It's a sweet life!

I thoroughly enjoyed this month's book club pick The Baker's Daughter. I loved the historical aspect(Europe in the 1930's-40's fascinates me). However, it was the current time period's narrator, Reba, who really got me thinking. She had everything she wanted (and needed), but didn't realize it until it was too late...or was it?? No spoilers here! Read this book!

This post is inspired by Sarah McCoy's The Baker's Daughter. In a small Texan town, Reba discovers Elsie's German Bakery and falls in love with more than the pastries. She's drawn to Elsie's life in Germany during the last year of WWII. Join From Left to Write on August 29 as we discuss The Baker's Daughter. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes. Most people know I am a teacher-a pretty good one (if I may so say myself) and it's a job that, growing up, many people told me I should have. I have always had an easy connection with kids. However, I had other plans-big plans. I was going to go to law school and become an attorney. I even majored in Law & Society in college, and absolutely loved my classes: writing legal briefs, legal research for my 25 page Constitutional Amendment paper was lots of fun-seriously! But as graduation loomed closer and closer, and friends started signing up for the LSAT and applying to law schools, I realized my heart wasn't in it. I didn't want to continue to law school-too intense for me. I don't have the most competitive streak in me. I didn't want to put my whole life into a career. I was still hoping that maybe someday I could be a stay at home mom. I spent the summer after graduation trying to get job after job in volunteer management (what?!) in San Francisco. Hello low paying job in very expensive city! Thank goodness for unanswered prayers. I was disappointed after the fruitless searches and interviews that led nowhere, so I decided to substitute teach to make ends meet while rethinking my career goals. On my first day, 8th grade language arts, I just knew that I had been kidding myself. Teaching was my calling! 17 years later, I haven't looked back. I know I chose the right path. While staying at home wasn't ultimately in our plans (though I did get to teach part time several years), I still love my job and enjoy some pretty awesome perks! I go to work everyday with my boys, enjoy summers off, and have been lucky to have both boys in my classroom (Cooper last year and Spencer this year). I wouldn't trade it now! Sometimes, as Reba discovers in our club pick, you just have to open your eyes and realize what you have right in front of you. Life is perfect-but it's pretty amazing!