PT-LawMom

Making some life changes right now. Feeling better physically, getting there emotionally, etc., and feel like I need to think about what I want to do with the rest of this year. I know, life throws curves (hell, I know that as much as anyone) but, hey, Carpe Diem!

First off, as I mentioned in a recent post, my job duties are changing. This, combined with my continued/increased illness, had left me already deciding that I would already switch to a law school with a more convenient schedule (more single night and weekend classes) or stop altogether. Since it looks like I will be traveling a lot in the next year or so, probably starting later this summer, I will probably put law school on hold. My son needs me and I am enjoying spending time with him. The divorce has been hard on him and having me spend every spare minute I’m not working studying is no fun. I need to have my weekends free. So, although nothing is final right now, it looks like I may not continue to seek a law degree right now.

That said, I do have a paralegal certificate and I will continue to work in the legal department of a large corporation in a position with a lot of growth opportunities (so I can still get away with calling myself PT-LawMom). It’s in an area that is very hot right now and continuing to grow. Especially in the industry and in the town where I live, there are a lot of jobs in this particular practice area. So I could certainly return to get my degree down the road if someday I have a rich husband to support me or, better, a job that is willing to pay 100% and give me time off to study and for exams. I just can’t do it all. My body won’t take it, my son won’t like it and, honestly, I don’t want to. The people who told me not to do it if I couldn’t cut back at work and/or go full-time were right. For me, with a kid, my divorce, being sick, a demanding career, etc., I just can’t do it right now.

Now for my list:
1. Visit four museums with Pumpkinhead (doesn’t sound like much but they are freaking expensive! Not like the free ones in DC we were spoiled with when he was an infant.)
2. Do one craft project a month with Pumpkinhead (this may not sound like much but I am NOT crafty!)
3. Save up some money and take a vacation somewhere Pumpkinhead would enjoy
4. Save up some money and take a vacation alone somewhere I would enjoy, preferably with some girlfriends
5. Get my muscles back in shape and see if some of the pain improves (I’ve lost a lot of tone in my arms/legs over the past two years)
6. Go swimming at least once every weekend with Pumpkinhead in the pool that is right outside my bedroom door (I am not much for water/getting wet, but I need to do it for him).
7. Keep up with the biweekly water aerobics classes at the local gym with my mother (and make her continue, too!)
8. Go out to happy hour at least once every two months
9. Get a good friend or two (or three!) to set me up with someone they think I’d be good with (maybe I can trust their judgment since I obviously can’t trust my own). Preferably someone who, within the next five years or so, will love me enough to tell me this:

10. Find a church. Go regularly. Get involved! Get Pumpkinhead involved. I’ve been trying to go to the one where we attend DivorceCare but it’s just not my style. I like the one where I go for my Wednesday night group but it’s a Baptist church and I just don’t agree with the basics. Maybe Lutheran… Darn. We will find something. Where we live, everyone goes to church so not going really will isolate my son. Maybe I just need to get over my non-denominational issues (I’m very stuck in my Episcopal ways, apparently).
11. Figure out what Pumpkinhead’s Love Language is and try to give that to him.
12. Try to be present in all conversations.
13. Call people on it when they violate my boundaries (especially my parents) and try a lot harder to respect theirs.
14. Don’t settle!
15. Take lots and lots and lots of pictures of my son and get them into the scrapbooks and photo albums I have collected but not used. Enjoy every special day!