Apr

24

New Beginnings

April 24, 2006 |

My husband started a new job this morning. I don’t know if you remember the whole job saga last fall. He left his place of employment after 15 years because of poor treatment he received from his former boss over his hand surgery. Well he has been out of work for the last 6 months and the time finally came to find a new job as his unemployment benefits were running out.

The job he found is a very good one but I’m not sure he can see that right now. All he can see is the end to his 6 month vacation and having to get up for work at 4:30am. I did get up with him this morning and I will probably continue to do so if for no other reason than to offer him encouragement. I think a part of him wishes he could get the 6 months back so he could really take the time to figure out exactly what he wants to do for the rest of his working career. Instead he took it easy and treated it like one big, long vacation and now he seems to regret it.

I, on the other hand, am happy to get back to normal around here. Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband very much but being together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can be suffocating for any marriage. Definitely ours - at least from my end. Things will be different than they were before though. He used to leave for work at 7am and not get home until 7pm. I would have full responsibility/autonomy for 12 hours a day. Now he’s working 10 minutes away instead of 40 and only working until 2:30pm in the afternoon. It will be another adjustment but I’m sure we can work into a routine.

The weird part for me is that I think one of the reasons our relationship worked so well had to do with how little we saw one another. I’m a loner. I grew up the only child in the house. I have a brother but he’s 17 years older than me and was already in the army by the time I was old enough to remember. I’m used to amusing myself and being inside my own head instead of having to deal with others. Does this leave me with limited social skills? Somewhat. I do find myself struggling in new situations and feeling out of place. But I do okay. I just don’t like to be around other people a lot.

So change - it’s good. I just need a little time to get used to it all. My freedom will be more limited than it was before but there are definite advantages. My husband can continue the close relationship he’s developed with the kids over the last 6 months. He’ll be here in the afternoons so I can take our children to the doctors, dentists, optometrists without having to drag all the kids/daycare along. And the best one is that when I go back to work outside the house when L enters kindergarten in 2 years, J will be home in time for the kids to get out of school and they won’t ever come home to an empty house. That one is priceless.


Comments

4 Comments so far

  1. Theresa on April 24, 2006 8:55 am

    Good for both of you! I love my husband, but if he were home for 6 straight months, I think I’d go batty! You need time away from each other! It sounds like he’s got a good job there! I’m happy for you both!

  2. mrs. diamond on April 24, 2006 9:13 am

    I think 24/7 is just not what God intended! LOL…. maybe i’m wrong, but i’d go cuckoo. I need my space.

    This arrangement sounds like it’s very workable though! The getting up at 4:30 will take some getting used to.

  3. Aimz on April 24, 2006 7:30 pm

    yes, as much as it is good being married it’s even better to be able to get time out from each other. I need my space too from my dh too.

  4. Katie on April 24, 2006 7:32 pm

    Congrats to your husband on his new job! I still kinda look forward to when my husband travels out of a town for a few days.

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