Oh, 2008, you were such a strange creature

When 2008 began, I’d been a stay at home mother for about three months.

Three months later, I delivered an ultimatum to my husband: either I go back to my full time office job, or I hire his mother to watch the baby at least part time and then find a way to pay for it.

The latter was selected, and honestly it’s been amazing. Granted, I’ve spent about $500 more on child care and business expenses than I made all year, despite going back part time to the office job for half a year. But when you look beyond the books, it’s more like we’ve set up a multigenerational household that happens to live in two houses. C-Man, Boy Detective, and I live in one. C-Man’s mom and his sister live in another. C-Man, his sister, and I all work, and his mom takes care of Boy Detective (and everyone else), and between all of us we pay all the bills and get everyone fed and all the laundry done.

Without the office job it’s going to be interesting to hold all of that together financially, but I have faith. After 35 years I’ve finally learned that if I can enjoy my life, I should. And working outside the home on a set schedule right now – in addition to my telecommuting job – just doesn’t allow me to enjoy my life. I don’t get to enjoy Boy Detective as much as I want to during the day because I’m rushing to get things done or get to work, I don’t get to enjoy any leisure time because I’m trying to catch up on both jobs, and I don’t get to enjoy being in my home because I don’t have the energy to manage it properly so it’s a mess.

When 2009 begins, I’m working one job, at home, a job that is my favorite job I’ve ever had. I got it because I put myself out there to a woman I met through blogging, and she referred me to another woman who read my blog years ago. I could not thank them enough if I tried.