I haven't written anything here about the newest chapter of my life. So its time to catch you up.
A season of change (in our lives) has come along with the cooler weather and pumpkin spice lattes.
I am officially employed. I have an out-of-the-house-money-making-JAY-OH-BE.
Before Reagan and Kiefer jumped into our lives, I knew I wanted nothing more than to stay home with our then-hypothetical babies. (Little did I know they'd come at the same time.) And I will forever be grateful that I had the opportunity to do just that for more than two years. During that time, however, I knew it wouldn't always be the case. I knew there was something "out there" for me to do. But I wasn't going to give up my time with my babies for just any old job. I wasn't going to throw away my status as a SAHM for a simple paycheck. I wanted to get back into social work (and finally use my MSW) and get back into saving the world (see side profile). And it had to be perfect or it wouldn't be worth it.
So I've found the perfect job, with a perfectly flexible schedule, making the perfect amount of cash... doing group, individual and family therapy in an elementary school. I'm working very part-time, about 10-2ish on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with some work every other Wednesday morning. The boys are attending a Mom's Day Out/Preschool/Day Care at a nearby church and so far, so good. They've been too busy to say good-bye to me both times I've dropped them off (this is par for the course with our social butterflies at the church and YMCA nurseries). Things have been a little rough picking them up (naptime is shortened on these days) but I know they will adjust quickly. The second day was already drastically better than the first.
I'm working with kids in Kindergarten through 4th grade and so far I have learned:
1) I am out of practice with "leaving it at the office." I was very good with that in Child Welfare. But I need to work on it again.
2) there is already one little boy that I want to bring home with me
3) I don't look any older than 29, according to a 3rd grader
4) it is easy to adore a child that asks for extra pickles with his lunch and then builds a "pickle castle" on his chicken sandwich
5) now that I have kids, I'm easily angered by hearing that a kid's dad "sleeps, eats, and lays on the couch" and "won't play" with his 7 year old son. or that "my mom left for the grocery story and didn't come back"
6) that I like meeting new adults
7) that I'm easily beaten in Candy Land
8) I was a very well-behaved student. I remember having a time out in recess once in 2nd grade and having my name written on the board once in 4th grade. Those are honestly the only times I can remember disobeying a teacher or other authority figure in elementary school. You would have NEVER found me talking back to a teacher, rolling around on the floor, screaming in class, peeing on the carpet, refusing to do my homework, hitting another student or chewing on my socked feet. Not that I've seen any of that in the two short days I've worked. Okay, all of it.
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