In April, I will have worked here at the lawnmower shop, with my handsome husband, for 4 years. In this day and age, that's nothing to sneeze at.
Before I came to work at Roush Worthington Lawnmowers, I had been a stay at home mama for 15 years. I LOVED it! At first, it was a little rough going, as I had always worked. I had a 2 yr old boy and had just been transplanted in Salinas, CA, where I knew no one. Thankfully, the adjustment period was brief, and I learned to make friends of other mamas and find activities for my kiddos. In fact, I even homeschooled for 5 years. Hardcore.
Anyway, when I was at home, even though it could be very hectic at times, I was always able to stay on a schedule and take care of not only my family and my home, but myself. My home wasn't perfect, but it was kept. That's what happens when you're the boss :P
Finances and the economy being what they are, in 2009 I found it necessary to go back to work. In my former working life, I had been a pharmacy tech, but the hours weren't conducive to being a part of my family's activities, and the pay was dismal, too. I had been praying for about a year, when the opportunity came up to help my husband run the front end of the repair shop. Yeah, I know.........if I had a dime for every woman who says to me, 'I could NEVER work with my husband,'......well, I could quit, basically. To my way of thinking, if we're gonna drive each other crazy, why not do it here at work? Plus, if I gotta make a run to the doctor and pick someone up from school, my boss is very flexible about allowing me to make the time up elsewhere.
It's a funny thing about having a job outside the house. Other things muscle in, and priorities shift. No longer could I make a big grocery shopping trip after dropping the kids off at school in the morning. My shopping had to be wedged into those chunks of free time here and there. I couldn't make time for a leisurely weekly lunch with my parents anymore (BIG sad face), and a lot had to be done on the weekend, instead of spread out during the week.
It's the life God gave me! I've been so fortunate to experience being at home, and now being out in the workforce.
As well as I've done being more organized in order to get stuff done, I had an epiphany today. I was overweight when I came to work at the lawnmower shop, and 4 years later, those pounds multiplied. There's no nice way to say it; I just haven't been too careful. Yes,it's harder to make time to sit down and have regular meals, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. I need to make the effort. So, it's back to meal planning and telling the kids that, instead of all of us throwing something down while we stand around the kitchen island, we're gonna have a set time for dinner and we're gonna sit down for it. We've still been spending time together and fellowshipping, and thankfully have kept the fast food consumption to the very minimum (Friday night is pizza night, either our treat or Brendan's)........but sitting down could SLOW us down and make a difference, weight wise. I have older kids now, with differing schedules that won't quit, but at least if they come home later, there will be a complete meal waiting for them to heat up, instead of instructions to 'fend for yourself.'
Another area that I've let slide is my bed time. I've always been a night owl, and can be found up until midnight some nights doing laundry and finishing up the kitchen. I don't have to tell you that late nights, combined with a 5:30am work day alarm, make for a very tired woman. My weekends are spent catching up on sleep, and that won't change, but I DO need to make a concentrated effort to shift things around so I can get to bed earlier. What brought this to a head was the stupid DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME. Argh. It gets harder as I get older. Plus, did you know if you don't get enough sleep, it can cause it to be harder to lose weight? True story. Ain't nobody got time for that.
So, starting today, there's more to be added to my Day Timer and IPhone schedule. The first few days of trying to form a new habit are ALWAYS rugged, and I will have to hang on by the skin of my teeth and my fingernails. The end result will be more than worth it, and should be second nature by the time Miss Claire becomes a senior next year, with the killer schedule I know is waiting......
A final note. Please, be nice to me. Don't read this and make a comment letting me know I'm a loser. I try to be transparent and share my life, with all it's equal parts glitter and zits, so that someone might learn something. I'd rather be a GOOD role model, but some of my best lessons were learned at the feet of those willing to share their mistakes. We can't all be perfect......even online ;)
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