never say Never.

I alluded to it, and now it is time for the big reveal! It is such a cliché phrase, never say never, but it is so true. Far too often in my life I've said I'll never ______, and then months or years later I turn around and do just that. I once said I'd never be a Director of Religious Education because I never wanted to deal with that Restored Order of the Sacraments business. Less than a year after saying that, I took a job as Director of Faith Formation. (So technically, *technically*, I never was a Director of Religious Education. But I digress.) I said I'd never blog. Then I did. I said I'd never write a book. Then I did. I thought I'd never get married. Have a kid (less than a year after getting married). Then I did. That's life, isn't it? I also swore up and down that Stay At Home Mommyhood would never, ever be for me. As it turns out, I was wrong about that one too. After a series of difficult daycare situations and things just not working out, we had to make a decision for our family. My job was becoming increasingly frustrating. However, working at your home parish makes everything as clear as mud, but fortunately having a baby clears things up a bit. For a myriad of reasons, Anthony and I decided that leaving my job was the best option - for me and for our little Monkey. There's a lot I'd like to say. Turning in notice wasn't what I thought it would be - it could have been worse, but it could have been better. In a way I wasn't expecting, it stung. But all of that is for a different day, a day that may never appear on the blog. I'm still working through it. But starting November 11th, I'll be at home, raising our daughter. It won't be total stay-at-home-ness as I'll be doing some contract jobs from home and, yes, finally working on the book, editing it, adding to it, and getting a revised edition on the market - with my married name on it (after a year and a half of marriage, it is probably time to do that, right?). I've got some other ideas to go along with it as well. It is an exciting time for me and for our family and I am so looking forward to staying home with our daughter, getting back to the blog, the book, and my faith in a new, deep way. So thank you, dear readers, for sticking with me, for journeying with me through all of the ups and downs and changes everywhere. Here's to a new chapter and another lesson in never saying never!