OBSERVATIONS ONE MONTH INTO THE NEW JOB

Observations one month into the new job:

* I miss mornings on the porch swing. Evenings on the porch swing are a pretty sweet consolation, though.

* Ladies, we really cannot do it all. Whoever tells us we can is lying.

When I stayed home, my days were full. I rarely felt like I had enough hours in the day to do the things that needed to be done. Running a home was/is a full-time job.

Now that I work outside the home several hours each weekday, running a home is STILL a full-time job. So, what does that mean? It means there's an awful lot going undone on the home front. I don't like the situation, but the alternative is for me to work all day at the lab, then come home and work all night at home. I can do one or the other and still make time to sleep, eat, shower, etc., but I can't do both.

* When I stayed home full-time, a house fairy apparently did the laundry, mopped the floors, cleaned the bathrooms, swept the cobwebs off the ceiling, bought the groceries and cooked the meals. This house fairy stopped doing magic the day I clocked in at the lab. I keep hoping she/he will show back up, but so far, that hasn't happened.

* When I stayed home full-time, home was my workplace, but it was also my refuge. Home feels less like a refuge now because all the undone chores clamor for my attention. "Let it go! Let it go!" may be a great coping strategy for a Disney ice princess with magical powers, but it has not proven to be an effective way to create a pleasant home environment or foster peace of mind for me personally.

* There are so many beautiful people in the world. My co-workers at the lab are all very different from me, but they are delightful people to work with. I appreciate their expertise, patience and humor, and I am thankful for and enjoy each one of them. These awesome people make my job fun.

Now, the sun has set and the mosquitoes are biting. Time to head inside and wind down for the night - 4:50 tomorrow morning will be here before I know it. Rest well, friends!