A Day in My Life

Soooo... it's been awhile since I posted again. Chalk it up to a 60 hour work week, applying to graduate schools, and moving! That's right, I'm going to have my very own apartment :)
Anywho... in the experience of these past few weeks, I've noticed something. Everyone is very pessimistic or perhaps they don't believe me. The phrase I've heard most often in these past two weeks is "You're crazy!" And perhaps I am. But to make you see why I do what I do, I'm going to take you through a day in the life of me :) And explain why it is I'm doing what I'm doing, so maybe I will NEVER hear that phrase again, but rather have more understanding and support for my cause.

Where to start.... let's start at 7pm. I wake up for my "day" around 7pm every night after getting about 6 hours of sleep. From 7pm to 10:30, I catch up on emails, have "breakfast", catch up with people on the phone, clean, shower, do laundry, do some shopping, etc. etc. Then around 10:30 I head off to work at the nursing home for my 8 hour shift. Third shift is the easiest shift, but I still work hard, and often don't get a chance for a break. When the nights are slow, however, I work on graduate school applications, catch up on a little Suduko action, read a book, or spend time getting to know my co-workers.

When I get off from Resthaven, I have an hour to shower, change, run a quick errand, or do something for myself. Then at 8am, I head off to Toddlerville where I chase kids for 4 hours. This includes feedings, napping, and playing outside.

Then at noon, I head home and sleep. This often repeats, but does not happen every day. I DO have nights off which are definitely needed and cherished.

Yes... it is crazy working 12 hour days, 60 hour weeks. Have I made sacrifices??? Of course I have! I've sacrificed sleep, I've sacrificed a lot of my free time, and I've even made huge sacrifices in my social life and especially in my friendships and relationships with others. But do I regret this decision? NEVER!

When I'm at the nursing home, I'm helping people who are there for the rest of their lives. The best thing in their day is your nurses assistant coming in to get them ready for the day. Can you imagine a life like that?? A day filled with constant routine, constant noise, no privacy?? At a nursing home you lose yourself and cling to only memories of who you used to be and desires of who you wish you were. Me being there for 8 hours... I cannot complain, because when 7am hits, I get to go home.

Working with my co-workers I get to learn a lot about society. I can't tell you what a research project it is has been talking to my co-workers. Some of these people work full-time, have several children, and are going to school. They basically have two full time jobs and a part time job. Again, who am I to complain? When I go home, I have no one to care for but myself. I get to work at my own schedule, sleep when I want to. I am so blessed and grateful to God for prolonging my singleness.

Working at the daycare, again, learning so much about society. Seeing the families these children come from, learning about behaviors, getting to know those children as if they were my own. For some, again, this is the most loving environment they will have and they're only there 8 hours a day. When they get home, you have no idea what they're going home to. You can only imagine the conditions and pray that they will be taken care of and safe. If I can provide one smile, one nutritious meal, one hour of fun, then I will because I am able.

So as you can see, I have the most rewarding life I ever could imagine. I get to help 90+ people every day of my life. Most, if not all of what I do, will go unnoticed, yes, but I still do it and with a smile on my face the entire time. No matter how exhausted I am, how long it's been since I've seen a friend, or no matter when I get a break next, I am blessed beyond measure to have the opportunities I have and the ability to do what I do. At any moment anything I have can be taken away from me. So I will continue to praise God daily for my life, for His blessings, and for bringing me to this place in my life.

My wish is that everyone would support me in this endeavour instead of constantly telling me I'm crazy, giving me looks of confusion and pity, and stop questioning my motives. For the next nine months of my life, this is it. And I will continue to maintain as full of a life as I can in the process.