Gratitude Post Part 2

Yep...there's more.  Another lengthy gratitude post.  More stuff for which I am grateful.  Can you stand this? Too gushy? I know, but like I said - my heart has been full lately.

So who'm I gonna thank today? 

My husband has really struggled with my going back to work, for a few reasons. First, he would rather be the one bringing in the majority of the income. Well, I would rather that be the case too, but until it happens, we have to work with what's been made available and that's the job I have right now. Which means he gets to be at home with the kids alot. It has been an adjustment for everyone and it has not been an easy adjustment for any of us. But I think we are getting better at dealing with the change and I want to thank Big Man for stepping up where he can. The house doesn't always get cleaned, but the kids are spending some real quality time with their father. Big Man is a great dad and I am so thankful that he takes the time to teach his boys valuable life lessons, like how to be a good consumer and how to be a discerning person when it comes to the friends they choose to hang out with. He prays with them and loves them and plays with them and sometimes he even feeds them vegetables with their dinner. I love him for his efforts and his desire to get me back home with them as quickly as he can.  Now if I can just figure out how to get him to quit splattering bacon grease all over the kitchen we'll really be in business!

My sweet, sweet boys deserve all the love and thanks that I can shower upon them.  They have really stepped up and tried to handle our new set of circumstances like little men.  They have had to stay with other people and get up at 2 a.m. to come home and go back to bed when we couldn't find a sitter who could help us out.  They have had to get their own breakfast on weekends when I am trying really hard to get a little sleep.  They have had to take on more responsibilities at home and I know they get stressed about it sometimes, but they are trying hard to roll with the punches. 

Little Man really misses his mom and has gone out of his way to make sure he gives me lots of hugs and kisses when he finally does see me.  Oh...if he only knew that some days those hugs are the only reason I can get through the day.  Knowing that there is a kid at home who thinks I am the greatest thing since sliced bread makes me wonder what the hell is wrong with him sometimes!?  I mean, seriously!  Do you not see what a trainwreck your mom can be, kid?   All joking aside, his love gives me a reason to try harder.  His hugs are like warm caramel to my vanilla ice cream soul.  I simply melt when he puts his arms around my neck and snuggles into my lap and tells me how much he has missed me.  At that moment, I would walk barefoot across frozen tundras and burning desert sands to ensure he has everything he needs to be a happy human being.  Knowing he still needs me is the best kind of feeling.  EVAH.  I am so grateful for his sensitive, kind nature.

And Big Brother?  He is doing exactly what he thinks he was put here on this earth to do: he's taking care of his family.  He likes having a kingdom to preside over and while I am gone, he presides.  Boy, does he preside!  He ensures that Little Man does his chores and homework (funny how someone else's homework is important, but not your own?).  Big Brother makes sure that the cat is fed, that the boys get to Scouts and he ensures that everyone is safe and sound at night by locking doors and turning out lights. Big Man says Big Brother prays for my safe return home from work every night and asks for us to be blessed so I can get back home and work here instead of for someone else.  He's the caretaker when I'm away.  He's getting kind of big for hugs and kisses he says, but a quick peck on my cheek and a squeeze from him helps me know that he's okay and that he can handle the changes that are taking place in our lives.  And sometimes I can move fast enough to get my arms around him for just a minute and kiss his forehead, which is now only a few inches lower than mine.  He wants so badly to be a man and I want him to be a boy a while longer.  I need him to stay young for a few more years so I can keep him close.  He's such a good boy and I am so grateful that he feels a sense of responsibility for us.

Can you handle one more gratitude shout-out?  I'm seeing that glazed look again, so I'll make it quick, but ya'll know I write like I talk, right?  And ya'll know how much I talk...right?  Okay.  Then quit givin' me a hard time about my long posts and start readin' faster so you can get through this ramble sometime before the day ends!  

Can I just say that my new co-workers rock out loud?!?!  Well...SOME of my new co-workers.  'Cause truthfully?  If I never see a few of them again I would be a happy, happy woman.  There are hundreds of people in this building where I work.  I usually get along with peole fairly well, but in my department of approximately 80 folks, there are a few who seriously rub EVERYONE the wrong way.  Luckily, I don't have to deal with those folks I don't like much, because I mostly stay with my little team of 11 peeps in Box Creation, plus a few others who kind of got adopted into the group.  We're a weird little group.  We're kind of our own island.  We bonded way too quickly and we have some drama once in awhile, but in the end, most of us all really, truly care about each other.  It's kind of like a little dysfunctional family, but way less dysfunctional than one would think if they were looking in from the outside.  I think it's because we talk alot.  Our job function allows us to do that and still be productive.  In fact, the fact that we can visit while we work actually enhances our productivity.  It's pretty repetitive work.  So talking helps.  On many levels.  So issues just kind of end up working themselves out through the conversations we have.   We talk about everything while we work and we work freaking HARD! Sometimes we complain, but we get stuff done and we get it done right.  The other teams all want to be us, but they can't be us, because we have this cool factor that cannot be duplicated. I'm so not even joking about that.  Okay...kind of I am, but seriously?  We have had other people from other teams in the department tell us that they envy the fact that our team is so tight.  They think it's awesome.  We think it's awesome too.  It just kind of happened...so we embraced it. 

My team members are HI. LAR.I.OUS!  They make me laugh harder than I have laughed in years.   I have also cried on a few occasions while I was there.  Yeah.  I know.  EXTREMELY unprofessional.  And the tears completely hit me out of nowhere.  Raging hormones and stress, I guess.  My team?  Hugged me, grabbed me a Kleenex and proceeded to think of every stupid or funny thing they could say to help me get it under control.  When that didn't work, they took me outside and talked me through the meltdown, then said some more really stupid, funny things and we all moved on.  They took me at face value and let me cry and several of them even offered some really good and helpful advice.  Amazingly helpful coming from people who are so different than me.  They get how hard this transition has been for me.  They laugh about it alot. They enjoy watching the rollercoaster of emotions that I go through on a minute by minute basis there.  I'm up, I'm down, I'm up, I'm down...it's like that for most of the shift.  Although I have to say, in my defense, I think I am finally leveling out, but I'm glad I can provide some much needed comic relief with my mood swings and work place trauma.  

My new friends are all (okay, mostly all) hard workers and fair-minded people with wit and charm and intelligence and beauty.  They make working away from home tolerable.  They value me, not only as a co-worker but as a person.  They let me mother them (most are younger than me!) and they take care of me and we all talk about life after the Census.  If I could I bring them to my next place of business I would, 'cause I don't want to make new friends and go through getting to know a whole new group of people again in a few months when this job is over.  If I have to work outside of my home for a while, I want to work with THESE friends.  They have made my first venture back into the workforce a memorable and mostly fun experience. So I need to thank Eric, Jesse, Lizzette, Monica, Mercedes, Roxann, Patrick, Faith, Brittany, Mike, Melody, Pat, Stephen, Pebble, LT and Marilee for helping me see that I can survive out in the work world.  Your support and humor have made all the difference where this job is concerned and I am a better person for knowing each one of you.

And last - at least for now - I have to publicly thank my Heavenly Father for providing me and my family with what we need and for giving me the strength I need every day to face the challenges that are in front of me.  He has blessed me greatly.