||A New Chapter||

A few changes have been happening over here the past few months. Right after Thanksgiving, Bradley and I really got to talking about our future when it came to jobs, kids, and overall what was going to make us the happiest. I had really been struggling with my current job with being super stressed all the time. It was a very large corporation and that's how they treated their employees. When I first started there it was right after Bradley became the head Sr. Boys basketball coach at his school. It required more time away from us and he really needed to be closer to the gym. Therefore, we made the move closer to Little Rock. Which meant I needed to find something closer to home and closer to him. From the time I started that new position I struggled a lot with anxiety and stress because it was not near as laid back as my previous job had been. This one was very strict and was not friendly when it came to having young children. It was a huge deal that I chose to work 3 days a week and an even bigger deal if I chose to use vacation time or if I had to use my sick time for myself or my child. I was never greeted with "oh, I hope you/Liv feel better" it was always "well, will you be making your time up later in the week?" That was definitely not why I chose to be a therapist. I wanted to make a difference in someone's life, I wanted a decent salary, but most of all I wanted flexibility when I became a Mama. My first job out of grad school was amazing. Every company has it's issues but for the most part, that position was wonderful. I never stressed about work and I never felt like I had to.

Fast forward to this Thanksgiving. Once again, we had barely seen Bradley since his season had started. I was once again, super stressed with work. I wanted to return to my previous place of employment even though it was an hour drive from home because I knew it offered the flexibility I wanted/needed. Especially now with having two little babes. I had been praying for a while that if I needed to make a change and it would be beneficial for our family, for Him to please make it known. So over the Thanksgiving break, when Bradley was home keeping our girls and I was at work, it really hit me. Not only was he in his dream position, but he was also getting to spend way more time with the girls. I still only work 3 days a week and it's my happy medium but, he was getting weeks at a time off with them that I wasn't. He was getting the entire summers off with them and I wasn't. He had been pushing me ever since Liv came along to get into the school system because of the schedule. It was not something that I had ever wanted to do. Even in school, I knew that I absolutely did not want to be a therapist in a school. It just wasn't my thing. Then this year, he just kept bringing it up and telling me that I should consider it. Not only was it more money, more flexibility, and more days off with the girls but it was also a lot less stressful.

I had decided that if anything became available at that point then I would highly consider it. Fast forward to a week before Christmas and I had 3 different job offers from 3 different schools that had organically fell into my lap. No submitting my resume and no interviewing. The Lord had graciously sent these offers to me and I knew that it must have been time to make the change. After talking with numerous friends who worked in the school systems who answered my questions about paperwork, billing, conferences, etc. it made me so so nervous. It was completely out of my comfort zone, therapy wise, and I didn't have a clue how to go into a school and just know what to expect. I ended up turning all 3 offers down out of fear and out of lack of confidence in myself. There was really only one position that had caught my interest enough for me to consistently think about it. One of my friends that I had met at my first job had been trying to get me on with this company for the past 3 years. I kept telling her the contract world was just not for me. Then it ended up being her company that I was most interested in. I kept telling her boss "no" because of whatever reason it was that day. Then I felt the Lord just keep pushing me and pushing me towards the position. Everytime I would tell her "no" she would come back and give me exactly what I had been saying "no" to. It was like it was just meant to be. I took a huge leap of faith and decided to take the position and I would start when school started back after the Christmas holiday. I had 3 weeks off with my girls and husband right off the bat and it was magical.

Here we are a few months later and all 4 of us are at home this week for spring break. It's like a dream come true. I was super scared and stressed in the beginning when I didn't know how or what to do but I feel like I've finally gotten the hang of things. I am still not loving the caseload and type of therapy I do every day. Only because my heart always has and always will be with special needs. It has helped me realize what I love even more and it's only for a season until I can get in a school that has my type of caseload. It's incredible the difference it has made in my well being alone. I am for sure happier, I'm home earlier, I see my husband more, and we get to spend a lot more time as a family now. It's the next best thing to being a stay at home mama. Lots of prayers and talks with God led me to this decision and I am so thankful.