Work Matters // Part One

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do after I graduate next summer. God willing. Will we stay here in our not-so-little-anymore town? Will we move away? I know realistically I can't plan that far ahead because it's not in my hands. That doesn’t mean I can’t have ideas or goals though. Something to hope for. To pray on. But lately - I haven’t been very certain about what I want in terms of where I’d like for us to live. Or whether I’ll be staying at my current place of employment. I make a decent amount, and the office is very close to our home and my daughter’s school. We have a very laid-back atmosphere, some good benefits, and are allowed flexibility when needing time off. On paper, and most days, it’s a great place to work!

However, in the past few years, we’ve undergone quite a few changes, and I’m not exactly sure if it’s always been for the better. I understand that we're growing and that’s such a blessing - especially when so many companies had to close their doors when the pandemic hit. So, growing pains will be a natural side-effect, and regardless of those pains, I'm always thankful for having my job. I’m grateful to my boss for everything he's done for all of us. And if I’m being honest, it’s difficult to see myself working anywhere else. However, there are a lot of times when my mental health is put through the wringer, and I’m not sure that’s something that I can just brush aside.

Back in 2019, after 9 years in sales, I decided to move into a new role because I wanted less stress. I wanted a better work/life balance. And I really wanted to explore some of the “servant leadership” qualities I felt that I possessed. After months of juggling, I finally made the transition to Administrative Assistant that January of 2020. But I quickly found that even though I had that title it would not be what I would do. You see, while we have job titles, we do not have defined tasks/duties for each of them. This allows workers to dip their hands into a lot of different pots. Often you’ll find that my assistant duties get taken on by someone else, and other tasks are delegated to me. My current duties are more along the lines of an accounting clerk/assistant. I also have co-workers that take on responsibilities that have nothing to do with their actual jobs. Throw into the mix that some people have privileges that are not an option for others, or when information that is best kept private gets thrown out for everyone to know. Then there are the personal attacks/gossip that quickly get spread around. The target shifts from person to person monthly it seems. And when it comes to errors or mistakes some workers will spend hours looking for a person to blame rather than taking a few minutes to fix the issue. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Now, I totally understand the need to find where the mistakes happen to avoid or correct them in the future, but I don’t understand the witch hunt that ensues. This is why I think it’s an accurate assessment that sometimes my workplace can have a toxic environment. 

A little over a year ago I wrote about some of the work issues I was facing and you can read about that here. Shortly after publishing that post, I applied to our local university and was accepted. I’m currently going to school to earn my Bachelor's degree in General Business with a Minor in Management. That minor is a fairly recent development. And it makes me wonder what doors that degree might be able to open. I really want to help others. I want to feel like I’m part of a team that wants you to succeed. Not one that enjoys pushing you down. I want to be able to hone my skills and enjoy the work that I do. I want to feel content when I walk into my workplace. And that just hasn't been happening lately.

End of Summer Break

On July 10th I had my last final of the Summer semester and it’s been over two weeks of absolute bliss! No homework, no project, no textbook readings, no exams. Instead, I’m having plenty of time to spend with family, go for runs, go to the gym, clean my house, watch TV, and read. I am doing the absolute best that I can to just relish and enjoy this brief summer break. So, let me take this time to catch you up on what we’ve been up to and what we have planned!

The weekend before the fourth of July we had some family down for a visit. They stayed in a town close by and we went over to visit. There was a lot of food, some pretty wonderful conversations, plenty of time with my niece and nephew, and a few hours of kayaking on the lake.

Then, on the 4th, we made a trip down to Port A for a friend’s wedding. I wish I had some good pictures of everyone, but for the most part, my phone was not used. We swam in the ocean, watched the 4th of July fireworks, ate some delicious food, and were able to visit with friends.

The local running club that I’m a part of had their July social the day after we got back from our mini vacation. There was a photographer there that took many great shots of everyone. The food was delicious, and it was nice meeting some new people. I’ll write a bit more about the running club at a later date, but for now, here’s a snap from that day.

