Thoughts For Thursday: Chaa chaaaa chaaa chaaaanges!

I know I've made mention of a big change coming in my life over this past summer. Well, it's finally happened and I have weird mixed feelings about it. I've talked a lot in TFT's about Faith and such... When I would read other blogs and musings and receive my "inspirational emails" from various subscription sources, I would receive a lot of messages regarding faith and believing and trusting in the Lord. There was a reason for those messages to show up in my life and they came when I needed them most.

I've worked for the same company (landscaping) doing their accounting and office managing for the past 7 years. For the past several years, I've wanted to quit working full time.... There are a lot of reasons... gotta get my health better, lower my stress levels and increase my physical activity levels (sitting at a desk for 7 hrs a day was only making my secretary butt grow and other fun things) and take care of my small family better, and then this year, grow our home business and several other reasons. I just never got around to doing it.

I finally made the decision to quit and then I spent a lot of time praying that the Lord would confirm my decision to quit my full time employment with my company. I prayed especially hard the night before I turned in my resignation and the next morning I woke up with such a warm and comforting feeling that "all would be ok". I had a nice, long talk with Bossman and it went a LOT better than I thought it would.

The day after I gave my resignation letter, my boss asked me to consider staying on for $X for 1 day per week. (A little background... Brent asked me what I would do if Bossman asked me to stay on... I told Brent "$X for 1 day per week."... ) The Lord does answer prayers, sometimes it takes longer than we want, but He really does answer our prayers. If you're wondering, yes, I accepted his offer and now work part time, 1 day per week (Wednesdays) and still do the accounting and office manager work for them. I think it's a win-win situation. It allows us a little extra income and allows me a chance to get out of the house and still keep my accounting skills up (besides with our business). It also helps Bossman to not have to train someone new to do their finances.

I do have mixed feelings.... it's a difficult adjustment going from 17 years of working to being home and not "working". Working our business is a lot different than working for someone else in someone else's office. I keep busy, but I still have a lot more time on my hands. I am sure that it will take some adjustment in the process of becoming a WAHM. My quitting full time employment is a huge cut in income, too... that's going to take some major getting used to. All in all it is a good change. I have some goals that I have been putting off for years and now is the time for me to pursue them and try out some new things.

Thankfully, my parents are here visiting from Iowa. They came on November 19th and will be here until we all 4 drive home on December 20th for Christmas. I am loving having Mom and Dad here to fill the time and Mom is helping me get a lot of projects done around the house that I have put off for years and years. Dad is spending time with Brent in the woodshop.... building InkStaks and Christmas presents for family. Mom and I are planning on making some cards in the next week and I hope to have a couple of fun projects finished to show you all.

It's been a very stressful time as I have prepared to leave my job and make sure that things were in order at work before I left. (I've also had a lot of responsibilities related to my job in the women's organization in our church that needed to be taken care of. ) I realize that I've not been as artsy as I should be lately, but with these new changes have come some new stresses and things that needed to be taken care of before I could really sit down and relax and try to crank out some fun paper crafts.

I just thought you all should know :) Thank you for being my blog readers and enjoying life with me.

Inky Smiles!
Erin