Happy Labor Day! This weekend has me reflecting on how blessed I am. I finally am feeling back to normal- energy levels are up, patience levels are up, love of life is coming back. Today was indeed a labored day and I LOVED it! I cleaned and organized the garage, edged and mowed the lawn, cleaned the house, did all of the laundry, played board games with the kids, worked a few hours (I'm behind), and ran a mile on the treadmill. This is a big deal! This is the kind of busy I used to be (and I loved it)- when the last many months have been spent in overwhelming fatigue. Thanks to my Heavenly Father for helping me feel better, leading me to good things, and blessing me with all I have. Thanks to my fantastic mate Tim who goes along with my ideas (like, "let's reorganize everything in the garage on your day off"), helps whenever I ask him, loves our kids like no other, and loves God enough to make Him the center of our lives.
The last week at work as also been a little refreshing. Last Thursday I got up early enough to read scriptures and write in my journal and get a little bit of peace to myself. I always forget how much I need this until I get it. After the kids got off to school and I was at work I had a realization of how lucky I am. Well not lucky but blessed.
Some social work jobs in the world are 8 to 5 office jobs. I think I would die, quite literally, if I had a job like that. I love what I do despite all the annoyances, drama, and politics. I love that I can get up and take care of my family as I need to and usually not run into any conflicts because I'm allowed to create my own schedule. This is a huge thing for a working mom!
I'm also so blessed because I get to meet people- all sorts of people- you can't imagine. To hear people's stories of hardship and where they want to be are heartbreaking and sometimes incredible and most times coming straight out of soap operas, but I love the humane parts that everybody shares... That we all go through stuff that's not fun, really hard things that shake us out of our soul, and we all require support (love) from the people around us.
I love my job because a big part of it is writing- I love to write and I happen to think I do a better than average job. I don't care for boring documentation of every single little thing I do (welcome to social work) but I love the part of my job that lets me learn and write out people's lives and stories, their strengths, their challenges, ideas to have them move forward successfully. I love my job because I get to pull over in parks or churches or anywhere and type up notes or talk on the phone. Eight years ago I got my own office, having shared for three years. It's pretty nice. But it's a crazy to place to be- in the office... If I'm crazy enough to go into my office and handle the noise/drama/crises from all my (sincerely lovely) co-workers, I do have a space that's mine, with everything I need to do my job. I can leave and take a break when I need to. I can go home early and catch up late at night or on weekends. It can't be beat.
The closest friends I have are those through my work. Most of my job is working with my partner agencies around me. Dealing with humans and all of human problems really does take a village. I'm so so grateful for the friendships I've made with the agencies around me, especially Wasatch Mental Health and probation teams, relationships I have with therapist, judges, program managers, schools, and everyone else. It's a nice thing to have connections and I'm so blessed to know who I know.
I've been given many strengths and skills and talents and opportunities. I'm very grateful for this. I don't work with easy things and come home having heard outrageous stories. Literally outrageous, devastating, seemingly hopeless stories. (I'd write a book of stories, but really... who would read it and find any humor or hope besides me?) Despite crazy things I hear, I always come home grateful that my battles are not as heavy as others and that I get to come home to stability and peace, know that my life is in God's hands and that I have a purpose here. Despite all the hard things I hear and see and go through with the families I serve, the very hardest part of my job is the juggle with my home life. So I pray, "Heavenly Father, if I can't not work outside of the home right now, please take care of the littles and help them have everything they need while I'm gone." So far I think the kiddos have been blessed too.
I am grateful for a job that lets me balance that better than any other job could let me. I just officially served 10 years in the Department of Human Services (even though I've actually been there 11) and at this point I guess I'm sticking around haha.
The last week at work as also been a little refreshing. Last Thursday I got up early enough to read scriptures and write in my journal and get a little bit of peace to myself. I always forget how much I need this until I get it. After the kids got off to school and I was at work I had a realization of how lucky I am. Well not lucky but blessed.
Some social work jobs in the world are 8 to 5 office jobs. I think I would die, quite literally, if I had a job like that. I love what I do despite all the annoyances, drama, and politics. I love that I can get up and take care of my family as I need to and usually not run into any conflicts because I'm allowed to create my own schedule. This is a huge thing for a working mom!
I'm also so blessed because I get to meet people- all sorts of people- you can't imagine. To hear people's stories of hardship and where they want to be are heartbreaking and sometimes incredible and most times coming straight out of soap operas, but I love the humane parts that everybody shares... That we all go through stuff that's not fun, really hard things that shake us out of our soul, and we all require support (love) from the people around us.
I love my job because a big part of it is writing- I love to write and I happen to think I do a better than average job. I don't care for boring documentation of every single little thing I do (welcome to social work) but I love the part of my job that lets me learn and write out people's lives and stories, their strengths, their challenges, ideas to have them move forward successfully. I love my job because I get to pull over in parks or churches or anywhere and type up notes or talk on the phone. Eight years ago I got my own office, having shared for three years. It's pretty nice. But it's a crazy to place to be- in the office... If I'm crazy enough to go into my office and handle the noise/drama/crises from all my (sincerely lovely) co-workers, I do have a space that's mine, with everything I need to do my job. I can leave and take a break when I need to. I can go home early and catch up late at night or on weekends. It can't be beat.
The closest friends I have are those through my work. Most of my job is working with my partner agencies around me. Dealing with humans and all of human problems really does take a village. I'm so so grateful for the friendships I've made with the agencies around me, especially Wasatch Mental Health and probation teams, relationships I have with therapist, judges, program managers, schools, and everyone else. It's a nice thing to have connections and I'm so blessed to know who I know.
I've been given many strengths and skills and talents and opportunities. I'm very grateful for this. I don't work with easy things and come home having heard outrageous stories. Literally outrageous, devastating, seemingly hopeless stories. (I'd write a book of stories, but really... who would read it and find any humor or hope besides me?) Despite crazy things I hear, I always come home grateful that my battles are not as heavy as others and that I get to come home to stability and peace, know that my life is in God's hands and that I have a purpose here. Despite all the hard things I hear and see and go through with the families I serve, the very hardest part of my job is the juggle with my home life. So I pray, "Heavenly Father, if I can't not work outside of the home right now, please take care of the littles and help them have everything they need while I'm gone." So far I think the kiddos have been blessed too.
I am grateful for a job that lets me balance that better than any other job could let me. I just officially served 10 years in the Department of Human Services (even though I've actually been there 11) and at this point I guess I'm sticking around haha.
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