But I realized this past month how disjointed I am when not working a 9 to 5 job so to speak. It has been a real eye opener for me. Problem is, as observant as I am in some things, it has taken me a MONTH to actually get it together and REALIZE it is okay to not be doing a basic 9 to 5 job.
When I gave my notice at my "9 to 5" job, (that was really a 12 to 18 hours a day job), I didn't have another to immediately step in to. As a matter of fact, the day before my very last day at work, I finally made a call to the company I am now working with. Working with medicare in a Skilled Nursing Facility, or SNF as they are referred to, is a LOT different than working with a home health agency that works with Autistic children. The timeline is different and there are penalties if you don't make those time lines in the SNF. In this particular home health situation, it can take awhile before everything gels correctly and you actually get the patient on your case load. And you are not penalized for that sort of a deadline, a lot of the scheduling is directed by the parents and how quickly they get on board with the Plan Of Care. During the time that I was working 12 to 18 hours a day, I would get home, complete what I needed to do with my animals and then collapse. Cleaning house or doing laundry was relegated to the "You are out of forks and underwear so you need to do something" files.
And therein lies my problem. I don't know how to stop running at top speed. Or at least CHANGE that focus from running top speed at my job to running at top speed at my home. And I did not realize how EXHAUSTED my poor little body and mind were keeping up that crazy schedule!
Yesterday, for the first time, I finally relaxed and let God take over and do His thing. I don't know why I stress so! He has never let me down and all things that happen to me, let me stress that, ALL THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO ME, happen once they have been sifted through HIS fingers of love. Perhaps I was headed for a stroke or heart attack and that was why He slowed me down in this manner.
I had ONE patient yesterday in a town an hour away. Oh there are more patients in the area, but there again, it takes time before those kiddos will actually wind up on my schedule. This child was an absolute delight and the hour I spent with her sped by quickly and I faced the hour long drive BACK to my little town.
My little town, Kingman, Arizona is what one would refer to as "Podunk". Podunk USA. Redneck USA. If you don't drive a beat up pick truck, have a rebel flag either flying from the bed of your truck or posted somewhere else and listen to country music or rap, you are considered odd at the least. And though I LOVE living here, still the one thing I truly miss is the shopping. We have a Wal-Mart, (K-Mart and Sears closed last year) 2 Safeways, a Maurices and a Ross Dress for less, along with a multitude of thrift stores that you most likely don't want to shop at because you KNOW what your neighbors have and you don't WANT it in your house. So getting out of Kingman every now and again is good for my Gypsy Soul. I miss traveling. This job fits me just fine, causing me to leave my little bubble and get out once again to SEE.
They have a Hobby Lobby in Bullhead City where I was yesterday! And THIS is what God used to make me realize that not only is it OKAY to slow down, I NEEDED to slow down!
OH how I miss Hobby Lobby! Even if all you do is hang for awhile and gather ideas and get your creative juices flowing again, it is totally worth going to Hobby Lobby! And so I did.
They are gearing up for Christmas, Thanksgiving is in full swing and Halloween/Fall is waning but still with plenty of stuff on sale in that holiday. Oh. My. The Christmas ornaments had yet to be picked through and I was enthralled!
Aisle upon aisle of sugar plums and Santa's and Nativity Scenes! I love Christmas! For me, Halloween and Thanksgiving are wonderful, but Christmas? That is in a league all by itself. I LOVE Christmas and have a child-like wonder in all things Christmas. I love the decorating of my home when it comes!
The past few years, I have focused on getting a core of Christmas decorations together and for that base color scheme, I chose the colors of pink, champagne, white, silver and pale gold. They had an entire section of those colors alone!
The whimsy of dolls and baubles from tennis shoes to unicorns was simply amazing in their amount of imagination.
There was a particular Cinderella's pumpkin carriage I especially loved, although it was in bright orange. Love orange for fall, but that color is not for my Christmas decorations! Once I find it in silver or gold, then we shall consider it for my tree.
But seeing all of this, this year, I plan on adding another color or two to my decorations. I have already come home, whipped out that computer like a fast draw gunman and saved several possibilities. I LOVE color and it is time to begin embracing who I am and what I love for my home again. It has been too long living in the swamp land of 12 to 18 hours a day jobs, missing the fact that my home no longer holds the laughter of children, and not having time enough for my animal family and gardens.
And leave it to my Heavenly Father, to not only slow me down, but give to me a job that will be less time, will be spent in the company of children, and with a great deal more compensation in the monetary part of the equation. WOW.
So here is to slowing down. Taking the time to smell the horses. Laughing with my new children. Gardening and decorating my home.
All thanks to my AWESOME God.
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