I got a job.

Gulp.
Yep, it's true. Starting Monday I am joining the workforce... albeit in a very small way. I will be working for 1.75 hours a day. That's it. And I'll be making barely more than minimum wage...sound terrible? Well it is perfect for me.

Let me back up and tell you how this came about. First some unrelated pieces of background information that led up to this decision.

*  With my youngest child in school this year (3 whole hours of Kindergarten) I jumped into the deep end of the PTO volunteering pool. I spend a lot of hours every week helping at my kids' schools or sending out PTO emails or doing other PTO "work." Eric has often commented, "If you are going to put that much time in at the schools, at least you should get paid for it." I would just smile and say that I loved helping out at the schools -- and I really do.

*  Having a job doesn't necessarily solve all your money problems. While Eric was a full time student, we went for 3 years telling ourselves and our kids NO about nearly every purchase. Then Eric got a job 6 months ago -- we bought a house and we now sometimes say YES to ourselves and our children. We try to keep things within the budget, and we are managing, but there never seems to quite be enough money to get the needed snow boots, or the desired bedspread, or finish the projects we started on our home. We are doing fine, but don't have the wiggle room that I imagined we would have. The rising cost of groceries and gas haven't helped any either!

*  A few weeks ago I had a conversation with my younger sister. We were both lamenting the fact that it was so hard to make extra money and still be a "stay-at-home mom." I was wishing I could just have 2 or 3 hundred extra dollars a month. But I had some stipulations....I didn't want to do sales. Not at all. And I didn't want to be away from home when my kids were home (afternoons and evenings). I had tutored in the past (which I loved) but you have to do it in the after-school hours and my kids really need me during the 4-6pm time slot. I couldn't think of anything that fit that bill, so we moved on to talking about other things.

*  Earlier this month we had a church activity and I said to a dear friend of mine, who is in her mid-50's and is an aide at the middle school, "Someday when you retire, I'd like to take your job." We laughed about it and moved on. (In fact, I didn't even remember this conversation, until she just reminded me of it this week).

*  The other day I was thinking about my older sister and how she had worked 1/2 a day at the kids' elementary school when her youngest daughter was in kindergarten to help make ends meet. I was just thinking about the situation and how nice it would be.

So that is the back story. About a week ago, I got an email from the aforementioned friend. She said that there was a 2 hour a day job opening up at the middle school helping kids who are struggling with reading. She had immediately thought of me (because of our previous conversation) and because I used to be a middle school English/reading teacher. Her email took me completely by surprise...I was shocked, excited, scared, wary...there were so many things to consider. I was NOT willing to put Sadie in a daycare just to make a couple hundred bucks a month, it wouldn't be worth the hassle for me and this wasn't a "have to job." it was a choice. I also have lots of PTO obligations that I didn't want to just back out on. So I told her my concerns and reservations and got more info. Miracle of miracles...it turned out that the 2 hours that they needed someone were the PERFECT 2 hours for me. From 9-11 each morning. Sadie leaves for school at 8 and comes home at 11. That gives me time to get ready each day after the kids leave. I discussed my worries about getting home in time to get Sadie at 11...and they said I could just leave at 10:45 -- so that is how it became a 1.75 hr/day job instead of 2. They were so accommodating and practically begged me to come work with them. I was able to rearrange a few things and without too much drama, I can keep doing most of what I was previously doing (except volunteer in Sadie's class each Friday).

My biggest sacrifice is my walking time with my "walking partner" -- we walk every day when the last of our kids leave for school at 8:15. We walk until 9 (although sometimes our chatting goes until 9:30....or 9:45.....) I am devastated to have to let this go! I LOVE my walking time both for the health aspects and for the therapeutic benefits (like having my own daily counseling session). We've talked about it and are looking for other time slots. But it is tough. We aren't thrilled about going at 6am, in the dark, in the snow. This was actually the toughest factor in my decision to take the job, but I decided to jump in anyway. We'll figure something out.

Anyway, yes, I had all kinds of Mommy guilt and questioned my motives and if this was really "right" for me and my family. But I think it is. We both feel good about it and the job just seemed to fall in my lap, perfectly gift-wrapped for me and my situation. So I'm going for it. The process went so fast, before I could even blink, I was hired. There was never even a formal interview. After frantically searching through boxes to find my college degree certificate, and getting fingerprinted at the police station, I got all signed up at the district offices on Wednesday.

Oh, I forgot to mention the WORST part of this job. The part that ALMOST made me say NO! You aren't allowed to wear blue jeans. Aaaahhhhhhh!!! I've been a stay-at-home mom for 7 1/2 years now. I don't wear anything but jeans or yoga pants....ever. I scrounged in the back of my closet and found a couple pairs of slacks and I think I might have a couple more in a box somewhere from days gone by. Whether or not they fit is another matter. I'm not a fan of skirts...especially in snowing, freezing weather, but I may have to convert.

Alright, that is the story. Sorry it took so long to tell. If I just put you to sleep....I hope you appreciated your little nap :) Hats off to all of you Mommies with careers -- I know it is so tough and requires a lot of sacrifice and balancing. I'm a bit sad about giving up those 2 precious hours of freedom each day, but I think our family and our savings account (that has been robbed nearly to extinction) will be blessed by this little sacrifice.