I have joined the work force. As in, I am now working outside of the home in paid employment. Granted it is only two afternoon shifts per week but it is exactly what I wanted.

Thankful for Hubby's support

Thankful for Hubby’s support

I’ve been studying for the past few months for my Certificate III in Aged Care and Certificate III in Home & Community Care so I am now a Personal Care Assistant. Old friends and long time readers may remember that I did my Enrolled Nurse training way back when I was a young girl. Actually it was 26 years ago. I’ve wanted to do something like this for many years but it had to be the right time. But is it ever the right time for a SAHM? Especially a SAHM who has a baby to care for and raise? It wouldn’t seem that study would once again go on the back burner but John encouraged me to do it. It would never be the perfect time, I’d just have to do it. And so I did.

Let me say, it was not easy being out of the house 3 days of every week for 9 weeks. Not easy at all. John did a fabulous job of keeping the home under control and keeping me well fed but it’s not quite the same. I enjoyed studying and it has really whet my appetite for more but I noticed that my heart wasn’t turned to the home anymore. And that is completely understandable. How could my heart be turned homeward when I had assignments due and had to be out at class every day? But wait Susan, there’s more!

3 Weeks Full Time

I had to do 120 hours of full time work at an Aged Care facility. I did day and afternoon shift and I volunteered for night shift. I did this to see how it would fit in with my family and home life. It doesn’t. I’m not too keen on day shift either. Up and away by 7am and not home until 3.30pm meant that I arrived home tired and ready for tea and bed… not particularly in the right frame of mind or body to be a wife and mum. It left very little time for heart or home. However, afternoon shift is great and works well for us. I feel like I get the best of both worlds. I can be at home looking after Bumples or cooking or visiting the grandkids until work at 3pm. Then, I get to go to work and have fun! I get to have family time and work!

Whilst I enjoyed it all, I am glad it is over. The good news is that on the last day of placement I submitted my resume. Imagine my surprise and delight when a few days later I took a call asking if I still wanted to work at the Aged Care facility! So far, I’ve worked two shifts as a paid employee. And I am enjoying it – getting out and about, serving the elderly, working and talking with others is really satisfying in many ways.

I missed writing though – both here on the blog and in all the other places I write. It confirms to me that I love to write and I need to write. I just find blogging to be so time consuming. Not the writing part but finding legal and appropriate images takes all the fun out of it for me.

A New Season

And so, as I have entered a new season of my life I feel it is time for change. Yes, another change. Soon, I will be moving my blog to a new domain, removing many of the older posts and starting to post anew. This new blog will be a little more minimalistic as that reflects the changes in my own home life and house. Less physical clutter has meant less mental clutter. And I like that.