Scared Stiff

In my previous life (read: before I had children), I worked full-time. Mostly, I liked it. By the time my oldest child was born when I was nearly 26, I had held jobs in a wide variety of places, giving me an excellent background and great resume-worthy experience.

When my oldest was born, I wrestled with whether or not to return to work. The company for which I work allowed for up to 6 months of short-term leave, but in the end, we decided we wanted me home. With a heavy heart, I submitted my resignation letter. I just hated to leave such a great company.

I stayed home with my oldest for 17 months, until our finances dictated that I must return to full-time work immediately. I can't tell you how much heavier my heart was to leave my child in daycare to go to work. I missed out on so much of her little-ness. Even after she was 2, then even when she was 3, there were mornings when she would cry to stay home with me.

How many mornings did I arrive at work with pink, tear-stained eyes?

I landed a job with a wonderful company and was there all of 4 months before I [finally] got pregnant with my youngest daughter. I had wanted to work for this company for a long time and I think they were the best people and company that I ever worked for. I adored working there. They were so wonderful to me during my high-risk pregnancy, and even though they knew I would likely not return, they loved on me and supported me the entire time. My heart sank when our pediatrician told me to resign my position, given that my baby had an NG tube down her nose for feedings and that there are no daycare facilities in my area that can take care of medically needy babies.

I left the work force with no idea when I might return. I thought about when I might go back to work, but it all depended on how well the little one was. Well, you know the answer to that! She's a fireball full of activity. No delays. Aside from her shoe lifts, no needs whatsoever.

But have you tried to find a job lately? Wowza.

I talked about trying to work from home, but most of the time, there were costs associated, if not for membership or training, then for equipment or services needed to complete the work. It looked like a daunting, impossible task.

A friend of ours recently posted a job. He owns his own biz and after we chatted about what the company needs, Hubs and I decided to try it on, walk around in it, see how it fits.

(And to my friend, Angie, I think this is the kind of thing you've been trying to tell me about for the past year. You are the wisest of us, dear friend.)

So, dear friends, one of the reasons I've not been online as much or as chatty on the blog as much is because I've been working! From home. Praise God and Please, Help Me, Jesus!

I'm just really getting started this week and besides getting acquainted with the websites/applications I'll be using, I've been learning valuable lessons. First of all, I seriously need to look up the blogs that have time management worksheets and find one/some for Work-From-Home-Moms. The thought of scheduling my evenings is a bit scary.

Second of all, if this works out, I think I may forget about going back to get my Master's degree in Education in order to pursue teaching and focus on working from home. That's a big IF. But if it works out, I would be able to be involved at the girls' school and be there as often as possible without having to take time off from a conventional job. I'm thinking of all the pro's while wondering what hurdles I may face along the way.

But for now, I'm taking it one task at a time.

After nearly 3 years of being a Stay-At-Home-Mommy, and after thinking and talking about working from home for about 2 years, I'm finally doing it.

Your prayers would be so appreciated! :-)

On finishing the Race with Endurance

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. - Hebrews 12:1, NLT

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. - 2 Timothy 4:7, NLT

Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays are continuing at New Nostalgia and I must admit, it's been hard for me to see AP Tuesdays come and go without my major projects getting complete. I have to confess that I have been fighting anxiousness, as you could probably tell from my previous 2 posts.

I'm glad that our Father is still working on me and that, in due time, things will be finished. Both around the house and in my heart.

How is it that I'm 32 years old, but am still as impatient as I was at age 5?

I'm happy to tell you that a few items off my Doozey List have actually been completed! They are:

• Chore Chart for my Oldest Daughter (Thank you, Handipoints, for giving us an interactive chore chart and a reward system she enjoys! And it's F-R-E-E!)
• Sending cards to friends and family
• Attend a women's Bible study group
• Schedule appointments for my youngest daughter for her specialists @ Cincinnati Children's Hospital
• Paint Formal Living Room/Dining Room (MANY thanks to my Hubby!!!)
• Make homemade strawberry jam

When I stop and really think about it, things ARE getting done. Little things (except the painting, that's a big one!). But the little things add up and it will start coming together the way I want it to. I know that. I have to keep telling myself that.

And I'm working on enjoying the moments. Like picking strawberries with my daughters and making homemade strawberry jam. It was SO much fun!

At some point, I'll be able to post my before and after photos on AP Tuesdays. I'll be able to show off the fruits of all the waiting and all the labor.

But for now, I'll settle for the little things. And I'll be enjoying them, one baby step at a time.

The Garage

This past Saturday, my neighborhood hosted its annual Yard Sale. I did ok. The extra cash is nice, but what I was really excited about was getting rid of All. That. Stuff. The last hour of my sale, I had cheap garbage bags and told people to fill 'er up, all for $5 a bag.

You know what this means? Well, first, I cross one item off my Doozey List: Yard Sale. Ha. But it also means I'm even closer to being able to actually park in my garage!

This photo probably looks more like a "before" rather than an "after." But people, y'all have no idea just how jam-packed this garage has been. Friends, it was shameful. Just ask my neighbors.


Now. The See the Rubbermaid container near the bottom of the photo? Yeah, THAT little baby is leaving my house at 5 pm today. (Yay!) And see those boxes over there to the right of the photo, just in front of the white wooden nativity? Those are leaving today, too. (I'm just about clapping my hands with excitement.)

I interrupt this post to wax eloquent about Free Cycle. You must check this site out! It's great for those odd pieces you want to get rid of, or perhaps you have some things you want to get rid of, but it's not enough to warrant a garage sale or a pick-up by your local charity.

Those boxes are full of Christian books that some gracious soul has offered to take off my hands, bless her heart, and I used Free Cycle to advertise the FREE books to anyone who would come pick them up.

Anyway, back to the garage. Oh, before I forget... all those clear Rubbermaid containers? See how they're EMPTY? Yeah. I can hardly stand it!

The garage will be completely finished once my Hubby can go through some boxes full of electronic stuff that I have no clue about. But! I'm giving him a month to do it. After that, they're going to File 13. Maybe that sounds a bit mean, but the way I see it, I can't stop the momentum now. I must finish the garage. I mean, it's almost compulsive at this point. But given that my poor garage has been junked up for about 4 years and that for the past 4 winters, we've had to scrape the car windshields when the snow came, my excitement is totally understandable.

My other Doozey List item: Garage, thisiclose to being finished!

This post is linked to Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia.