Last Day.

Today is my last day as a full-time stay at home mom to Luke and Eli.  Since Luke was born, I have not really been back to work in the traditional sense.  I worked from home for several months with Publicis, my old company, then went to school full time while being at home, and then I spent this past summer after graduation and boards trying to soak up time with Luke as an only child while job searching.

Thr past six weeks at home since Eli was born has really been my only true "stay at home mom" time, since my maternity leave with Luke.  And it has been great.  Especially the last two weeks as some of the adjustments of having a new baby home have worked themselves out with Luke.  It has also been a bit of a blur.  It has gone SO much faster than I remember the few weeks after Luke's birth going which is good and bad.  I just keep reminding myself to soak in Eli's littleness because I know how soon it will be gone!  We have adjusted back into normal life much more quickly this time, made it to church every week and been able to both have some time with friends away from the kiddos.



From my stay at home mom standpoint, this past week has been the best.  We have done all sorts of things together and I have really loved spending my days taking care of these two little boys.  We have gone to the indoor park at our church, the Children's Museum, the Flip Zone, Monkey Joe's, on shopping trips, doctor's appointments and lunch dates.  My biggest parenting success to date was having both of them fed, dressed and driven to St. Vincent by 9 a.m. for me to get my TB test checked this past Monday.

Which brings me to my next chapter.  I start my job Monday as an RN in the Trauma/Neuro ICU at St. Vincent, which is pretty much my dream job.  I LOVE intensive care and feel incredibly blessed to be starting my career on the same unit that I hope to end in.  I also cannot praise God enough for leading me to this job in his perfect timing.  I interviewed for this job the day before my 30th birthday, 35 weeks pregnant.  I got the job the following week, exactly two weeks before Eli was born.  I was able to go into those last few weeks of pregnancy without the stress of looking for a job, and truly enjoy this time at home knowing where I am headed next week.  This is a huge blessing for us financially and personally, and has allowed a sense of peace in our house over these past several weeks.  Thank you God.

This morning I was feeling a little emotionally overwhelmed, in the best way.  Eli was sleeping and Luke and I were playing and chatting and out of nowhere, I suddenly felt this huge sense of peace and love and gratefulness wash over me.  I feel so blessed to have been able to spend so much time with my little ones working to raise them and make our house a home.  This last chapter of my life could not have played out more perfectly had I been able to design it myself, and it feels so strange and sweet and exciting to let it go.

Please do not read that the past few years for Dave and I have been perfect or without stress or worry, that is far from the truth.  The last couple of years were probably the most challenging we have had to date, but working through and getting to where we are, with less money, but closer to God with more love and happiness than we have ever had, I would say was worth the effort.  I cannot wait to see where this next chapter takes us.