2010-12-03 - 11:52 a.m.

I'm kind of at a cross-roads career-wise and my sister gave me some sage advice. She said to come up with a mission statement, and then do all things in my life in support of that statement. She also suggested that I think about my life in the future as an "about the author" note on a book jacket. What would you want that book jacket to say about you? What would you want to have accomplished, to leave as your legacy? Then start doing things in your life, even in very small ways, that will set you on a path towards those goals.

The main cause of my career crossroads is that I'm working so few hours at work that I'm not able to contribute financially to my household the way I would like. And coming up in the new year, we're going to have some new bills to pay - Since I'm married now my student loan bills are going to come due, and I'll have to start paying them. And we're going to have a good friend staying with us for a couple of months while she tries to get on her feet in our city, so we'll have more expenses in our household during that time. So the answer in the short-term is that I'm going to have to look for a new job. I hate job-hunting! But this provides me a good opportunity to look at the bigger picture and think to myself, what do I really want to be doing for a living? And what do I need to do to get there?

So actually, having fewer hours at work means I will have more time to job-hunt, time to finish my book, and I think I will try to get involved with volunteering a few hours a week. I have been so fortunate in my life, I will now have the time to give something back. So instead of being bummed about my fewer working hours, I realize that I've been given a good opportunity to re-shape my life and to give back to my community.

Hooray for New Years!

Also, Dean and I are officially off birth control - so maybe we'll get pregnant next year! That would be awesome! But I have patience, I know it will happen when it is meant to be.

Today, I am decorating for Christmas, and then the Christmas present making can begin! Merry Christmas, everyone!