Worked

The only other post I wrote on here about going back to work was entitled "Work", so for this new post, I'll call it "Worked". Get it? I worked. It didn't work out.

I'm not finished, but I am on pause. Long story short: nonprofit doesn't seem to be a great fit for me. What does seem to be a great fit is being in a school building helping people get from point A to B and making people feel welcomed and important. So, I'm going to try to get a job in a school building. I'm on pause because there won't be openings till next school year most likely. So, I'll wait it out and hope for the best.

I learned a lot about myself through this process. Five months on a job. For at least three of them, I was wasting away a little. Not physically, of course, but mentally. So I'll try this other approach and take it slowly and wait for a good fit.

For now, I'll keep volunteering at the school in Normandy where I feel useful and I love the people. So, it's a win-win for now!

Work

Going back to work has been a big adjustment for all of us. The changes for Erick and Sophia have been more subtle because I'm still at school drop off and pick up every day. However, I'm not able to do all the housework and errands that I normally do throughout the week.

The biggest changes have been felt my Leo and me. Poor little Leo has to stay in his crate from 8:30 to 3:00 every day. Two reasons. The first is that Gabriella hates him, and we worry that either the cat or the dog would wind up hurt at the end of some long day. Second is that even if I close Gabriella in her own room, Leo is anxious the entire I'm gone if he's not in his crate. He stays on the same patch of couch watching the door, but I know in his crate at least he calms down.

It's been a bigger adjustment than I thought it would be for myself. I'm just working during the hours that Sophia's in school, but the shift it has made in my mentality is pretty significant. In some ways, I'm more efficient during the time I have at home, and in other ways, I seem to be a bit adrift. I haven't found the patterns that will make this all work together. The really good thing is that I'll probably get to adjust back down at least somewhat. A person is being hired to take on quite a bit of the job I'm doing at the moment, so that will be a relief. I just have to push through till then.

Regardless, it's the holiday season, and I'm focusing on hope.