WHAT AM I DOING?

You know, I have come to realize that some things in life are best left to chance and risk. You really cant ever have it all planned and things surely never do stay the same. When you are young you must be asked a million times what do you want to be when you grow up? Hell if I ever REALLY knew that answer. In fact, here came college and I still didn't know.

So I picked one. I became a teacher because, well I spent half of my life playing and teaching my little brother. It sounded fun, Kindergarten kids playing, learning letters and counting, recess and summers off with job stability. PFFFT Boy was I wrong. I really tried. I did very well in college and learned so much about life and myself. I did what most do, get the degree, get the job and hope that was it for me. I don't think now, looking back I was ever REALLY happy teaching. I had some great years with great kids and amazing friends to teach with by my side. But it was never enough. I hated fighting the system, watching kids suffer and endlessly giving of myself only to be told, this is the way it is. I tried different grades, different schools, different co-teachers. I worried I would spend my whole life teaching, hating it, being sick all the time and stressed and that I would end up like the other veteran teachers who just plowed through until retirement and a lot of them are miserable! NOT ME! I took a risk. A big one. I QUIT!

Most people think I am crazy... and I do too! I quit at the worst time to quit. My finances took a HUGE hit to say the least, part-time job stability is bleak at best. But it has been worth it. One and a half years out of the JAIL that I called school and I feel FREE! Happier than ever, healthier than ever, more grown up than ever. So now what? I feel happy but yet empty as to who I want to be next and how I want to provide for my Husband and maybe a future family. I am taking the plunge. I am going to turn my hobby into my career. I didn't have the luxury like my husband, he knew since he was 6 that he loved airplane and would fly. I can say, well I have known since I was 30 that I love cakes and I want to be a pastry chef. Better late than NEVER!

It is a new found love to say the least. Two years of baking and decorating for friends and family has really brought some new things about me that I didn't know. I am an artist.. WHAT?! In kindergarten I was always harassed for bad art drawing and terrible handwriting. Well these traits are still the same. But I have a vision and I can create it. There in lines "LIFE".

So I did some research and found that one of the world most renowned and greatest ever Pastry Chef's Ewald Notter has his very own school right here in Orlando. It's like it was meant for me! ;o) World famous chefs from all over come to teach here. I went down there took and tour, filled out the application and dropped a 100 bucks just like that for the app fee. My Husband about killed me with his eyes when I did that. He knew I was serious. This is what I wanted. This what my hearts passion. Then came the annoying, nagging, antagonistic logic brain. "What are you thinking? This will cost a ton ? How will you pull this off? What about your bills?" Sorry logic! My heart wins this one! We only live once. WHY NOT?! Everything else will work itself out. It has to!

I waited two weeks to find out if I was accepted. I harassed the Notter School multiple times. That's how I knew I really wanted it. I got accepted! I will learn from the best of the best. In 6 months I will be a European Certified Pastry Chef. I will have amazing opportunities to learn from, work next to and be graced with the skills of so many talented and world renowned pastry chefs. We are talking FOOD network stars here people! Ask me one year ago who I was and what I wanted out of life and I would say to you: "no clue".

Ask me today! Well that's a whole new answer. I am dreaming big. Bigger than I ever would have before. I hope to be famous TV star or competitor like my instructors, I hope to maybe be an instructor one day, I hope to have my own pastry studio, or to work for a 5 star resort.... I hope for any or all of it! I must say though I do feel quit silly in the chef's uniform. I am sure none could ever picture me in one either! But I will grown into it I know. So here it is people.

The new and improved recipe for Layla. Still sweet but refined.. and hopefully 5 stars! Be on the look out for my story. I am going to post as often as I can about my adventures through Pastry School. I hope you will find comfort in my story and some inspiration as well. I want to thank Su, Delectable Su for this idea. I have followed her and her journey through school and now her owning her own shop. She has inspired me to share my story as well as prepared me for what is coming my way. AND IT ALL SOUNDS DELICIOUS!

Bon Apetit,
Layla