12/11/2019
Hi friends,
I have some news to share with you, and I have mixed emotions about it. I’ve cried. I’ve felt scared. I’ve felt nervous and excited. Most of all, though, I feel at peace with my decision and THAT makes me know it’s the right one.
I want to start with saying I am healthy. There is no secret health battle.
I want to also say management at the station has been VERY supportive. I’ve been talking with them for a while now. They’ve tried VERY hard to change my mind. They are good people!
Here’s the deal. I need to be home more with my family – with my boys – and I can’t do that AND be on TV at night.
Right now, I see my boys before school. And some days, I don’t see them again until the next morning.
I head into work about two hours before they get home from school. I often don’t get home from work until 11:15 pm.
I want to be home more. I NEED to be home more.
I want to be there for homework in the evenings. I want to be there to cook dinners, and make them all sit with me at the dinner table. I might even use the good dishes AND make them help wash them by hand. Because that's what makes memories, right? 😊
I want to be there so my husband and I can catch up on our days face to face, instead of over text messages and phone calls throughout the day. We try to juggle our schedules, but he’s mostly managing on his own in the evenings. He’s been amazing! And thank goodness for grandma, grandpa and our family friend, Kate.
I want to be home to read books to my little man before bed. I want to be there as we get in cozy pajamas. I want to have the option of falling asleep while we lay together reminiscing about our days and then wake up at 2 am all crumpled in his little bed, probably sore because I don't fit, but happy that we were that close for that long.
I want to be home earlier for my teenage son who just made the freshman basketball team and is managing a pretty heavy load of classes. I want to see his games, and be in the car to take him and pick him up from practices. I want to naturally hear about things instead of trying to pull information out of him hours later or on the weekends. He's already an "as few as words as possible" kid... I don't want to miss any moments.
While I know this is the right decision for me and my family, there are several things making it VERY DIFFICULT.
One of those things is ALL OF YOU! I feel like I know you! I see pictures of you and your adventures. I’ve met many of you in person and gotten to know your stories. I've followed your heartbreaks and health battles. I've cheered for your job searches and felt broken about your losses. I feel like I know your children and your pets. We’ve done a lot of good together – like when we all donated food to Harvesters during our Fill the Fridge food drive. And oh my goodness - the STORIES! All the stories so many of you have been willing to let me share to spread good stories, raise awareness about sad ones or bad ones, and tell stories helping the rest of us know how we can make a difference.
I’ve loved every minute of my time with you. I’m so incredibly thankful so many of you came to trust me over the years. There is not a greater honor.
As I type this, I have tears in my eyes. I’ve loved my time at 41! I love our team at 41. I truly do love you all!!!
I have enjoyed sharing with you great things happening in this city, and being with you during the more difficult news, too.
I promise I’m not going away. I will still be here on social. I will still be at the grocery store and target and all the shops around town. I’ll still be involved in charity work and sporting events. And you KNOW I’ll still ask to hold your babies when I see you out and about.
I’m not going anywhere. THIS IS HOME!
With all of this said, I want to tell you my last day on the air here at 41 Action News will be Monday, December 16. I’ll anchor the 5 and 6 pm news that day.
I’m still finalizing my next steps as far as work, but I promise to let you know when things are set. I will work during the day while my kids are in school, and I fully intend to end up in a role which still allows me to help people, be involved in the community, stay in touch with as many of you as possible…..and still be home to cook dinners, make all the basketball games, and be home to straighten the covers over my boys as they fall asleep each night.
LOVE and hugs and a heartfelt THANK YOU! You mean more to me than you can ever know.
Sincerely,
Christa