The New Gig

I've officially completed my first week at the new job, and have to say, so far, so good. I feel like I'm on a steep learning curve - especially in terms of health care reform, which is what my current contract covers - but I also feel like I'm already starting to get into a groove with the new schedule. I like the people I work with, and am loving all the West End has to offer for lunch options. Yum. Gotta get back to running before that takes its toll. Especially Jimmy Johns. Man, those subs are addicting...

I digress. So anyway, I'm loving the new job, and having an ok time transitioning from working flexible hours to doing the 8 to 5 kind of gig. I miss seeing the girls as much, but feel like our evenings are a nice smooth pattern, and we're all very happy in the new neighborhood.

This weekend I had a house full of kids (yet still, no furniture... which actually works out well when you have 7 kids in a house). The neighborhood kids come and go from yard to yard and house to house, and the parents all seem great so far. I didn't get much accomplished on my cleaning agenda, but it was a fun, relaxing weekend full of kids all the same.

So, things continue, for the most part, on the up and up. I've had some sadness crop up here and there for external reasons, but feel fairly peaceful with life at the moment and the direction I'm heading. Now to figure out what to do with the kids for the summer!

The Sac

So far since moving into the new house I've counted 4 seven-year olds, 2 4-year olds and, I don't know, about three or four 2-year olds that live in our cul de sac. The kids can't wait to get home from school because they are sure to be met by at least 2-3 eager friends just waiting to play. Katie's suddenly interested in learning how to ride her two-wheel bike she's always been fearful of, Sadie is enjoying the dogs that live in every single yard around the sac and I... well, I'm just trying to adjust. I love the friendliness of the neighborhood. I love the stories of the previous tenants where I lived (apparently they had 2 repos, 4 dogs and a good knock-out drag-down fight at least weekly - the neighbors were disappointed to find I was "normal" and ruined their Friday night entertainment). But wow, overwhelming after always being a fairly private person. Kids are at the door, in the yard, on the driveway, EVERY WHERE.

I'd been cordial thus far, but frankly, haven't felt very talkative this week. A lot has been going on and, dammit, I'm sick, I'm tired and I just need a minute to breathe/adjust. But tonight I couldn't resist the draw of "Thursday Ice Cream night" and headed out to the sac where a chair awaited my arrival. The zillion kids ran around the sac, laying in the middle of the street to outline each other in chalk. The adults meanwhile sit on the sidelines, chatting about lawns (or in my case, making fun of the weeds and overgrown trees), new beverage concoctions and sipping cool drinks while awaiting the arrival of The Ice Cream Guy. Not to be confused with The Ice Cream Man. This dude is definitely a Guy they tell me. Turns out it's my same Ice Cream Guy from the old house (and yeah, he's a nice guy).

 The neighbors are great, everyone's already offering to help out with this, that and the other and I feel at home, but I also feel that the privacy isn't what I'm used to. But the shear joy I see in the girls right now in the midst of all this change, well, it's worth it. They are already planning sleep overs, play dates, whose yard to meet at and how to use morse code from bedroom windows.

I am feeling good in the new house, and feel "home" already even though the boxes aren't unpacked and I cringe at the brass gleaming at me from every door fixture and cabinet. I've been down on the floors at night scrubbing baseboards with a toothbrush after putting in about 15 hours a day of work right now, but I feel at peace. And that, at the moment, is all I need.

Good News Round 2

I've officially moved! I ended up with a super nasty virus this weekend, but thanks to friends and family was able to get almost everything moved, the girls rooms set up and my sister and her fiance unpacked and put away the kitchen. My house is cute, but furniture bare at the moment. Can't wait to fill it in as we go with all the stuff I like. Yay me!

And on to the next round of good news - I've officially accepted an offer with a consulting company in our area. That's right folks, no more work-at-home three-trillion hours a week. Hello benefits, daily interaction with adults and a job I just can't wait to start! I'll be working on a health care reform strategy-based project, and can't wait to roll up my sleeves and get dirty - it's right up my ally.

So many changes so quickly. Last week there were definitely some bumps along the way that I can't mention but suffice it to say, I was reminded that small business ownership isn't all it's cracked up to me. I'll take it as a sign that I'm moving in the right direction - onward and upward!