Happy New Year!... I know, I know..we're already in mid-February so the happy year is not so "new" anymore, but I swear it has taken me this long to get back into some sort of groove...so I could also say that the new year is not so "happy" yet?
The world seems to agree that January dragged on, from natural disasters to celebrity deaths, it has all been a bit funky and our family did not escape the "funkiness"...
Oliver had an abrupt change of preschool teachers a couple of weeks ago and he has regressed to some abnormal sleep patterns that are driving us insane, the girls have been having a hard time at school with the insurmountable amounts of homework and responsibilities; Iggy has been working like a maniac (although I could argue this has become his norm) and I'm just exhausted from having the critical job of being everyone's "cleaner-upper"...that's what moms are for, right?
Back in November, I decided to go back to work after 6 years of being a stay-at-home mom. Granted, I was perfectly content with my SAHM title and luckily we did not have any financial needs that would force me to work, but after some deep thinking and lots of prayers I felt it was time to put myself out there and do something for "ME"....and who doesn't love extra money?!?
For a while I had been longing to find a "job with a purpose", I wanted to do something I was passionate about and what better time to do that than when working wasn't really a pressing urgency? So by the grace of God, I found the job, a dream job with a dream schedule that still allows me to be there for my children, pick them up for school and show up for the occasional daytime school event...what else can I ask for?
It has now been almost 3 months since this big change and while I literally LOVE the job and the atmosphere in which I work, I would be lying if I said it hasn't been a huge adjustment for all of us. The homecooked meals have decreased, our "togetherness" has suffered, exhaustion is always latent and the overall funkiness of a dynamic change has ensued.
Somehow I have lost "control" and now I need more help with many daily tasks that I so easily did by myself for the past 6 years. There's no time to double-check homework, or neatly fold laundry every day or even make beds and do dishes religiously like my Type A personality requires; I think even the poor cats aren't fed as often as they were used to and those long and deep conversations with my tween-aged daughters are not that deep and long anymore...and clearly blogging hasn't been in the forefront of my mind either! (I do hope to become better at all of these!)But in the midst of the chaos, I am happy and I am confident I made the right choice by going back to work even though the groove isn't all that "groovy" yet. Despite all the funkiness that has ensued, somehow I managed to chair a 350+ guest gala for the kids' school, I am still heavily involved in church and community events and I am still 100% me. I have learned that by showing vulnerability and asking for help, there is always room to be better and it really does "take a village". So thank you to everyone who has lent a hand in the past few months; thanks to those friends that realize that even though I mean to call and be there, the intention doesn't always materialize and that's ok. Thanks to the understanding teachers that have put up with my crazy emails, to those friends who have lent me a shoulder to cry on when I'm overwhelmed, to the people who pretend I don't look like a mess on weekends and to my husband and kids for having my back and supporting my crazy decision even though they were the first people to be affected by the consequences. You all make my world a better place and for that, I will always be grateful! Happy Blogging! :)
