Back At It

Three weeks in and I’m loving work which is s good sign. I still cried like a baby when I picked the kiddos up after my 2nd work trip. It’s funny – people ask when you get used to it, and the answer is – you don’t. It is always tough. But the work remains interesting which is why I do it.

My work support system has been on point – saying the right things, offering the right helping hand, asking about Leroy just enough but not too much. They are amazing.

I did have one instance with someone who “doesn’t understand how I do it” and told me “there’s some things only mothers can do.” One of the things about being in the position I’m in is to constantly stretch the thinking of well-meaning people around me. I simply replied “if you mean, breastfeeding – yes, my husband can’t do that. But just about everything else I’d argue he does as good if not better.” Hopefully he went home checking his biases. And here’s my bias:

Mothers can tend to be more nurturing (which is the heart of what this man was saying), but I argue that it takes a lot of practice, patience, listening and observing to learn how to nurture. It’s not a natural talent – it is learnt. We can teach it to our men, too.

The house is humming along. Tile is mainly all in and grouted. Cabinets were delivered. We still have some wood floors to install and trim & paint & such, but I expect the inside to be close to done soon. There is still a ton of work outside and the garage hasn’t been started. Thanks, never-ending winter.