Family Village

Thanks to my fantastic family, we all survived this last 8 days of me at work. You know the phrase: “it takes a village…” Well, I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by a village. My mom and step-dad watched the big kids every day after school and the little girls almost every other day. My sis-in-law and mom-in-law took a day each to watch the little girls and Brad even took a day to work from home. My dad and step-mom even helped out all the way from Texas! Even non family members, our best friends (family of our hearts), helped out tremendously. I feel so blessed. I never had to worry about the kids, where they were or if they were ok.

They had a blast every day! Picnics, McDonnalds, trips to the Park, sleep-overs, art projects, treasure hunts and rocket building. I tried to have a crock-pot meal ready to go every day so whenever we got home we had a good home cooked meal ready for us. By about Wednesday I kind of petered out. I was tired, cranky and ready to just be home. As it happens, that was the day of my first paycheck, so I treated us all to sushi and pizza. (Lovely combo huh! It made the car stink! But I wanted to treat Anthony too and he doesn’t like sushi.) Despite the great dinner and my blast to clean up the house, Thursday wasn’t any easier. Never the less, I survived Thursday made it to Friday and rewarded us with dinner out and a movie.

The question everyone kept asking me was if this time in the office was making me want to go back to work? In truth, I never wanted to be a stay at home mom. Years ago (I call it another life time) I was a big-wig at a call center dealing with fortune 500 companies. I loved it, absolutely loved it and miss it often. The problem is, I can’t do anything ½ way. Its genetic. I can only give all of myself to something, not parts. So, back then, I worked 12-14 hrs a day and over 80 hours a week including weekends. I hardly ever saw my family and was not the mom I should have been to Anthony, nor the wife I should have been for Brad. Thankfully, again, my village pitched in a raised Anthony into the beautiful spirit he is today.

 After 5 years of running at full steam, I crashed.  My marriage was on the rocks, my son and I weren’t connected the way we should be, my extended family barely knew me anymore and my health was severely lacking.

It took me a few years to recover. Wondering thru my life trying to figure out if I could balance who I wanted to be and who I was in a working environment. I tried staying home during that time and ended up sleeping more often than anything so that wasn’t healthy. I went to massage school for a year, loved it, but never pursued my license.  Massage school was the equivalent of my college experience that I never had but working in the plinky-plunky, touchy-feely environment just didn’t appeal to me on a long term basis. So, I was still wondering.

Eventually I had to get another job, so I found one that had no room for advancement, no corporate ladder available and had set hours that were worthless to work past since no one, ever, anywhere, ever did. As I’m sure you could guess, I hated it, it was boring, pointless.

Then, in 2007, my life changed dramatically. I got the chance to start over. The chance to do it right. I became a mother to a second baby and, 16 months after that, a 3^rd baby. It wasn’t until the girls were born that I felt like I fit in my world again. Starting from the beginning of the girls childhood allowed me to grow into the mother roll that I always felt like I missed. I am able to connect with Anthony more now than I ever feel like I did before. Being a stay at home mom to multiple kids was and is what my spirit was looking for.

All of that long story being said, the answer to the question is yes, I want to go back to work. Someday. Right now, my place is here at home with my kids and I love that I can do it. The on Call job I started 5 years ago has given me the perfect balance between keeping a pay check, being able to help clients yet keep my focus completely on my family. Going into this new job, working in the office for the last 8 days has been fun and renewing to my worker spirit but I have no desire, yet, to stay in an office. The nice thing about my new company is that when I’m ready, there are a million places I can go. I can go into any one of the 20 local offices, pick up more offices for on call or even transfer to another state if I ever wanted to.

For now, I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to stay home with my kids, run my house and give my all to being a 1950’s housewife, all while working a worthy job that helps financially support the family. It’s my time in life to be a part of the village, not rely on it.