I wrote a post about my Nehemiah journey, from here:
Actually just to the left, sitting in a comfy chair and typing away under this incredible view.
This is the rotunda of the Central Library in LA.
Thursday I was there.
With strep.
Right as the 5th of the 6 kids in our house was diagnosed with strep last week, I boarded a plane. Only a mom could understand that the opportunities I had in LA (even the dream of a quiet hotel room) weren’t enough. They paled in comparison to my longing to work alongside my husband to take care of our babies and our nephews and niece. Oh my, it was hard to get on that plane.
When I was in highschool I literally DREAMED of Corporate America. It won’t come as any surprise that I had a “plan” from very early on. I chose colleges, when applying, that I thought would best catapult that start. I didn’t end up going to any of the ones at the top of my list. A gentle nudge, back toward the balance. When I was in college, I was determined to avoid serious relationships. I had dreams to pursue. But I met RRL and began dreaming in a whole new way. Another gentle nudge. I still had plans to go to law school, pursue my career, and WAIT to have a family. But the moment I walked down the aisle, I knew I was MADE to raise children with the man waiting for me at the altar. Another nudge to not give up either dream, but allow God to work in ways I couldn’t imagine.
I love being “business casual” three days out of the week. I love wearing jeans the other 4. I love working with people, learning, and participating in the financial life of the railroad. I love that there are six little lives (and one handsome man) that are waiting for me when I come home. I love the analytics of accounting and the creativity of child-rearing. And I get to do both.
Usually, these two sides of me work well in harmony. Last week the two collided. The part of me that LOVES the opportunities I have working part-time, collided with the part of me that LOVES being the one to take care of my kiddos in a way that I like to believe no one else can. I’ve known for several weeks that I was going to LA for just 36 hours. It was a great opportunity. An opportunity to use the knowledge from something I worked on for nearly 5 years. I was excited.
AND I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it once I was there.
Somewhere in the midst of all of this I posted on facebook that we had a house full of sick kids and were just having a really rough week. It was sort of a dramatic facebook vomit, but it turned out to be so encouraging. So many rallied around my family in the form of prayers and encouragement and HELP. RRL and the kids had help from family and friends, a sweet friend went to the grocery store for us as soon as I got home, and we’ve had many-a-meal that we did not prepare.
Wowsers, I can relate to this. I knew from day one @ ACU what my major was, what I wanted to do, which state on the East Coast I wanted to move to, and that I was not there for an MRS degree. 🙂 Hilarious considering I was engaged by my graduation and moved to the same area I grew up. Loved my career for many years, and now I’m thankful to do part-time work from home to get to do both.
It’s hard b/c our society seems to want to make you make a choice..work OR family. Not such an easy separation. Thank you for sharing. Glad you had a great trip in the midst of a hard time.