About Sprout Mommy

What a great day I had yesterday! Zeke turned six months old, the Georgia summer seems to have been broken, and I feel great about the direction things are going for me.

First, you have to know that I am in the process of weaning myself from work. I am actually still working this week, though not full-time. People in my office want to know when I will really be leaving! While looking forward to leaving my job, I have been anxious about where a lot of my work is and I just hadn't seemed to make a lot of progress on some things. I felt like I might never leave there in the way I wanted. Yesterday, though, I got a big project done and then had a good follow up meeting about it. People, there is light at the end of the tunnel finally. A thoughtful co-worker also gave me some teething toys for Zeke because I told her the other day that we think he is teething. How kind!

Even while I did work yesterday, I did take advantage of my new employment status. When I woke up and it was a cool and rainy fall morning, Sprout and I snuggled up in bed an extra hour talking and listening to the rain. It was time that was just for me and the baby and I really cherish that I could do that.

I also got positive feedback on my new business cards. Yes, even while I have quit my job, I am still going to be doing some work. I am going to some contract writing and consulting for my office for about 120 hours over the next six months. I am also getting some offers to do freelance work for other groups -- it has been quite a boost to my self-esteem and I feel really emboldened. I hadn't anticipated the way that leaving my job to be a stay at home mom might be a launching pad to new work.

I also had a great conversation with a scholar who is doing some work with my project and just got named as the dean of education at a prominent university. Yes, I do pay her, but she was really encouraging me to consider going back to school to get a doctorate in education policy. She gave me lots of great advice and it got me fired up about going back to school. I have toyed with the idea of going back to school numerous times over the past few years and have been too scared/lazy/tired to think about it seriously, but she seemed to think I could really handle it. As a warning, if I ever do get a doctorate, I will use the title. Do you think Sprout might be willing to call me "Dr. Mommy"?

Anyway, I printed some new business cards so that I could take them to this United Way program I got accepted into recently. Participants in the program meet one afternoon a week for ten weeks and receive training on how to be a board member for a non-profit. After completing the program, participants are matched with a non-profit and serve for at least one term. The program started yesterday, and I really enjoyed networking with the 30 or so other participants (some of whom may need my writing and consulting services!). I feel like I will learn a lot that will be useful to me whatever I do in the future. Better yet, the program ended early so I had some more time to be with Aaron and Zeke at home where Aaron had made a great dinner.

Now, back to About Sprout....