A Change in Direction.....

For the last 3 years I have stayed home and provided daycare for my grandson. This was a promise I made to my daughter before he was born.

However, it was not the 'easy follow through' I thought it would be when the time actually came.

I was an Administrative Assistant to the Upper School principal at a private Christian school for nine years. It was a great job ~ no, not just a great job, it was the best job! I loved getting up in the morning and couldn't wait to head into work every single day.

It was more than just a job, it was a calling, a mission of sorts and it nourished my soul in ways that are hard to put into words. It was a near perfect environment ~ the people I worked with were people of exceptional integrity and character. We shared a common goal and worked for something bigger than ourselves. We were in the business of  providing an academic education for students, but it was so.o.o.o.o.much more than that. We were involved in shaping the hearts and minds of a group of young people in ways that would forever impact their lives. It was an exceptional environment that was safe, professional, nurturing, caring and pure. We were all like-minded in our faith and issues of culture, moral behavior and unity. I truly mourned leaving that job, but the time had come to follow through on a promise I had made years earlier.

I have loved spending 3 years with my little prince .... it humbles me to consider the ways in which my time with him have already influenced his development, thinking and character. He and I have a bond that is unique and very, very special. I love this little boy with ALL my heart and soul. It has been a rewarding, unique season of my life but the time has come to move forward into another season.

There are now two of them, the second little one only being a few months old and as much as I love them, the time has come for me to go back to work. I miss it..... I miss the feeling of accomplishment, I miss the community of being with other grown ups, I miss having an income and insurance benefits. I'm three years older and not sure I have the energy, enthusiasm or desire to deal with 2 young children all day, every day.

My daughter and her husband have offered to pay me generously to re-consider my decision and I have struggled with it some. But I feel a conviction about my position and am standing firm in my decision not to go that route.They have found someone who provides in-home daycare and both boys will go there beginning in August.

I have started job searching in earnest these last few weeks, and so far nothing has really struck my fancy. I just don't know what I want to do or what direction I want to go in. I'm leaving all the options open and trying to think out of the box a little .... I don't offer an incredible array of computer skills, don't have any specialized technical training, I'm certainly not a 20-something, but I'm hoping that experience and a proven track record will trump the academic credentials and youth  offered  by so many job seekers out in the market at the moment. Surely that will be worth something of value to someone.

I'm anxious to get back to being busy, productive and heading out the door early every morning..... a fully functioning grown up back in the workplace.

I'm looking forward to daily visits with those sweet grandchildren from an entirely new and fresh perspective.

Yielding all I know about me to all I know about Him.