I think I've decided what I want to be when I grow up!!

Ok, so I've aimlessly been walking around the past 19 years wondering what I want to be when I grow up. Basically all I ever wanted to be was a mom! I've achieved that and it's been wonderful...more rewarding than I ever expected! BUT, as much as I've truly enjoyed the past 3 years of being a SAHM, I'm getting bored to death sitting at home day in and day out. My life has resulted to endless days spent in p.j.'s and no make-up, doing laundry, running my vacuum daily and turning into a talk show junkie!! It's got to stop! Not only that, but Liam started kindergarten last year and is now ready to start 1st grade in one week, and it's very lonely!! VERY lonely!! So for weeks now I've been trying desperately to think of a reason to go back to school...to find that one thing that I will be passionate about!

...I've found it!

After lots of research on the internet, emails to various people getting information, and phone calls, I have found something that I believe will bring me years of joy and fulfillment! :) And the best part of all is that I won't have to look at the next 2-6 years of schooling.

So what is it, you ask?? I've decided I want to become a certified Doula. For those of you that may not know what that is (although I hope that most of you reading this will already know!), a doula is labor coach that basically offers physical and emotional support during her entire labor and even postpartum. There is definitely some training involved, some workshops to attend, childbirth classes to attend, a tour of a maternity ward (been there, done that!) and then you get certified. A good friend that I graduated with in Florida is now a certified Doula and just within a couple years, she has 3 Doulas working under her now! She loves it! She said it's so satisfying and rewarding to her. I just really love the whole birthing process, and as much as I think it would be awesome to be a labor and delivery nurse, I don't know if I could get through all the schooling. Even being a midwife is probably more than I'm ready for. But who knows, maybe I'll get into the whole Doula thing and discover I DO want to be an RN or midwife. ?? I just know I'm super excited about this, and for now it's something to get my mind off TTC until we can afford to go forward again. I have 3 books I need to read first and foremost. That will take a while, considering I hate to read. The next step would be to attend 12+ hours of childbirth classes and do a hospital tour, then I can register for my first workshop. I'm shooting for November or January for that. I think they skip December because of the whole holiday thing. I made a couple calls today (and just left messages) to some Doulas in our area to see what the demand is for that here. We live in a pretty small area and when I called my personal Ob/Gyn's office, they didn't know of ANY Doula's here!!!! So is that a good thing or a bad thing??? Hmmmm....

I just think this is it. This is what I've been looking for. Something to do with my life...and something I'm really interested in!!

...So what do you all think?? Go for it?? Crazy?? In the meantime, I want to start applying locally for a part time job after Liam starts school. We could use the extra money to start saving for TTC and Doula training. Maybe I'll check with all the banks in town. Oh and now would be a good time to send in that resume to the school system. We have 3 brand news schools opening soon. Hopefully that might mean more positions. Even the cafeteria would be ok for me!!! :)

Hope everyone's having a great week! Happy Hump Day! It's almost over....