This will be my last post of Viva Mom Vegas because Viva Mom will no longer be living in Vegas! Yes, that's right, in less than 2 weeks, my family will be moving to Denver! My hubby got an amazing job at the National Operations Center for the BLM, so I am resigning from my teaching position once my sick leave runs out for my maternity leave and will be able to stay at home. We are so excited for our new adventure! We have a great rental house lined up in Littleton that is across the street from the neighborhood elementary school. We traded both our vehicles in for an AWD SUV and will be a one-car family for a while which will keep our expenses down as we adjust to one income.
This was likely going to be my last year teaching anyway and I have no plans or desire to ever return to full time teaching.
I am proud of what I have accomplished in my career, but ready to spend more time with my own kids.
Here's a little look back on my 13 years of teaching. You can see my weight gains and losses and my good years and bad years through these school pictures!
2002, my first year teaching at age 22. I accepted a position to teach an early childhood autism program at Edwards Elementary in Las Vegas. My only prior knowledge of autism was the movie Rain Man. The district paid for me to get my masters degree from UNLV which gave me the endorsements to continue in special education.
2003-04 I transferred to Watson elementary school to teach early childhood special education. Ryan and I started dating at the end of this school year.
2004-05, Ryan and I were married and I completed my second year at Watson.
During the next three years, I worked for the early childhood department as an itinerant specialist (traveling to schools to teach autism classes while teachers had a prep time). During this time I was also able to complete an additional 32 credits of course work beyond my masters degree. After Austin was born, I wanted to go back to the classroom and work closer to home.
2008-09, I returned to the classroom to teach early childhood autism at May Elementary. I remained at May for five years. Austin was able to be a student in my class for my last three years here as a peer model.
2010-11
2012-13 my last year at May, this was a very hard burn out year. I was on maternity leave with Amilia when I got this photo taken.
2013-14 I decided to take a major career change and teach autism at the high school level at Shadow Ridge High School. Look how happy I look!
2014, second year at Shadow Ridge. In this photo I am pregnant and done! Goodbye teaching!!
