New Beginnings

Source: Google

Today is my first official day as a stay-at-home mom. Well, technically last Tuesday was my first day. But I was on vacation, so I didn't really count that.

I made the huge decision, with my husband's support, to leave my full-time job as a therapist for a therapeutic foster care agency. I had only been there for a little more than a year, but there were a number of factors that led to my decision. The demanding schedule required a lot of time away from my two little girls and husband. It prevented me from enjoying the things I've always loved, such as reading and writing. There were a lot of steps we've had to take in preparing for this, but I'm ready for all of the sacrifices and struggles that will come along.

As my last day of work approached, I found myself thinking of how I would fill up my extra time. Of course, I'd be spending more time with my girls. But I also thought of the things I'd been wanting to do and just hadn't found the time for. Overall, I knew I wanted to simplify my life and fill it with only what is important to me. I've decided that I want to devote more time to decluttering and organizing my house. I know that clearing my house of junk we don't need will make it easier to keep up with cleaning. My writing has been put on the back burner, and I have a story that has been sitting unfinished since I completed NaNoWriMo in 2011. Time to get back to that. Time to get back to what makes me happy. Everything that makes me happy.

This blog will be a journal of sorts for me. A way to chronicle my journey from being a working mother stretched thin and barely keeping it together to a stay-at-home mom who embraces life instead of going through the motions. Readers can expect stories of my successes (and failures) as I figure things out and some book reviews, since I LOVE to read.

It's nap time for my toddler as I sit here writing this. My first day as a SAHM is ticking by, and I've been thinking about how the rest of the week may go. Normally, I plan everything out, but I've decided to just see how this first week goes. I know what I'd like to be doing and what I need to be doing. This week is about adjusting and getting a feel for being home. I'm also still trying to get my brain out of "rush" mode and realize that I don't need to cram everything into what little time I had leftover after work.

Here's what I know I need to do this week:
- Snuggle my babies
- Spend time with my husband
- Unpack from our vacation
- Write some book reviews
- Think about how I want to structure my days