Well, it's official...

I've given notice at work. I have 37 days of (paid) work - EVER - left! I finally got ahold of my boss today and told him that May 10th (the end of my scheduled semester of work) will be my last day. Wow. It's real now. I'm beside myself with excitement in looking forward to what my "free" life will be like.

Of course, I had a "free life" for 24 years when I decided I should go back to work - four years ago. Chris and I both agreed that it would be a good idea for me to go to work just so we could start saving up some retirement funds. The deal was I'd have to find the "perfect" job in order for that to happen, though. So I prayed and God most definitely answered. This has been the perfect job for me. I love what I do at the college (Athletics secretary), I work in a beautiful environment and I have the greatest boss and department staff ever. I will honestly miss them all.

But out of unforseen and unhappy circumstances has also come blessing and we are so grateful that now our retirement isn't as much of a concern anymore. Simply put, I don't have to work!

I'm experiencing the whole "the grass is NOT greener" thing. What I had before I went to work was what I now realize is best for me. But, God really gave me a gift in this job and I'm so glad I've had the experience there. Besides the great people I've met, I've learned a lot about myself. I've learned that I do have half a brain (though it's been leaking out with the estrogen lately...) and that I'm pretty darn good on the computer and that I DO get along well with others, by gosh! And working has also given me a perspective on my previous "free" life that I wouldn't have had otherwise.

I've also learned that I really am a homebody. I miss being in charge of my home. I've found that I can't work (even part-time) and keep up my home the way I'd like (and the way that it should be kept). And, since Chris IS home 4 days a week, a lot of the household stuff has fallen to him (i.e. cooking, dishes, bedding changes, floors). But there's just stuff that he doesn't do that simply doesn't get done if I don't do it. And it's so hard to come home from work tired (yes, even with a part-time job) and still have to do the stuff I must do. Anticipating being home full time again, I actually look forward to cleaning my house again. (Geesh, did I actually put that in writing?) And I want to take control of my health, too. Get back into meal planning, cooking healthy meals and exercising. I miss my lengthy quiet time in the morning and SOOO look forward to that again. I look forward to lunching with my friends and having time to serve in other ways in my church and community. And, now that I'm a scrapbooker, I have a ka-jillion projects swimming around in my mind, dying to get out. I may need to make more trips to Madison (to visit my mom) in the future and I want the freedom to do that. And, while Chris and I are still upright and walking without assistance, we want to travel any old time. And head up to Pine Creek on any beautiful day of the year. And go out to breakfast if we want - on any of his days off. And so on, and so forth...

Freedom. It's a beautiful thing. I need it. I thank God I can have it. I am truly blessed.