Returning to the Work World

I've always had a bookkeeping job - it was bigger in our early marriage, and I juggled a lot when our children were young. It was even busier when we home schooled and I took kids and books to work and came home and found that kids hadn't completed their assignments; so it was nice when work scaled back for me as we continued our ten years of home schooling.

In recent years, I have been working one short day each week, keeping books for our church. It's not too demanding, and I have been able to serve my family and others without stressing too much about not having enough time at home.

As my youngest entered college a few weeks ago, I was a little concerned that her absence at home was going to leave me blue in the mid-week afternoons. We have shared a very close friendship, being highly involved in each others' lives. However, we are adapting to the changed structure in life. (And it doesn't hurt that we still exchange a few texts, emails, and phone calls frequently.)

I set my sights on getting busy - seeking caregiving or household organization jobs, considering a virtual office assistant job at the recommendation of a former boss, and applying for a few positions with our local school district.

God has provided just the right amount of "busy" for me during these first weeks of college: I have cared for a friend's mother at home on hospice; I have met up with a friend and her little ones for a play date; I have listed lots of stuff on CraigsList and done substantial de-cluttering; and most recently, I was offered a position as a substitute para educator with our school district.

I enjoy staying busy, and it's been nice to find that I still have marketable skills and am making an impact with new relationships!