New Beginnings....

New Beginnings, originally uploaded by G.M.B.

and big changes. The last few months seem to be full of them. A new year. A new President. A new (surprise) baby on the way. And the latest, soon to be newly unemployed.

I found out Friday that I will be losing my job. The earliest will be April and the latest will probably be July. I've been offered a full time position to stay on with the company but with a new baby on the way, and the twins still over a year out from starting school, I just can't do it. Thankfully, Gene supports the decision 100%.

So, I turned down the full time job. Life would just be too incredibly crazy with me working a full time job. I know many Moms do it, but I don't want to be one of them. My part time job has been wonderful and it's been a great way to keep one foot in the professional world but also allow myself time with my kids. It was a good balance. We didn't decide to have children so that they could spend 9+ hours a day in daycare everyday and basically be raised by someone else. So, I'm not signing up for that now, just because I'm scared to lose my job.

For kicks, I decided to calculate what we would pay for daycare for 3 kiddos. It's staggering. How about $500 per week? And for what? For the craziness that comes along with two parents working full time? The stressful mornings of trying to get everyone out the door by 7:15? The stressful evenings of trying to get dinner, baths and everyone to bed by 8 pm just so we can do it all over again the next morning? No thanks. Not me and not my kids.

So, we've got a few months to get our new bare bones budget in place so that we can survive the next year or two on one income. I've decided that I'm not even going to look for another job until the twins start kindergarten. And even then, it will need to be part time. I do plan to someday go back full time. But, it won't be until all of our kids are in school and a bit older. The way I look at it, people are working well into their 60's and I've got plenty of time for my career. My babes are only with us for a short time and I want to make the most of that time for me and for them.

Here's to a exciting 2009!