Changes

I miss writing. For some reason I just can’t find time to sit down and write as often as I want to and I truly miss it when I don’t make time. There are some changes coming in the Gallagher house though, and I can’t wait!

Last Tuesday I went to work and had a meeting with my boss to let her know that I needed to resign. This is something that I have struggled with almost daily since Shae was born, over 3 years ago! I have tried just about every option to keep working, part-time, PRN, even more part-time, adults, peds, etc. I struggle because I truly enjoy what I do as a PT, especially in pediatrics, but I just couldn’t seem to juggle all of the balls anymore. So I’m “retiring”… for now. I hate that I am losing a part of myself, but I also know that I will be a much better wife and mother once I have one less stress in my life.

I think all of the signs have been pointing me in this direction for awhile now, but I just haven’t been ready to “give up” until now. I’ve changed my thought process from feeling like I’m “quitting” to feeling like I am doing what is best for my family. There was entirely too much juggling and instability for my kids when I was working in the evenings. Clint would get home from work and relieve the babysitter (who would come to bridge the gap) to hurry and do dinner, baths, and bedtime solo at least two nights a week. And then there were the weeks when Clint was traveling and I would have to enlist my Mom or Sister to come relieve the babysitter so I could work. I felt like I was always putting someone out, and I just couldn’t continue to do that. Not to mention spending most nap times trying to get work done, and then being extremely frustrated with whoever wouldn’t nap for that particular day.

My dream is to someday get back into pediatrics part-time once the kids are in school. I think my most recent job has shown me that I truly love birth-3 years and would love to get back into early intervention in some capacity someday.

For now though, I will put my job title of PT on the back burner and move wife/mother to the front of the list (ok so it’s always been number 1, but just hasn’t gotten the time/energy it deserves so far). I hope to get more involved at Church and be able to foster friendships that I simply haven’t had time for recently. Most importantly, I will have more patience with my children. More time for snuggles, more special time before bed, and more time for teaching them the life lessons that I want to teach them while they are so little.

(Side note: I sat down at nap time today to get some work done and E woke up right as I sat down. Instead of being frustrated with him I came upstairs and picked him up and have been rocking him while he sleeps, enjoying the moment, and typing out this blog post… Work can wait for now)

This picture was from the other night when Clint was out of town and I was giving all 3 kids their first bath together- that is one full tub!