Back to the Grindstone...Though I Never Really Left It

It’s been a while since I have had the inspiration/time/energy to write a blog entry so I’m feeling quite accomplished to finally have the gumption to do it. Maybe it’s the time of year- I always seem to lean into a bit of a funk in late winter, and I don’t think I’m alone. I was hoping that it was simply a result of feeling like a drowned rat in Portland by this time of year, but as it turns out winter is winter where ever you live…unless you live in paradise. February snow is decidedly gloomier, slushier, and dirtier than December snow. But the sun is gracious in Denver and at least I can feel it’s warmth on my face more than a few times each week, and for that we’re thankful.

As we near the end of the longest month of the year (even though it is technically the shortest, it always feels the longest), I am appreciating the past 8 months that I’ve been a stay-at-home mom. For the first 6 months it felt like such a luxury. It was a major change for me- I had transitioned abruptly from working part-time at MFH, managing Stepping Stone Apartments, and going to school almost full time to being home with the kids exclusively. I worried that I would be anxious and bored after being so busy, but it turns out it isn’t as scary to stay at home as I thought it might be. Between homeschooling Penny a few days each week, playdates, volunteering, storytime at the library, going to the park, managing the household, and caring for a new baby, the days and weeks tend to fly by in a flash.

But after the holidays came and went, our financial situation started fueling my drive to return to work. God has continually taken care of us over the past season in our lives even with unsteady work/unemployment for Micah, huge moving costs, and a new addition to the family. It’s almost unbelievable that we have been able to escape without debt (besides Micah’s student loans) to this point- truly we have been blessed. Yet, being one car repair or medical bill away from disaster has taken some of the joy away from my time at home. I also have dreams of moving out of our basement apartment into a home where I can actually see the snow fall and have huge floods of sunlight to bask in. A better part of town with less rowdy neighbors would be a major improvement as well.

Finding a job that would work with Micah’s schedule was a challenge though. Unlike when we lived in Portland, we don’t have a huge network of adoring Penny and Ramona fans that will babysit for free at the drop of a hat (we miss you all!!!). So after looking for several weeks, I had applied for one job, and one job alone, that would possibly work with my limited availability: an on-call position at a women’s transitional housing program called Warren Village First Step. As it turns out, it’s the only job I would need to apply for as they hired me last week. 

I have tried to think of the last 8 months as a career change and not a period of unemployment, because truly, being a stay-at-home mom is a challenging job and rich with rewards. But having worked with homeless families practically my entire adult life, advocating for those in need has become ingrained into the very heart of me and I’m eager to roll up my sleeves and get involved again. I am so relieved to be working in a small non-profit where they are flexible about my availability and welcome the involvement of my family and children in my work. The program manager was so understanding about my lack of childcare- she even encouraged me to bring Penny with me to work and for special events. As we always included Penny in all the activities at MFH, it’s a relief to be in such a flexible and warm work environment again. There are a lot of differences between MFH and Warren Village, but I view it as an opportunity to understand how another non-profit works and get my foot in the door to the social service field in Colorado. I’m only working one day a week to start, but I’m hoping they will find more hours for me as time goes on.

On another note, here are some pictures of our adventures over the past few weeks.

We had a huge snowstorm at the beginning of the month, giving us the opportunity to take the girls sledding for the first time.









On Valentine's Day, Penny and I had a little party with a friend from ballet class and then put on a fancy dinner for Daddy after he got home from work.




Enjoying chocolate fondue for dessert...Penny's new favorite thing.

I'll be posting more frequently hopefully now, so check back often for more updates!