Monday, June 27, 2011

When life gets busy

OK, so it has been a bit since my last blog. I have finally settled back into my house, though the garage still needs complete unpacking. I have to wait for cooler weather for that. I am thinking October! Anyway, I came back to an economy in the toilet and discovered that thanks to my continuing education, I am overqualified for most available jobs. Therefore, I decided that maybe I need to freelance my skills and start my own company. It wasn't that hard, really. Filing the paperwork and paying the taxes was pretty easy. However, finding the right clients is where it gets tricky. I have one who is not able to pay and another who pays, but is getting a screaming deal! I am very grateful to my husband and his ability to support us while I try to make a go of this.

In the fact that I am very busy, I still find it very therapeutic to pound the dirt as often as possible. Running gives me the outlet to really think about what tasks are in front of me and how to go about tackling them. However, I find that my children are not as apt to accept this time mom needs to herself. My youngest (9yo) usually asks why I "have" to go for a run. I try to explain that it is good for my body, being careful not to say "Mom needs some time to herself". It is a very fine line because I don't want her to feel like I don't want to be around her, but I also don't want to give her a complex about self-image. I tell her it is the grown up way of playing chase, but we can't play chase like kids do because we have to pace ourselves. I tried a couple of times to let her accompany me on her bike. That did not go well. Then she tried on her scooter. Also, not good. I have complaints of my own, I don't need to hear anyone else's whines about going up hills. So, I decide that if I am going to get "Mommy" time, I need to go when she is still asleep. My oldest (14yo) doesn't mind that I am gone. She just has no desire to join me. I can understand this. I can be pretty hard if she starts whining. This is why she will be learning to run in high school track. I didn't learn until I joined the Air Force, so at least she is getting a head start.

I get a lot of questions about my schedule and how I manage it all. After all, I run up to an hour a day, manage clients of varying needs, take care of my two girls while my husband is finishing his tour in Germany and constantly research market fluctuations as they pertain to my business. It really comes down to a matter of priority and opportunity. Also, a lot of multi-tasking. I have been known to answer client emails while walking on the treadmill. It also helps to have a Red Cross Certified babysitter as a daughter! She really allows me the time that I need to get stuff done by playing with the 9yo. Of course, we have our fair share of drama (what household with a teenage daughter doesn't?) and the occasional ball does get dropped, but we do the best we can with what we have. I think the main thing to keep in mind is that life happens and the only thing you can do is control the things you have control over. The rest will play out.

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