Define: Flexible

I'll warn you, this post is not going to be the usual upbeat, or update on the good things in our life. Rather somewhat of a venting process, an outing of the bad and the ugly in my own personal way. Some of you are not going to like what I have to say, so either respect that this is my blog or stop reading.

Define: flexible. Working 1st shift one day, then third the following day with little to no notice. Working most weekends, typically with a days notice. How about spending on average 2 hours a day with your kids because you're busy working 12, sleeping 9, and showering/eating the other 1. Or having short patience those 3 hours you do get with them because you are so damn tired you can barely function. Or how about your wife relying on you to have those 3 hours of patience because she's been responsible for the kids the other 20 hours for the last 8 days plus. A wife, with the help of her sister-in-law and mother takes all 3 kids up north for what was supposed to be our only week long family vacation of the summer ended up being for 4 days without "the whole family"-granted we were only planning on Jason being up there with us on the weekends, it ended up being not . . . at . . . . all. Not even saying happy birthday to somebody in your life because you're both so pissed about the entire work situation surrounding you to even look at each other, planning a 4 year olds birthday party solo, and best yet having to drop a course because you can't find enough energy or time in the day to get the work done.

That's just a taste of my life right now-sound fun? So where's this 'flexible' thing come in you ask? Jason's busted his ass for the last year with our full support, and by full support I mean me, the kids, my family and his family bending over backwards to make his work, my school, and the kids life in general just work. I gave up last night, I decided that the stress of two classes right now while Jason's work/life balance isn't so hot just isn't worth 1) the stress 2) the strain on my patience of what little summer I have left with the kids 3) what little time or energy I have and 4) I really don't think it's necessary to have to call on people on a regular basis to watch your kids while you've committed to coaching t-ball or have class, or just to get homework done before midnight every night. I greatly appreciate the help of others, but really-those things are commitments I've made, and I really don't think there should be any reason my other half can't be responsible for what little time that takes up in a week. I mean, what would happen if I actually had a job outside the home?

So now you're probably all thinking, man she's a bitch-and poor Jason. But this post isn't about ill feelings towards Jason. . . . It's about my ill-feelings of him being called on the carpet and told that he isn't 'flexible' enough. I'm sure to some you're thinking I'm naive, spouting my mouth, ungrateful, or the thought 'just wait' has entered your mind. . . . but really none of that matters to what our quality of life is right now. Transitional times are what they are, but realize that behind every employee isn't a wife without a backbone or no kids-instead there is a wife who is a fulltime student, woman with other obligations, and a caregiver to 3 young children, children who value good time with their dad. Not low patience and tired time with dad.

The nature of Jason's work environment is a continual strive to prove himself: he's a perfectionist, he's straight forward, he's a hard worker, and is probably going to be one of the most dedicated employees you will ever have. Appreciate him.

I'm not stupid, growing up in a house where my dad was the bread winner, he worked long, varied hours/shifts while my mom stayed home most of the time. I realize there are going to be bumps in this road.

Appreciating him would be the silver lining in knowing this is all worth it, in the meantime I'm trying to keep 'livin the dream' as Gary Rodman would say.