Home Sweet Home

Today I am grateful for my home and the opportunity I have to work from home.

The comfort of working from home is that you don't have to leave your house. 

And the crux of working from home is that some days you don't leave your house! 

Yesterday was one of those days where I didn't leave - except to run Tanner to Football practice - so I did leave, for about 4 minutes.  From time to time, I find myself living like a shut in.  My neighbors probably think I am a hermit - who prefers to keep to herself and doesn't shower or shave (yesterday, that last part would've been correct!) 
Now the life of a shut has its advantages...it's a safe, controlled environment.  It doesn't demand I look my best (and believe me, I don't!)   I limit my interaction with annoyances (outside of my immediate family!)  But at times it comes off as a little pathetic.  And I am sure my hubby and boys don't really appreciate the site of me on days like that.
But working at home sure has been a blessing.  When my kids were just born, I worked in an office about 10 minutes from our house.  It was nice to be so close, but it was tough to leave each day.  When Timm got a job in Tucson, I asked if I could keep my job and work from home (as many in my industry do) and I was lucky enough for them to say yes.  It has now been 10 years.  The arrangement has its downsides and nuances to deal with such as 24/7 availability to work phone, email and "to do lists", some "training" to teach kids when I am at work and when it is OK to wail on the electric guitar, and I have to fight workaholic tendencies at times.  but the good outweighs the bad ten-fold.  I have flexibility to participate in my kids activities - I can run and see a school program or awards ceremony.  If someone is sick, I can pick them up.  I can do the occasional lunch with the ladies.  I feel very blessed as a working mom to have been able to limit the "misses" that sometimes occur out of the necessity for moms to provide extra income.   I don't dismiss this as a perk, but recognize it as a wonderful blessing from my Father in Heaven.  There have been several times that my company has headed in the direction of eliminating virtual offices and making everyone go in to a location.  But each time, that has circumvented me.  It is easy to see the hand of the Lord in many things...even corporate initiatives.
The past 6 weeks have been nuts at work, with our new project going live.  Someone once told me that you can tell how busy a virtual office worker is by how their house looks.  And I gotta tell you, I have obviously been very busy.  My house has been a DISASTER lately.  But, my boys and hubby cleaned it while I was out of town last week.  I think it was a little like the Cat and the Hat book, where thing 1 and thing 2 wreak havoc and then right before mom comes home, they work like crazy and it is spic and span when she walks in... But I could care less.  It was clean when I got home and that was a delight.  Hopefully we can keep it clean as that makes this environment a much happier one.

One of my goals this week is to "Start each day as if it's on purpose".  I have a tendency to get up, wake up Jake for seminary, turn on my computer, run Jake to school, come back, check email and get sucked into something that needs my immediate attention at work.  and then, I am at the computer working for the day.  So, it is my goal this week - ok starting tomorrow since yesterday and today were a miss - get up, exercise, shower and get ready for the day... Then "go to work". Let's see how this works out.
Ahh Life.... ya gotta love it!