Done!

Today was a big day for me.  I gave notice at my stable, full time job in order to spend more time at home with Little Miss.  I plan to work about 20 hours a week from home doing QuickBooks consulting and basic accounting work.  I am either brilliant or crazy - haven't decided which yet.  On the brilliant side, since I am a licensed CPA, I can get a good hourly rate doing the type of work that I really enjoy.  On the crazy side, well, just reread that second sentence.  The part about stable and full time. Yeah.  BUT - I am thrilled to being spending as much time as possible at home with our little miracle.  She will only be in daycare 2 days per week vs. the 5 days that would have been necessary for me to go back to work full time.  Not to mention that I would not see her awake from January until April 15th.  So it was the right decision for our family. But it still scares the crap out of me.

While it is scary, the gratitudes are many.

1. The decision is made - no more worrying and wondering.
2. The partners at my firm were GREAT when I gave them the news.  Very supportive.
3. Now I can move confidently in the direction of my new business- no more beating around the bush when people ask when I am going back to work.
4. I have the best of both worlds - spending time with Little Miss and continuing to work in a field that I really enjoy.

Closet Cleaning Blessings

Yesterday I decided I HAD to clean out my closet.  Several weeks of just throwing things in there because company was at the door had caught up with me to the point that I could not even open the door anymore.  Let me tell you - it really limits your wardrobe options when your clothes are being held hostage by the closet.  So yesterday was the day.  I put on my comfy clothes (the same ones I had been wearing all week), but the baby in the bouncy seat, got the dog settled in with a new bone and got to work. 

I started with the dresser drawers.  I was matching up lonely earrings, throwing out jewelry I haven't worn since my college days, getting rid of the socks with holes in them (note to self: buy more socks), I mean I was ruthless.  Then I moved on to the bathroom cupboards.  Out with the years old moisturizer and the barrets that had been in there so long they were covered in dust.

After a brief break to feed the munchkin and load up on caffiene, it was time for the final project: the closet.  Holy crap, what a mess.  But after a couple hours it was finally done.  When I looked around I couldn't believe how much room there was.

This was not a project I was excited about, but now that it is done I am so glad I did it.  Here is my gratitude list, coming out of the closet:

1. I am amazingly blessed.  I donated more "stuff" than some people even have.  And by donating, I can hopefully be a blessing to someone else.
2. It is so nice to open a drawer, or the closet and see only things that I genuinely love and will wear.  No more shuffling through stuff I no longer like to get to the good stuff.  
3. It made me realize that our house doesn't really have a storage problem - I have a stuff problem.  Lately I had been really focused on how little storage our house has, to the point where it was making me very unhappy.  Pricing storage options made me even more unhappy. Now that I have pared down the bedroom to just the things that I actually use and enjoy I suddenly have plenty of room. What an economical solution!

Thanksgiving Day

Whew.  Thanksgiving dinner is over, the company is gone and the day is nearly done.  I am sitting here listening to lullabies, waiting for my sweet little girl to nod off and thinking back over the day.  It was busy. And messy.  Very messy.  Think pumpkin pie on the bottom of the glass top table messy.  Potatoes in milk boiled over on the stove messy.  Baby going through 3 outfits messy.  Mom AND Dad going through 2 outfits messy.  Dog tearing up the Michaels' ad messy.  But you know what?  It was wonderful and I wouldn't change a thing. Except maybe losing the Michaels' coupon.

There is something special about a day when everyone is focused on gratitude. For me, my heart almost felt like it might burst with gratitude today.  First when I looked at my baby girl sleeping peacefully this morning.  Then again when I saw the look on my husband's face as he watched all three of his children together.  And again now when I think back on the day and how blessed we are.  Life is good - messes and all.