Lately, most of my posts have been focused on one topic, but today's will more closely mirror how our lives have looked during the past month: crazy busy with multiple things spinning in different directions. Lots going on as the school year winds down, and I prepare for my big job switch...
And about that job switch, I am so excited! Since last year, I have been working as a project manager with one of America's great newspaper companies. When I took the job, the focus was supposed to be on nurturing and growing innovative new media ideas from within the company. That would have been a great fit for me. But as it turns out - and perhaps you've heard? - the economy is tanking, and newspaper companies are under financial siege. So the groovy innovation project that I was hired to help run was closed down less than two months after I started the job. At that point, I was actually really afraid I was going to be laid off, as so many of my friends in media have been in the past year, but instead my fantastic boss found another PM position for me within the company - however, it was one that was much more technical in nature. I've enjoyed the job, and especially the people, but to be totally honest, it wasn't the very best fit for my skills or energies. However, I assumed I would continue in the position until the economy improved and other positions opened up within the company. I felt seriously grateful to have a job at all.
But here I am, getting ready to start (Monday) a job that I really believe was tailor made for me. It's wonderful. And the folks at my soon-to-be old company have just been unbelievably nice and supportive about my new opportunity. I'm going to miss all of them, and I've learned a lot. But yeah, very excited about the job change. (And my kids think it's very cool that mama's new job will actually involve being on Facebook.) It's been a long, hard winter for me, starting with my father's unexpected death in September, followed by two miscarriages - and the growing realization that there probably won't be another baby for us - so to have something to be excited about just as the spring sunshine returns feels like a rebirth. I'm full of ideas and brimming with energy. I can't wait to get to work! And this is the great part about being a working mother. Yes, there are things about having a job-plus-children that are hard and difficult to juggle, but when I am able to communicate the joy of doing good, productive, challenging work that I enjoy to my children, well, that's really satisfying, you know? I feel like that's valuable to them, in forming their own work ethic(s) and worldview.
In addition to winding down my old job and getting ready to start the new one, we've been dealing with a slew of illnesses at our house. Jon has had some sort of horrible allergic reaction to a medication he was prescribed, and he's been sick and in agony for the past two weeks, seeing doctor after doctor. His allergist thinks she finally has the problem nailed down, and we're all grateful, because he's had a terrible time of it, and I've been mostly single parenting while he's been totally out of commission. E currently has a nasty virus, and C had her second ear infection this week. Even the dog was throwing up for a day or two (that's what happens when you eat a tube of Desitin and half a shoe...). I am hopeful that everyone will be 100% well by the end of the week.
In other news, J didn't make the varsity cheerleading squad. But I was incredibly proud of her efforts, and she plans to shoot for the JV team later in the summer. Considering that she had only been doing this a short time, while some other girls had been doing it for years, I guess it's not too surprising that she didn't get a spot this time. But Little Miss Glass-Half-Full never skipped a beat. She was on to getting ready for the school musical, in which she has the lead (on Thursday!).
I have been doing my level best to start whittling off the 20lbs of post baby fat (can I still blame it on the baby now that she is 20 months old?) I am still carrying. I have been running or walking whenever I can find time, and I am trying out some yoga classes at this studio that recently opened right near our house (just being in there makes me feel hipper AND thinner. Sadly, it is attached to the world's best cupcake shop, so I have to battle the urge to top off some power yoga with some carrot cake.) I hate spending money on exercise, but I have got to figure out some way to drop this weight. I have to go buy some new clothes for my new job this weekend (more money I hate spending, but absolutely must) and it bothers me that I will be buying things a size larger than I hope I will be in six months. Oh well. Such is life.
And what else...hmmm...well, lacrosse is starting up for E, and Jon is still studying for the CPA exam, and our kitchen sink keeps backing up, and our neighbor called the dog police because Leo won't quit barking, and the sketchy neighbors are still being sketchy, and my new baby cousin arrived, and Newsweek needs a second draft of an essay I wrote for them, and, and, and...
So that's some of what has been going on around Casa Hickju lately. It's a lot, but most of the time, I wouldn't have it any other way. Given the choice, I always go for Big Life as opposed to small life. And I've surely got one, warts and all.
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