Sometimes it's hard to be a working parent.

Don't get me wrong. I love my job. It isn't like I just happened into it, it was very intentional.

I wanted a job that would mean something. I knew when I decided that I would one day have a family and someone would need to provide for that family. Whether it would be me or my husband, I didn't know. What I did know was that I wanted the job to be meaningful. I didn't want to just clock in and clock out, spending forty hours a week only providing for my family.

Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with that - really, there's something noble about doing something that you don't like for the people that you love. It's what my dad did and I'm so thankful for that.

But I guess I'm too much of a millenial for that idea to hold much sway. So I decided to be a teacher - where I could love on and invest in kids every minute of that forty hours.

I find that a lot of people are surprised to learn that I was homeschooled. Someone who was homeschooled becoming a teacher almost seems oxy-moronic. But, if you really think about it, it makes sense. I've met a lot of teachers who do it because someone they love did it - their mom, dad, or grandma. It's not surprising to meet several generations of teachers.

My mom was my teacher - she taught me to love learning and now I do the same for others.

Anyway - back to my main point.

I miss my kids sometimes. A definite plus to teaching is that I get to see them so much more. Now that I've been working in schools for 8 years, it's hard to remember a time when I didn't have spring, summer, fall, and winter breaks. Now that I've been teaching for 3.5 years, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have that time with my kids.

This Christmas break has been so vital for all of us. Especially with the pregnancy, work has been draining me to a point where I just don't get quality time with my kids and husband. Between sheer exhaustion and excessive pregnancy brain, I just hadn't been able to be mentally present.

This break has been chalk full of that quality time already. Am I still tired? Yes, but I can take a short nap (let's be honest - a long nap) and then still wake up and spend time with my kids. The cuddles and smiles and "Mommy, look at what I did!" or "Mommy, will you play with me?" has been recharging my mama heart.

Both kids know a change is coming. They're very excited to meet "our new baby," but even they have been intentional about how they spend their time.

All that said, as I type this on a chilly, peaceful morning I'm ready for them to wake up and disrupt the silence.

Don't get me wrong - silence is golden. But my kids are gems.