No turning back

First let me apologize beforehand if this entry is quite lengthy. There is simply no other way to explain.

I've been meaning to get back to the last sentence of my previous blog. You know, the one about starting work. First of all, I've never worked a day since my first child was born. I've been with my kids all day, every day for their whole lives. I love being able to stay home with my kids and watch them grow up (it happens so fast). But, as every mother knows, sometimes I just need a little break away from them so I don't go crazy. I've been thinking the last couple of months that maybe I should get a part-time job just so I can change up my days a little bit and interract with other adults. Well, before I knew it, a great opportunity came up last week. My husband let me know of a technical writer/editor position opening up at Scientech, an engineering company
based in I.F. that builds operating systems for nuclear reactors around the world. (What the ?)



I don't know anything about nuclear reactors, engineering, operating systems, and anything else in the technical field. How in the heck was I going to write manuals and documents explaining stuff I had no clue about. But....my degree is in professional writing/editing and I have some editing experience so Jim prodded me to go for it. To make a long story short, I submitted my resume'; they called me the next day (Friday) at 9:30, wanted an interview at 10:30(I hadn't even showered and it was my daughter's first week of Kindergarten); and hired me at 11:30.

OKAY!!! So now I have a job, need a baby-sitter, am going camping in like three hours, have our house on the market and must keep it clean for unexpected showings, and start full-time on Monday morning. What just happened to my freedom of being lazy all day, every day if I want. Yes, they want me 40 hours this first week to train ("and I've never had to leave my kids all day?" RIGHT-I cried the first morning trying to leave). The first day by noon I was thinking "what the heck did I get myself into" and wanted to bag the whole thing as I sat crying in my car, eating lunch alone and missing my kids. Did I mention that my husband, who found me the job in the first place and pushed me to get it, was out of town my first two days. Aahhh!!! But today went much better and I feel way more confident in my abilities and a little more familiar with their computer programs and systems. We'll see how the next few days go. After this week, I only have to work 20 hours a week, which is perfect because I get to set my own hours. The pay is amazing and I still can spend all morning with my kids, take my daughter to kindergarten on my way, and be gone while my other two are taking their afternoon nap. I found a great baby-sitter who will come to my house, and her first day (today) went great. The kids love her! Yes people, I realize I am trying to justify becoming a working mom, but the situation couldn't be any more perfect for me. Oh, except that I still don't know much about nuclear reactors.