I’m sitting at my new desk at home, getting prepared to make a major life change. It’s one that has been long needed and wanted, but now that’s it’s happening it is happened at lightning speed!
Almost four years ago (how is that possible?!?!) I got pregnant. That set off a series of events that no one could be could have been prepared for; a surprise Mother’s Day discovery, concerns because of my age, and a tough last five weeks of pregnancy before my sweet girl was born six weeks early and had to spend a long 117 days or nearly four months at Seattle Children’s Hospital. As a family, we decided that however and whenever we could, we would do things to support the families of other children there. The first Christmas Luna Bell was home, we took gift bags of goodies and necessities to the families who’s babies were in the NICU that year. We planned on it being an every year kind of thing, but when COVID hit that was nixed. At that time, my thoughts turned from just a yearly donation of sorts to something more career driven. But then COVID and numerous things that happened in our family over the past two years, and I didn’t feel a career change was the best for us. I had received a promotion at my current job, but it turned into just taking on another job in addition to the one I already had. I was suffering all kinds of burn out, including compassion, and I started to feel like I was missing out of all of the little things that come with having a growing little girl. I know many of you have suffered the same way over the past couple of years.
Luna Bell started preschool last November. She has had some delays in a few ways, including speech which she was receiving therapy for. Again due to COVID that has been relegated to Zoom meetings only and she aged out of the program she was in. So when preschool was offered we cautiously jumped at the chance. She is good about wearing her mask, but even then she caught COVID the end of January and gave it to her dad and I. It was during a week of caring for her and Kevin and being forced to stay at home due to my positive test but few symptoms, that I again was thinking, “If I could have been working from home the past couple of years, I would still be able to work at least a few hours a day, and when I couldn’t get to work due to snow in December, I could have been working full time all week. And if I was at home before Luna goes to school everyday, I could be doing her hair and getting her ready.” So I started the job hunt.
Seattle Children’s offered me a phone and then Zoom interview and on March 11th, I was offered a work from home job that includes a pay raise, a savings on medical benefits and with rising gas prices, an easy $60 savings on gas each month. I get to make my own hours after 90 days and when Luna starts school in the fall I will be able to take her to school and pick her up every day if I want and have extra time with her everyday! It will allow Kevin to work additional hours as well -he’s been amazing doing the stay-at-home dad and working thing for three years-and give us more time together as a family.
I waited a long time to be a mom and have the kind of relationship Kevin and I have, and I don’t want to waste the time we have together before Luna Bell is a teenager and doesn’t want anything to do with us! The work/life balance is something I don’t think I’ve ever had so I’m looking forward to that a lot.
I believe in signs. I believe in intuition and I believe in the cycles our lives take. I was offered the job with Children’s on March 11, Luna Bell came home three years ago on March 15. My start date is April 4th, and I’m certain for many reasons that is the date four years ago that I got pregnant. All signs lead me to believe that this is going to be the best move for me and for my family and I can’t wait to get started.
This life event is truly bringing my life full circle.
LUNAR PHASES 