office-safari

[office-safari]

For me.

Some people question why in the world I WANT a job. I’ve been a stay at home mom for 13 years, why would I possibly want to give that up? I’ve supported my husband, raised a child, managed my house, and wore my mom/wife badge proudly. 

But at the same time, in the midst of super mom/wife... I lost ME.The girl who was destined for college and greatness. The girl who sang at work, and liked interacting with customers and genuinely loved working.  People on the outside look in and see a great life. A smart kid, a husband that has provided and dutifully goes to work every day without fail. A woman who is ready to help anyone in need, ready to swoop in for anyone that needs a favor. What else am I to do all day but be at the whims of family and friends who all have work and important things to do all day.  I chose to be a wife and mom at an early age. I have loved being a wife and mom, but that doesn’t mean that is all I want out of life. To borrow some lyrics from one of my favorite movies: I want adventure in the great wide somewhere I want it more than I can tell And for once it might be grand to have someone understand I want so much more than they've got planned... The operative word in the above song and the paragraph above it is I (if you haven’t caught on.) “I” want this, for ME. Through dogged determination, I sought a job in which I could both contribute to my family in a meaningful way and also contribute to my community by working for the county. I’ll be working in health and social services, and I’m excited by that. There will be a lot of opportunities for advancement and work within the department. An adventure!

[office-safari]

The waiting!!!

One thing that is painfully evident, is that the county moves SO SLOWLY!!! Tested for position on January 8th 2016 Placed on eligible list on Feb. 2nd 2016 Had interviews spanning April 2016 Did fingerprints background early May 2016 Signed final offer letter May 24th. Finally received start date: June 20th.  Six months to land this job in the county. Don’t give up!!! I firmly believe that this will be worth ALL the wait. Here I am, entering the workforce after 13 years as a stay at home mom. I couldn’t even get McD’s to give me the time of day! Now I’m starting out at more than double minimum wage. I’ll be contributing to my family monetarily (because face it, my work as a mom and homeschooler has been pretty invaluable up to this point. I’m not selling myself short.) But the kidlet is now a man-cub. He’s 13, two years ahead in school and commencing classes at the community college in the fall. (Campus is less than two blocks from our apartment.)  With me entering the workforce, we can dig ourselves out of debt, have a savings for the first time EVER. and look towards purchasing a house again. Just over a year ago, I was in the pit of despair. I was bedridden with a horrific broken ankle, had to wait nearly a month for surgery, and I had attempted suicide. We were losing our house to foreclosure, and there was no way that I could see any light at the end of the tunnel. It has been a long, LONG, LONG year. But I am damn sure grateful that I am still here to step into the sunlight, and ready to live my life and stop hiding away.

[office-safari]

The Journey

Hey there!  Welcome to my blog! I’m about to embark on a journey, a safari if you will. You can call me the Explorer. A bit pretentious, but what can I say, I will revel in my anonymity for now.  I have been a stay at home mom for 13 years. I worked a variety of jobs in high school and even owned two different businesses before I was 20 years old and I became a mom and a wife in short succession. For the past 13 years, I have worn many hats; first and foremost, I was a wife and mother. I wore my merit badges with pride and loved being involved with my son and fortunate enough not to have to settle on daycare. I was a co-op parent of a child in both preschool, and then school, and eventually became one of those homeschool moms. Yeah, one of those. *gasp!* Our road to homeschooling didn’t involve any crazy religious reasons, nor did it involve crazy tin foil hat conspiracies. It evolved from the need to take action and allow our son the creativity and space to pursue his passions. Namely, science and now, fencing. He’s two grades ahead in school, and will be finishing up his freshman year in highschool this month. He will be attending the local community college part-time in the fall, and is well equipped to be self-directed while I dive head first into the office safari.   I set out to find a job, but I wanted more than a job. I was looking for a career. In order to negate tax implications of adding a second income, I needed to do something steady, and that paid well. How was I going to do that? I had nothing on my work record for THIRTEEN years! Even McD’s told me I wasn’t going to get a call back so I was feeling really hopeless.  I hit the internet, and did a lot of research. It led me to pursue a job for my county. Benefits, good pay, and the ability to ‘test in’ and prove my worth as an employee. Armed with a 90wpm typing certificate as well as certifications in MS office, I tested to be an office assistant II.  Why would I be so daring? What audacity led me to believe that I could possibly worm my way in, and handle this kind of job? It took a leap of faith, let me tell you. I had to believe in myself, and that wasn’t easy at all. For years, I have struggled with losing myself. In the midst of wife and mom, I didn’t know who “I” was anymore. This leap was uncharacteristic, but months later, it has paid off.  Tomorrow I head back to the office safari where I interviewed with an intimidating (yet oddly warm) panel of officials who have extended an offer of employment in the health and social services department for my county. There, I will be presented with an official offer letter, and fill out paperwork and embark on my journey.  Friends have laughed at me due to my excitement. I get a cubicle!!! I get to decorate it!! My excitement knows no bounds. My current obsessions? Supernatural & Disney...(always) But in the back of mind, there’s a lot of fear.  I’ve never stood on my own two feet. I entered adulthood with a partner by my side and a family in short order. I’ve been with my husband since age 18, married since I was 20 years old. All of sudden, there’s going to be a lot of upheaval in our lives, since I’m upsetting the status quo. I’m finding myself, and part of that, was finding a career. And here I am, writing to the abyss about it all.  Welcome to the safari peoples.