over the summer Ryan and I will be moving to be closer to our youth group kids. And with this move, comes the beginning of a new dream. The main purpose of us moving is so that we can be completely invested in the Westlake community. We want to know our students and their families. We want to live life with them, in a way that can't happen by us just driving out their for church services and youth groups. But most importantly, we want to be able to share the gospel of Christ with them. Ryan and I have been so blessed by our years in Denton and now we're ready for God to use us in an incredible, and unpredictable way. We want our lives to reflect how knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him can change a life. I feel like it is completely possible for teachers to live God glorifying lives. For me, however, teaching is so much of a lifestyle and I kept feeling like it was keeping me from doing what I desire to do as Ryan's wife and helper. It is also my dream to one day be a stay at home mom.

This week (and past couple of months) has been filled with a mixture of emotions. I'm excited to see what God has planned. I get nervous that I don't yet know of this plan. I feel sad to leave my kids. Sometimes I cry. I LOVE hanging out in Westlake with our youth kids. I wish I could stay in Denton forever. I can't wait to move to our new apartment in Westlake. Ha.... my husband is a saint for loving me and just nodding along whenever I talk about the many ways I feel.