Back in the Swing of Things

For the past two years, one of the freelance jobs I've had has kept me locked to my computer for three hours every weeknight as I would edit content for the website of a company that reports on international telecommunications news. Sound thrilling, right?

It was a good job, working with people who I liked, albeit never actually met in person because none of the people I worked with were even in the same state as me. Most weren't even in the same time zone. Long story short, the company is being bought out by another company and in two weeks, they will no longer need my services.

No hard feelings. This is an "it is what it is" situation. To be honest, The Hubby and I have talked for a long, long time about how much easier out lives would be if I could cut the cord with this job. No more rushing the kids to bed before I had to sign on for my shift. No more worries about scurrying through a dinner out on a weeknight. No more Fridays trapped at home unless we'd planned far enough ahead for me to change my shift.

It's been hard to give up the prime kids-are-asleep hours when I could be doing laundry or dishes or just general picking up around the house and at the computer for a fixed set of hours instead, but it was income that helped make things flow well around here, so I stuck it out.

And now, the decision has been made for me. Though I'm admittedly a little nervous about the change, I a so very excited to have my time back. I feel like I'm being set free from something I might not have had the guts to walk away from otherwise.

Here's what I'm already looking forward to:

• An upcoming adult dinner that I won't have to beg a night off to attend
• No rushing through the bedtime routine. I like the one-on-one time with each of my girls at bedtime, and now there's won't be a specific time limit on it.
• Going out to a dinner on a weeknight at a time later than 5:15 p.m. 
• Chores. I am looking very forward to having time to do dishes, fold laundry, mop the floor and any number of other mundane chores in peace while the kids are sleeping 
• And most of all ... finding time to snuggle up on the couch next to The Hubby and do the USA Today crossword online. We used to always do this. We both enjoyed it, and it's hardly happened at all in the past two years. I can't wait to get back to this - it was always a few minutes of the day I really looked forward to and have missed.

Here's to an upcoming influx of time!