It's time.

Yesterday morning I went into work with a really great feeling. I had made one of the most important decisions of my life and it felt good - my shoulders feel a lot less burdened by wondering when exactly I would make this choice. And so, when my supervisor came in and started to unlock her office door, she looked at me and knew that I had something to tell her - and something to give her. It was my notice of retirement - the paperwork was submitted and it was time to take the step. I cried like a baby when I gave it to her. I am hopeless.
You know, it felt more like a giant leap than a step, but I took it anyway. And so, in just a few weeks, my time at the university will be done, my desk will finally be empty, and I can walk away knowing that I've enjoyed every moment, have loved each day that I was blessed to work there, and most of all, that I could leave knowing that I was leaving friends rather than co-workers. It will be a bittersweet time - a time of preparation, of dotting I's and crossing Ts. (Of filling the confidential recycle bin with all those things that I will never need to remember again about Federal financial aid). By the time Kasey and Veronica are old enough for college I can MAYBE still remember how to fill out a FAFSA application but I wouldn't bet on it.
And this will be a time of letting go. It won't be easy. Dear Lord, please help me to realize that it's not a bad thing to retire - it's just a different road to travel. And it doesn't matter that my sick leave credit is based on my life expectancy - although it's quite humorous to see how much time they are giving me at the outset. :) Yup, humorous is the right word I guess.
But hey - this is no time to think about life expectancy. I think God still has a lot in store for Ron and I.
It's time we found out - don't ya think?
Blessings and love and as always, may God bless our troops and those of us who wait.