This is 39ish Life: Tranice

When my youngest daughter took an unanticipated break from her selfie-a-thon to hand me my phone, I knew something big must have flashed on its screen and caught her attention. It was a notification from Dana about submitting a story for her new series. Excitement and terror both gripped my chest as I thought about the opportunity/ challenge for me to step out of my shell and give others a snapshot of my experience. This is a HUGE push for me, and I am grateful to Dana for providing a platform for others to tell their stories.

Here is my story…

Blessed beyond measure. This phrase pretty much sums up my life at 39ish. Between chauffeuring the girls to their dance/ cheerleading/ volleyball/ gymnastics/ music practices and rehearsals, the laundry list of household chores, my career, faith, and close-knit family, my life is full, fun, frantic, and fruitful.

Thankfully, I am committed to letting the peace of Christ rule in my heart. The peace that I get from the knowledge of Christ is what keeps me grounded through this whirlwind of challenges and triumphs called Life.

I have two daughters: 18-year-old Orri, who graduated from my alma mater (Go, Braves!) and is a freshman at Florida A&M University, and 11-year-old Nevaeh, who is in 6th grade at the local arts magnet school. Right now, they are my world, and I’m okay with that.

As my oldest starts her college career and my baby jumps into middle school, I am beginning to feel the early signs of ENS (empty nest syndrome). There’s a feeling of both excitement and anxiety about what the future holds for them and for me.

Reprioritization has been an essential task for me and the girls this past year. It was our first season in years taking a much needed break from little league cheerleading. Those of you who have little ones involved in football/cheer know that it takes tons of time and commitment. Our season would run from July to December and encompass about 90% of the Saturdays in between. We were so excited to have our weekends back and looked forward to planning our weekend adventures. From DIY projects and “bumming it” around the house, to Busch Gardens days (#FunCardFanatics), the list felt endless!  

I’ve been in my current career for five years, and I enjoy what I do. After seven years of teaching high school math, I left the school board in 2012 to enter the Training Design and Workforce Management field. This change has been refreshing for me, as it has forced me out of my comfort zones and encouraged me to create space for myself in new and exciting arenas.  

At 40, I am the youngest team member in my work group by a generation. I believe this gives me a different and valuable perception of the future than my coworkers, and I see myself as a catalyst for bridging the various personalities and generations represented in today’s work force.

Well, that’s me in a nutshell. Blessed beyond measure. My name is Tranice Carmichael, and this is my 39ish life.

*Stay tuned for more posts in this special series, “This is 39ish Life.”

Love (and jump out of your comfort zone) more,

Dana