I read this great article called "Why I secretly wish I were Dutch." In the article the woman talks about how most Dutch women work part-time and spend their afternoons visiting with friends. Last year that was so me. I would have my mornings to myself. Usually visiting one of my friends for breakfast once a week, then work three hours at the library and then take my daughter home. I was able to spend time with my children, and friends and make good money as a part-time Library assistant. Now though even though I work part-time still, I don't have that same easy everyday schedule. ( And part time is no longer 15 hours a week at $14.77.) It is more like 30 hours a week at much less but I chose this path. One day I'm
working a morning shift, the next day I'm working until 12:30 am. I now am in the process of trying to figure out the balance of work and home life. It at times is very stressful. Especially when I'm supposed to be at work by 5 pm and I still need to make dinner for my family. I am now looking for easy recipes, and any free moment to take a nap. The article leads one to believe that perhaps there is no way to have a perfect balance in life, (and I'm beginning to believe that.) But that what we need to do is make very intentional choices. I choose to work where I'm working for the pure fact that I could work at night. I wanted to have time with my children during the day, and I did not want my children home alone. I work at night so there is always someone home with the kids. I have two years to work mostly nights. Then I can look for another job preferably in the day. My job does give me energy though. I'm enjoying meeting all the different people I work with. So if you are a Dutch Girl, and have one of those part time jobs that allows you time to visit with friends, and enjoy your children, enjoy every moment of it, and realize there are some hard working girls who wish they could join you.
My husband still works hard at his job, despite the fact that he is not getting paid much. He is a hard worker, and deserves so much better than what he has been dealt with this job. It is awful when you get a two week pay check and it is $629.00. And on the pay check just to rub salt into the wound they have a section called Un applied labor 58 hours. And to boot they say hey we didn't pay you $800.00. Thanks for giving us some free labor. So if any of you out there think you want to be a FLAT RATE MECHANIC think again. My husband tried to explain to unemployment what was going on and they said too bad. Not only can he not claim partial benefits, he can't quit because the state would side with his employers. How can that be? They lied and said they had enough work for him to make 40 hours a week. We have not seen that yet, they lied and said they would give him a $5000.00 bonus after three months, we have not seen that yet. And each week he gets less and less hours. How can they allow that? And yet they pay people to go to school full time and collect their unemployment benefits. Something is just wrong.
As I complain I will state this, God continues to bless me and my husband. Despite the low income each month we always have enough to pay our bills with out touching our savings. I don't know what my husband and I are supposed to learn through this trial, but I do still see the blessing each day. I don't know that I'm thankful for this trial, but I am surviving it. Some days better than others. I continue to look for the window that is going to open so that we can escape from this and move on. I know that with living through a hard moment when the easy moment comes I will enjoy it so much more.
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