Today’s guest post comes from Brittany at The Moving Mrs. Her blog has taught me a thing or two (or three) about moving, as well as offering organizational tips and style ideas for home. She kindly agreed to guest post for me. I find that her words about her search for balance spoke to me. What part do you identify most with?
What does “having it all” mean? I believe that this is different for each person depending on their life goals and where they are in life. I think that it is also different for women, women feel pressure to “have it all figured” out and perfect. Women strive to keep a balance of being a wife and working. For me, “having it all” is having a successful marriage and a successful career.
My whole life since I was a little girl, I have wanted to be a teacher. I have worked very hard to stay in the education world in each state I have lived in. It is very challenging to continue to move and pursue a career in teaching. Each time you start teaching in a new place, you are literally starting from square one financially. I would not suggest this job to people who move often. But, teaching has always been my dream job. I have been a traveling teacher for years now. I keep all of my files organized and ready to go when I am on the hunt for a new job each of my moves.
I explore this question of “having it all” each time my husband and I open a new chapter of our life together. Over the past 4 years, I have moved to 3 different states with my husband. My first move for my husband was when we had just gotten engaged. I was living in Hoboken, NJ and he had just moved from Dallas, TX to Baltimore, MD. In New Jersey, I had been teaching kindergarten in a public school for two years. I quit after the school year ended in June of 2015. I packed up my classroom and my apartment in Hoboken and moved to Baltimore. While I was finishing up work in New Jersey, I applied for my Maryland teaching certificate and applied for jobs. I was lucky to have gotten a job in Baltimore as a Director of Education at Sylvan.
I began my new job in Maryland a week after my school year ended in New Jersey. By the time winter hit, my husband was up for a promotion at work. He got the promotion and we had about 3 weeks to close-up our life and move to Providence, Rhode Island. I gave my two weeks notice and quit my job at Sylvan. Since the move was so quick, I was unable to apply for a teaching certificate in Rhode Island. So once we moved in, I applied for my substitute and teaching certificate. I was able to substitute until the summer of 2016. I got a full-time job as a Math Intervention teacher at a public school for the 2016-2017 school year. In order to keep my Rhode Island teacher certificate valid, I had to re-take the Praxis test for Rhode Island (I have taken the Praxis in college for my NJ and PA teaching certificate). I worked here until January 12, 2018. I had to quit to begin my move to Pennsylvania.
I love teaching and leaving my career is difficult. I had an amazing position at the school I was working in during my time in Rhode Island. I loved working with the staff and students at the school. I was very sad when I had to say “good-bye.” I miss everyone there dearly-I especially miss my work with the students. Luckily, I still have my PA teaching certificate, but I will need to complete some credentials to keep it active after this year.
So how do I continue to balance being a wife and having a career?
My best advice is to rely on your partner. My husband is my rock, he is amazing at supporting me. He is always supportive of my career and is my biggest fan. He is so wonderful in helping around the house. He cooks, cleans, and does laundry. We share the responsibilities at home. When one of us is very busy at work, the other is able to pick up the slack at home.
Even though I am very blessed to have my husband as an active 50/50 participant in my marriage, I still search for what defines me in our marriage. For a while, I thought it was teaching. Now, I am in the middle of a move and not working. I am not contributing financially in our marriage. Even though my husband understands what I am going through and doesn’t expect me to be contributing financially right now, I feel like I should be working. When I am unemployed, I often wonder, “who am I” and what defines who I am.
Though, I may feel like I am looking to define myself in my career, I do not regret moving with my husband as our marriage and life together grow. I feel very lucky to have him, and if it wasn’t for moving, I wouldn’t have had such an impressive resume and such vast experiences. Recently, I have been applying to many jobs “outside of my realm” of teaching, I have been exploring different avenues like human resources. My journey to “having it all” will continue on…
About Brittany ‘The Moving Mrs.’
My name is Brittany and I am a wife, a traveling teacher, and a neurotic organizer. I enjoy traveling and experiencing visiting and living in new places. Since my husband and I relocate for his job so often, I have lots of experience stretching a dollar and getting my new place decorated and organized after each move. I am also a bit of a yogi-I enjoy eating organically and practicing yoga. Please visit my blog @ The Moving Mrs.
:-O
Two things to say: Brittany and her husband look mike Hollywood movies stars!
Second thing/ the day I will find the “one” I hope he will be my rock… ;-)
Adjusting to change is one of the greatest challenges and best teachers! You certainly have plenty of experience Brittany, to support others! Best of luck in your next role!
This is a very interesting post. As a young girl, I moved over 22 times and attended 14 different schools. It was fine in primary school but became difficult in senior school. You didn’t mention if you had children. It is not always easy for kids to change schools.
Wow thank you for sharing! I think it’s wonderful you were able to keep teaching wherever you moved. You shouldn’t feel bad about not contributing financially. I am a stay at home mom about to have a baby. My husband understands that while I don’t contribute financially I contribute in other ways. I cook, clean, take our 5 year old back and forth to kindergarten, keep the household running smoothly, and “bake” the babies. I’m still contributing in other ways. I often wonder my purpose too. I went from being a nurse to being this at home mom. It’s a struggle so I completely understand where you’re coming from.
Thank you for reading the post. It is always an adjustment from working to staying at home. There is so much going on with this move that I am able to contribute a lot currently. Being a stay at home mom is such a challenging job. I am sure it is very hard work! I can tell you can really relate.
I find moving emotionally exhausting and I hope to die in the house i’m in now (hopefully not soon!). Good for you for being so upbeat. It has certainly given you the opportunity to really experience different places which is very enriching. Good luck finding out what’s next!
I am so drained from the move. I love moving from place to place-each time we move I learn so much! I even learn about myself during the moves. But moving is definitely intense! Thanks for reading!
Practical tips for men too, here. I frequently write about the importance and meaning of a good, strong and healthy marriage, mostly because I didn’t have the luck to have one. Mutual support in a couple is comparable to strong team work in a business. With love as a big added value, of course.
Marriage is always a balancing act. It is a constant give and take in every aspect. Keeping the balance is what makes a marriage work. And when you are really in sync with your partner, you know that during trying times, sometimes the balances is more like 60/40 or 30/70.
Thanks for introducing us to Brittany, Christy!