January of Julie R-Bordeleau

I am a Flighter ! When I read Marjolaine’s proposition I was astonished: her project was totally fitting my personal quest! It has been so long that I have been trying to find my way that I had no choice but to be part of the project We are Flighters, Creative Paths of Wanderers.

Every January there are always those waves of fresh wishes and ideas. I never had that need to put on paper what’s I’ve done the previous year and what I wanted for the next year. For me, every day is a great day to think about your dreams and set new goals. But this year, I felt like this time was different. I wanted some changes to be done in my life and the way I am working now doesn’t help me to pursue my goal in the timely manner I am expecting.

I feel like everything takes so long to get to the next level. So I’ve decided to document my progress through this project in order to help me keep the focus I need and « just keep swimming, just keep swimming »! Where I come from as a teen, I was the kind of girl that was good at everything: great in almost all team sports, playing music in a wind band, great grades at school, etc.

The kind of person that has her life fulfilled with plenty of activities and who never stops! Looking back, I think I may have been hyperactive! But it was never an obstacle to be productive on a daily basis. Years passed, I had different experiences and, one day, I found the man I would raise my family with. Surprisingly, he was in the military. I’ve never thought that I would ever fall in love with a soldier, but I did! In fact, I fell in love with an honest, loyal, funny, loving guy that happens to work in the Canadian Forces.

We started dating, moved together and had our first child. At that time of my life, I was working as a science teacher. I did not enjoy that job that much because of the work load all the young teachers are facing: if you want to have a decent salary, you have to take whatever discipline they are offering. In my case, it means that throughout the years I taught, not only Sciences on all grades in secondary school, but also French, Orientation and Informatics!

The jack of all trade in me was happy, but it drove me a lot of energy learning the job AND planning and teaching 4 courses at a time. When I had my first born, I went back to work for only 4 months. When he was 10 months old, we moved in another province due to my husband’s posting. I was pleased to have the chance to start over. Throughout the first year, we had our second child. I decided to stay home with the kids because of different reasons. I ran a home daycare during one year and half, but I decided after our third child’s birth, that I wouldn’t do it anymore. I just wanted to stay with my own kids. But that voice inside of me continued to push me to have some revenue.

It is so hard getting rid of those profound unfunded beliefs. Step by step, I started blogging. First, about my life and what I was doing with my kids. My blog evolved and I divided my blog into two entities: my military lifestyle and education. I wanted to do something that was fitting my growing passion about education while giving me a reason to use my teaching certification… In the meantime, we moved back where we were coming from.  Our last kid was 6 months old at that time. The moving was hard on me: having a breastfed newborn and dealing with the adaptation of a new house, a new home as well as trying to help the kids with their own reactions. I sought for help and found some at the military family center. I met great people in my neighborhood that helped me evolve through this challenge that military life was putting on my road. I’ve exchange with people, I’ve cried, I’ve thought a lot, I’ve grown as a mother and as a woman. I am a Flighter!

In 2015, I’ve decided to stop thinking about those issues and get out there to start my own business to help French homeschooling families. Those families are so inspiring for me. They invest in what worth the most in life: their own kids. Because homeschooling doesn’t meet our oldest child needs, we didn’t choose that way of life, even if they experienced an unschooling way of life during their preschool years. Because, being a stay-at-home mom wasn’t enough for me (even if I wanted so bad that it would have been!), I thought I could put together my teacher’s experience and my passion for education in order to help those people that are walking off of the beaten track. As 2016 was a constant change of plan with another posting for darling husband and our house not being sold, I feel like 2017 will be the continuation of 2015. Finally, I’m starting back where I left, but with a little more experience and perspective this time.

Let’s see how this all turns out!

About the author:

Julie R-Bordeleau dreams of a better education system. She aspires to practice homeschooling with her kids, when it will fit her family needs. Until then, she continues helping homeschooling families to live their lifestyle with LilyAcademix as well as detailing her journey as a solo moms to help others feel like they are not alone through her own blog.