It's officially official

I'm admittedly having a hard time letting go of my home daycare. I was enthusiastic about some things like downsizing the toys, removing the gates from my house, taking the hooks and signs down from the bathroom. I was eager to get rid of playpens, highchairs and bibs (okay, I kept a few for Captain Messy)

So today I was organizing some files on the computer. I am trying to get some homework done (yeah, I'm still in school but that's a different topic) and I couldn't find what I needed. So I came across my 'daycare forms' folder. This is where I kept all files and documents for the daycare; enrolment packages, parent handbooks, menus, lesson plans, communication forms...you name it, it was in there. It also had the super fabulous custom made logo that Amanda made for me.
I hummed and hawed about sending that file to the recycle bin.

See, in 2005 when I closed my daycare I kept all my forms. I just knew in the back of my mind that one day I'd need them again and sure enough 1 yr later I reopened. But I know this time there will be no going back. I'm done with home daycare for good and it's time to move on.

But sending that folder to the recycle bin was hard all the same. It represents 7 years of my life, of my hard work, of everything I was. And 'throwing it away' didn't seem right. I debated keeping it on a memory stick but then thought - why? I'm not going back. I thought about printing a copy of all my forms but thought - why? I'm not going back. But it was still hard.

So, I sent it to the recycle bin. I haven't gone as far as emptying that recycle bin yet and I know that even when I do some computer whiz could easily find it within the bowels of my computer but for now....having it not so visible is a big enough step for me.

It's officially official. I'm no longer a home daycare provider.