My abuelita is turning ninety in a few days, and we had her birthday celebration over the weekend! It was so great getting to see so many relatives! We miss my aunt Linda, but I hope she was able to see us all gathered together - not only celebrating my grandmother but also thinking of her. 

This week Emery and I will be heading out to California for a quick visit. Corey will be heading out on a boy’s deep sea fishing trip the day we fly back. This will be in celebration of his dad’s 60th birthday. We wanted to make both trips but there was a scheduling conflict so we opted to take separate trips in order to get this time in with our loved ones. While I’m bummed Corey won’t be able to come with us, I’m still excited to see our family in California - some that I haven’t seen in person since 2012. And I’m really happy that Corey gets to spend time with his dad and brothers doing what he loves - fishing. 

Once we get back we’ll have a handful of days to get everything ready for Emery’s upcoming school year. And my Fall semester will begin shortly after. I’m hoping to post a few more times between now and then too. I’ve had this sudden urge to write and there’s a lot of word vomit headed your way. Just letting you know in advance. Until the next post…✌

Our Year So Far

Two weeks ago, I finished up my Spring semester and I felt exhausted. Though I feel like that’s just a perpetual state for me now. Or maybe for mothers in general? Anyway, I spoke to an academic advisor at the beginning of the year and I was informed that if I took four classes in the summer and then five in the fall I could graduate in December. And while that would have been a very ambitious goal I am not a masochist. Instead, I decided to break it down to 2 classes for summer, 3 classes for fall, 3 classes for spring ‘23, and 1 final capstone class for summer ‘23. That’s the game plan. This means I don’t get the “summer off” from school, and sadly - those classes started less than a week after my last final. So, I decided to log in and give a few updates before summer classes get into full swing.

December: My niece arrived in December! And then we went on our second family trip of the year. We spent four days in Angel Fire, New Mexico, and let me tell you, that was the best! The mountain air was a little rough, but the views and snow more than made up for the heavy breathing I would get from just walking up the stairs of the Vrbo rental. The cell service was minimal, and it snowed pretty much every night. We’d wake up to powder-soft snow every morning. The ski resort was close by, and the only thing I regret is not signing up for the waitlist to learn how to snowboard. Maybe next time? Anywho, 10/10 I would highly recommend visiting. We made it back home just in time to close out 2021 with a visit from our California family. 

January - March: We also finally got to meet my niece in person. And she is the chunkiest little monkey. Omg, those cheeks! I really wish I could show y'all a picture, but just like my nephew - no pictures are allowed. Anyway, she's precious! Em celebrated her birthday! Though we had to delay the celebration due to her getting the flu. Still, we made the best of it! Later we attended our first-ever Supercross event and it was awesome! I felt like I finally understood what was going on, and the energy in that stadium was so contagious. Then Em’s dad came home in March. This is also when we were able to see River more often, and that was such a blessing. Things have been a little rocky on that front, but we’re just praying for things to get better. I joined a local running club, and with the help of my brother and sister-in-law, I ran my first 5K in over three years. It was rough. But joining this group has done wonders for my consistency & motivation.

 

April - May: The fishing boat was finally fixed, and we took it out for a spin. Then Corey sold it, to make some much-needed upgrades to the kayaks. I sold my car and got a new(er) one. The heated seats had me sold, y’all! Corey won his first kayak tournament! I couldn’t have been more proud. He worked so dang hard for that win. We celebrated Easter with ALL of our family and it was such a gift. As someone who wants to have a healthy co-parenting relationship and a happy blended family, this was priceless to me. Then, Summer moved in with barely any notice, and the heat has been relentless so I chopped between 6-7” off of my hair. The school year for Emery came to an end and she was thrilled! Then there was some annoyance because I told her she had to pick two summer "camps" to attend. You'd think I had kicked her puppy or told her that I was taking her cellphone with no intention of giving it back. Yes - those preteen years are just a dream. 

And that's about all I have time for today. Nowhere close to covering everything, but these were some highlights. Homework is calling my name and I want to get through as quickly as possible because I'm trying to make my way through all three seasons of Mayans MC. I've become addicted. Anyway, I hope everyone has been having a great year so far. Summer is finally here! Woohoo! Enjoy it! Until the next post...👋