Every Step I Take

I just finished writing my "official letter of retirement" and printed off three copies: one for the director of HR, one for my SPED coordinator, and one for my principal.

Yesterday Hubby drove me to the district office to get the insurance form signed by the district -- which we managed to accomplish. And we got it mailed.

Hubby has been meeting with contractors to have work completed on the house so it will be ready by next winter to shelter us for the long haul.

In my head, I have plans for clearing out the last 38 years of accumulated junk (for those of you who move on a regular basis, this is not the issue it's going to be for us . . . ) once my days are freed up from lesson plans and checkpoint assessments.

With every contemplated and completed task, actual retirement comes closer and closer. I read back about how thrilled I was to be hired by the Kansas City Kansas School District -- and I miss those days. I still love the kids and I do respect the district. But six years has tired me: Hubby's ill health, graduate school requirements, changes in personnel in the district and within my school, changes in the population around the school, Mother's death in 2011, worsening arthritis in my own joints -- it has all taken its toll and made me realize that, like my grandfather used to say, "Time is fleeting, Milly."

I honestly can't believe it. I never thought I'd get to retire. Change is frightening -- and exciting.