Brenda, this week I am on Easter break, but most weeks by this time on a Friday night I am asleep! It is tiring to go back to full-time teaching in a classroom at age 46. But, the Christian school environment is great (even if the pay isn't) and the kids make it worth it. :) I am also the yearbook adviser. We just finished that and hit the send button to Jostens. That was a load off my shoulders! What a huge project a yearbook is. Next up is a large art show that we participate in in our community. The biggest challenges have to do with money/supplies/space shortages because we are not a huge school and because we are not state funded. I must say that it is nice to have a steady pay check again, especially with two in college.
I think the first year at a new job is always the hardest. I have had to learn everything and everyone. I had no trouble stepping back into the classroom. The students seem to like the art program and are flourishing. I have made many new friends and have a more active social life. It seems as though "my" life has begun again. A homeschooler tends to be focused on others and ready to go the extra mile to achieve the goal, forsaking her own wishes and dreams for a time. Now, I have had to readjust to thinking about my needs first. If I didn't, I would have burned out part way through the year. Eight hour days of "on time" in front of classes take their toll.
All things considered, I was ready for the change and it was what my family needed as well. They didn't need me to be at home anymore as a full-time facilitator/guide. They needed me to be a financial contributor and they needed to see me as an individual, separate from my role as a hs mom. Now, I am a role model to my kids in terms of career. My dd still wants to hs her kids someday even though she is off to an Ivy League education. I must have filled that role sufficiently. Now, she gets to catch a glimpse of the professional me. It is a pretty good mix.
I hope you are successful in transitioning when it comes time. Just be sure to delegate enough of the work at home so you don't burn out trying to be superwoman! I tried that. It doesn't work very well, especially since I have a dh who travels a fair amount for work.
The things that I have taken away from our hsing experience that are helping me in my job are: lofty goals, planning ability, more well read than I used to be, improved grammar skills, and broader knowledge base. These skills we hone as homeschoolers translate well to our careers afterward.
I hope this was helpful in some small way. :)