Beguin Bits Blog is Born!

I’ve always wanted to write a weekly blog, but it hasn’t seemed right until recently. My heart is now screaming at me that it’s time to tackle this. So here goes…

What you need to know about me is that I’ve been moving toward a more authentic life for the past few years and that’s what lies at the heart of this blog, my reason for sharing all that I plan to share. 

Who I Was

I was a high school English Language Arts teacher for 17 years until it stopped feeling right. 

During the last few of those years, I started listening to an inner voice I hadn’t noticed before. As I was helping guide seniors to their first ever life choices, I heard myself say, “You can be anything you want!” But I also began hearing that inner voice chiding me - “are you?”

Ever since I was in the 5th grade, I’ve wanted to be a writer. That was the year I wrote a play about Strawberry Shortcake and the Smurfs. I convinced my teacher to let my friends and I act it out for our class. I don’t know if everybody, including the teacher, was just ready for a break from school or what, but it seemed to be a big hit.  

During the spring of 2023, that inner voice started beckoning so loudly that when my superintendent stopped in one day to see if I was planning to come back the next year, I could barely concentrate on what he was saying as that voice was screaming, “NOW! Tell him NOW that you don’t plan to come back, not next year or EVER!” I clapped my hand over that voice’s mouth and told him I needed some time to think about it. 

The one thing I truly loved about being a high school teacher was the energy the kids brought every single day. It wasn’t that they were the problem, it was that I had never allowed myself to explore what I knew deep down I was meant to do. I had taken my first job as a teacher because I thought I would enjoy it, but better yet, it would put me on the same schedule as my young children. I was up for the adventure of it. 

What I Learned

Being a teacher was amazing, and tiring, and fulfilling, and heart-wrenching, and brought me into relationships I never would’ve imagined I’d get to be a part of. I loved almost every single one of my students (truly, there are only a couple that I never could make myself like). It wasn’t their fault that school wasn’t where I wanted to be anymore. It just felt like I had outgrown the classroom and everything that had to do with school.  

It took a lot to summon up the courage to tell my superintendent that I would not be coming back. I really had no plan, except a need to write.

Before I Forget

I might add to this introduction that I live a crazy blessed life with my hubby, who was more or less blind-sided by my insistence that it was time for me to try something new. I thought I had saved enough money to carry me through for a bit (I didn’t). I thought I would maybe be broke for just a couple months (try well over a year). My husband has graciously (mostly) taken on so much of our financial burden and I plan to switch roles with him as soon as possible. 

We have a great house that we have lovingly remodeled a lot of and two vehicles that are paid for (thank the Lord). We also share:

1 stepdad

1 adopted dad

1 stepmom

3 ex-spouses

9 stepsiblings

5 kids - 2 are mine and 3 are his, so we’ve also shared the good, bad, and sometimes ugly experience of being stepparents.  

This blog isn’t going to be a play-by-play of how we ended up with all those people in our lives. It’s not a blog about creating a blended family or being a part of one through our parents, but it certainly colors a lot of our life. My journey to being the most authentic person I can be has absolutely been affected by all those people. 

So jump on in and come along for the ride with me! I’m hoping this is the best adventure I’ve been on yet.