Ups and ups and downs

After having almost two and a half weeks off from work for the holidays, I have now been back to work for almost a full week. My break was great. In that much time I got so much of what I needed in so many ways. I had time with my family who came to town (though not long enough), which means Mark and I also got some alone time, out cross-country skiing on my new skis. We had some great family time with just the three of us, playing trains on the floor and sledding after the big storm. I also had a bit of time away from the family out with a friend, and some quality time with just Carter after Mark returned to work.

We also started potty training Carter and have had great success. There were many days at first where he just ran around with no pants, but relatively few carpet scrubbings occurred! Lately, he’s been averaging just one accident a day, pretty good considering I wasn’t even sure he was ready. He just may be trained by May when I’ll have another one in diapers.

I had a bit of trepidation about going back to work after such a restorative break. Getting truly dressed and having to go to meetings every day did not sound appealing to me. I went to work on Monday a bit overwhelmed and unmotivated. With a laundry list of things to get done by a deadline, I had to jump right in, and it was actually easier than I thought. As the rhythm slowly returned, I began enjoying what I was doing, and by Tuesday I was eager to return to work to continue my two major projects. This week I have really felt good at what I do and have realized what a feeling of accomplishment and self-respect my job gives me.

As much as I enjoyed my break, I also enjoy the mental stimulation my job gives me. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely days that are rough and parts of my job that are stressful and thankless, but overall it fills a need in me to use the intellectual side of my personality.

However, my enthusiasm for my job has been tempered by the recently discovered uncertainty of my position. My principal just told me that the person who gave her money to fund my job (one-of-a kind in our district) resigned and that no one currently has a way to officially fund my position next year. I’m guaranteed a job next year, but not this one, the one I love. My principal firmly supports what I do and is going to go to bat for me, but it is not a sure thing. It sounds like I’ll know more in February, hopefully. Meanwhile, I’ll just enjoy what I do and hope that the skills and experience I’ve gained with this job will open new doors in the future. Keep your fingers crossed.