Accepting Challenges

Aside from The Bean fighting a bit of stomach bug, the past few weeks have been good.  For the first time since September I've felt relaxed.  My new half-time schedule seems to be an ideal balance between being home and spending time with the kids and teaching which fulfills me in a way that is hard to describe.  Not that I've been completely on top of things at work, or that our home is now immaculate, or that I've been doing Pinterest-worthy activities with the kids everyday.  Those things will never happen, but it has been better.  

Which is why I'm a bit worried.  It's been about a week now since I was presented with an opportunity.  In many ways it is a great opportunity --something I think I'm well-suited for and which I will enjoy.  But it's also going to disrupt the balance that I've achieved for the first time in months largely because of my decreased work schedule.

The school that I am currently teaching at is affiliated with a school in China that wants to open four new classrooms for children ages 2, 3, 4 and 5 I have been asked to design the curriculum for the four grades. Only, it's the kind of being asked that doesn't really feel like you're being given a choice. Both my vice-principal and principal independently told the owner of the school that they think I am the ideal candidate for this job, which is flattering, but also overwhelming.  

I have passed up opportunities for job growth/change in the past because I was afraid of the challenge and regretted it so I have committed to "doing my best" which is a pretty big commitment given that I'm a perfectionist.  In fact, when I told the owner of the school that I would do my best, he said, "From what I've heard, your best should be more than acceptable."  

(Fortunately my VP told the owner of the school that there would be no way he could convince me to go to China and train the teachers there, so I don't have to worry about saying no to that one.)

So, here we go...