I'm Going Back

Today I had my interview at Cumberland Valley for the long-term sub position and was officially offered the job. I'm going back. Tonight when the English Department chair called to tell me, I was upstairs with Ethan and Emily folding laundry (does the laundry ever end??). When I answered the phone, Ethan immediately ran over to ask who was on the phone, assuming it was Gram or Daddy or Grandma. When I whispered to him, "Yeah, Mommy is going back to work!" He just looked at me and shouted, "No! No! No! NO! NO!" Of course, my department chair on the other end of the line could hear this, and as I tried to comfort Ethan, all she could say was "I'm sorry to have upset him." Of course it wasn't and isn't her fault. By the time I hung up the phone, Ethan was in tears. I tried to be strong, smile and tell him everything was going to be fun and great and exciting, but those are just words without my true feeling behind them. Tears began to roll down my cheeks as I held him. Eventually bubbly Emily pranced into the bedroom and immediately noticed "E-e crying, Mama." She crawled up on the bed with us and slid in the middle of our hug. Both Ethan and I smiled and then we all hugged. It is moments exactly like this that I am going to miss.