I started a blog today.  I love to write, and so it was suggested that I start one.   I liked the subject of change, because well, I’ve gone through a few changes lately.  Has anyone had a career that suddenly came to a screeching halt?  Well, been there..I truly believe what has been said, that when one door closes God opens another..I hadn’t planned on leaving my career when I did, but due to a series of events, it was a bittersweet ending to almost thirty years of my life.  I think what really bothered me most, was all of the hours spent dedicated to a job at the expense of my family.  I was very torn, but over the years two incomes were a necessity.  It’s time to move on and take on new challenges in my life.
My very wonderful husband was extremely supportive of me during some really dark days when hard decisions needed to be made.  I have always trusted God and after months of what I would call a continual state of oppression, I realized that I needed to give it up to God because I couldn’t get through this time in my life without his Grace.  Sorry to be such a downer, because I’m really not like that..but that was what I was becoming, and I didn’t like it.  I didn’t like that I was losing my smile and the passion for what I had always loved to do, serving my customers.  And so, a new adventure began..beauty from ashes.
After taking a very needed break, I began working with my husband in his pest control business.  This man has run this business virtually on his own since 1996.  Sure, I did the books, wrote the checks, etc., because that is what I did..I was a banker..emphasis on “was”..  Now that I see all he had to do, I am so proud of what he has accomplished.  I feel things happen for a reason, so all of the years of corporate experience is something I can take away and use for our business.
I have two grown children, my son is an up-and-coming artist and right now, a “stay-at-home” dad to a beautiful grandson, while our grandson’s adorable mother is at work.  My daughter is a lovely young woman who became an LPN and working toward becoming an RN.  She and her son, another precious grandson, lived with us for the first seven years of his life.  They recently moved out, leaving my husband and I “empty-nesters.”   Wow, was that hard for me when they moved out..I mean, I knew the day would eventually come, but I don’t think I was really ready for it to happen now (I mean it had just been seven years, right? Lol)  Can you do the lol thing in a blog??  I’m not too up on blog etiquette..I would appreciate any comments.
I never thought the day would come when it was just Brian and me.  As soon as they moved out, we began painting and planning to move the office into one of the empty rooms (I don’t really like that word “empty”..It never does seem to be a good thing).  Jumping in right away to begin home improvements reminded me of that commercial where the son moves out.  Remember that one?  When right away the parents start turning his room into all different things from a work-out room to housing a hot tub.  Of course, in the commercial, they ended up turning it back into the son’s room..As I have heard, they leave..then they come back..Sounds like some type of science fiction movie.  That did actually happen with our son.  He left and came back, but he has been back out for quite some years…At thirty, I don’t really expect him back anytime soon..It’s nice to see him with his own little family, interacting with his son and doing things around the house.  He’s become quite neat..I’m not sure when that happened.  Oh, and he does laundry too.  I just remember the old days, closing the door to his room because I was afraid of what was growing in the corner….food would go in there and disappear, plates and glasses never to be seen again..Still not sure where they went to…
So the business is going really well, and besides working at home (which I love by the way), I have a few more aspirations, one of which is writing childrens’ books.  I have written a few pieces, but you know how it is when family reads your stories.  They just know your book will definitely hit the New York Times bestseller list within, like, two weeks or so..I don’t think it’s the best way to have your work critiqued.  Anyone else out there working on a book?  What’s your story?