The End of an Era....

Are we there yet?

The time is coming…..soon, soon, and sooner.

For the past 7 months, other then being a wife and just ME, I have been a new mom, returned to work from maternity leave, been a marriage and family therapist at Madison Counseling Center, and planning our high school reunion.

What does that matter? Well, for the past 7 months, since Annabelle was 3 months old, I have been home alone with her on Sunday night while daddy works, at work all day Monday, home again with her Monday evenings while daddy works again, and then Tuesday, work-then off to my practicum, and RUSHING to get home to put her to bed, sometimes too late, Wednesday is often a later day at work, or an event I’m hosting at work, or reunion planning, or something…it’s a catch all night. Then by the time I get through work and my practicum again on Thursday, I am LONG since ready for the weekend. Ready to hold my baby girl without anyone saying I need to be somewhere, do something, or follow up on something else. Ready to have nothing but some good family time with my baby and baby daddy….ready for a chance to sit around and fold laundry, to make dinner for my family, ready for a BREAK!! These past months have held me captive to some of the biggest struggles I have ever faced. The feeling of not being a good enough wife, mom, student, therapist, employee, friend, daughter, sibling….yadda yadda yadda! It was rampant in me and I had a few times where I would say I had not just the baby blues, but even a little post partum. Struggling with my role and what I was really supposed to be doing? Work? Stay at home? And for the best interests of our family, we decided work was what was best. So needless to say, there has been a LOT going on lately. But here we are…

The time…my friends….is coming.

Working on my Masters is typically a 2.5 year program, which has been stretched to a solid 3 years due to a wedding…a pregnancy….a birth. So with the few looming courses on their way this fall, I am ready to take them on and move into a new part of life!! (And bring home a little more bread from the ole YV once I get that diploma!)

So this week is my last “official” week for my practicum. I will be continuing premarital work with one couple, but other than that, I’m FREE!!

A sensitive nerve was struck this evening when I again, came home for 30 minutes to relieve Stephen from his impressive Mr. Mom duties to try and get a break before he heads off to work. Then load her up to take to mom’s for a couple of hours so I can meet with a few girls about our reunion planning, and later pick up a sleeping babe to take home and put it her bed. I feel like she sees more of my back then she does of me, and is attaching to everyone else around me and lessening that attachment to me. Those are the nights I hope for a midnight wakeup in need of mommy….thankfully tonight, we had one already. I adore the moments of cuddling and singing and just holding my little growing angel!

So yes, as much as I have enjoyed school…I’m ready to move on. I’m ready to be home every night and have a chance to fix my honey dinner before he goes into work at night. Ready to have a ROUTINE that makes sense!!

So YAY for this week, as it’s the end of one of the most challenging times in my life, and moving on to a time full of possibilities and maybe, dare I say it… NORMALCY!

Thank you to those of you who knew about this crazy struggle I have had and have kept me in your thoughts and prayers…I couldn’t have made it without you!!

Ready to take out my need for family time on these 2!!

WoW, how did I get so blessed with you 2??