I have some exciting news to share.  October 31st will be my last day working at a part time job at a daycare and I feel relived.  When I first attended college at FVTC I was in the Early Childhood Education program and graduated with the degree around 2010.  During the time I was working part time at this daycare and after graduation I had my own room working with 4 year old children (whoot whoot).  After a few years, and when I started to struggle with my eating disorder, I quite my job while I was in treatment.  At that time my husband and I felt like that job was a big stress-er for me and would fuel my eating disorder.  So, when I returned home in February, I took some more time for myself and stayed home for a few months. I was very busy, went to therapy 2 times a week and saw my dietitian once a week.  Therapy can be very exhausting so I am thankful I didn’t have to work on top of that.  After a few months, Tim and I felt like it was time to return to work part time, which I did, and worked at the gas station here in town.

One of my goals while in treatment wast to return to school and have children.  So, a few months of working at the gas station part time, I returned to school.  At first it was very hard to adjust to a new schedule with figuring out how I was going to fit everything in but I did with the help of my therapist and the awesome boss and manager that I had.  So I was on the right track to achieving this goal.  Finally, I passed and finished all my general education classes and began the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program also at FVTC and I’m not going to lie, that first few months and even towards the end of the semester I wasn’t sure if that was something I wanted pursue .  I felt like I didn’t have the knowledge and skills to carry out the responsibilities of a COTA in the different fields/settings.  The summer before the second semester I found out that Tim and I were blessed with a pregnancy, which was and is still one of my goals.  I spent the second semester of college working and preparing for a little boy.  Towards the end of the semester I had made the decision to quite the gas station so I had give my full attention to college and make sure I had what I needed ready for Dominic’s arrival.  Dominic was due and was born in February 2013 and a month before this I had just started my third semester, which was known at that time as the hardest semester due to a class/instructor that we had.  Which was very, very true.  Dominic was born in the middle of the month and I only took 2 weeks off and still had to Skype the 2nd week for the class I talked about above.  I was so overwhelmed with school, homework, home, and baby that I didn’t know where to start.  Thankfully when I returned back to school, the following week was spring break so I was able to catch up on ALL of my homework.  Thank Goodness!!!

Between the third and fourth semesters of college I went back to work for the summer at the daycare that I had worked at prior and let me tell ya I MISSED IT!  I never thought I would but I did.  I really enjoy working with children very much, so when I had to leave in August 2013 to start the fourth semester it was hard.  You build bonds with children and see the sadness in the face when you tell them you leave but I had too.  I didn’t struggle with the last semester with school and a newborn for nothing right?  The fourth semester was completing field work at two different facilities that we were able to pick and you “worked” forty hours week and were NOT PAID.  Which sucked big time.  My first rotation was at a rehab facility and the second rotation was at a school district and I LOVED THEM BOTH.  I graduated in December 2013 from the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program and let’s just say WHOOT WHOOT!!

When January rolled around I had again returned to work at the daycare center until I found something in my field.  In August 2014,I finally found a job that I would be utilizing my skills regarding Dementia, Alzheimer, and memory loss.  This job was/is only part time and I’m their 2 times a week but there is potential for the job become something more.

So, a long story short, I was working two days facilitating a group, preparing, and paper work and the other 3 days a week I was working 10 1/2 hour days with children.  I would only see Dominic on some days 30 minutes to 1 hr 1/2 before having to put him to bed.  Not only was that making my feel bad, and horrible, I was also physically drained and would fall asleep right after I would put Dominic to bed.  He goes to bed around 7/7:30 so shortly after that I would fall asleep.  So, I wasn’t even spending much time with my husband either and I wasn’t getting to do the things I loved to do.  Like fitness, crafting, blogging, cooking, baking, and scrap-booking.  I also wasn’t getting the house “jobs” done which really, really bugged me.  I wasn’t happy with how my life was going and I was becoming tired of feeling the way I was.  So, I sat down when morning and figured out our expenses in detail and discovered that I wasn’t bringing much home from my second job and was actually spending more on childcare.  So, I had to make a decision, Tim and I chatted about it and figured out our financial situation, we chatted about other ways of finding income, and we chatted about Dominic and what he needs.  We cam to the conclusion for right now and maybe for a long time depending on what the future brings us, that I will be a part time stay at home mom!

With being a NEW part time stay at home mom it brings some concerns to my mind such as; money, schedule, and WINTER.  Currently my biggest concern is winter and what we will be doing.  I do not want to become a hermit and stay home all the time and I am sure Dominic doesn’t want to do that either.  So, hopefully Wisconsin doesn’t get dumped on with a lot of school and maybe not as cold either!!  That would be great!  If you have any ideas regarding activities for the winter months please share!

Good Bless!

Angela