We've been talking for months about me going back to work in a part-time capacity. We decided that the summer wasn't the best time because of our schedule, so I started applying for jobs in July and starting working during the last week in July. I generally work between 25-30 hours a week. It's been a decent transition. I pretty much work every night, except Wednesday and most weekends. We are pretty focused on complete debt elimination (except our mortgage) within the next year. Thankfully, we really don't have nearly as much debt to pay off as we have in the past. Just the van and some credit cards. Honestly, it stinks because I no longer have my nights and weekends free, but this is what works for us right now. We still believe that homeschooling our children is what our family needs right now, so this schedule enables me to still spend the day homeschooling them. I won't lie. It is hard spending 20-25 hours a week homeschooling and then working on top of that and somehow still trying to find time to buy groceries, clean, and all of those other things. I miss seeing my husband every night. When I get frustrated or stressed, I remind myself that this is temporary. A year from now it will all be worth it. It is pretty easy to keep going when I remind myself of that fact. In addition to me working, Chris has been shooting Friday night football games which is a great way for him to make extra money doing something fun. We are super thankful that opportunity presented itself this year.
But "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry". Saturday night I worked until close and didn't get home until 11:30. I was tired when I got home, but I needed a shower and needed to throw my work uniform in the wash. Well, after my shower I made the mistake of laying down for "just a minute" which of course turned into passing out into a coma. Fast forward to Sunday morning. We had a full day of church, house projects/errands, and then me going to work again at 4:00. I scrambled up out of bed so that I could wash my work clothes. I snatched up the laundry basket and hurried down the stairs. I misjudged the last step and thought I was on the floor, so I stretched out my right foot and totally missed the last step and rolled my ankle. I cried like a baby and immediately knew this was more than a sprain. Chris had to work (church), so he set me up on the couch with an ice pack and gave the kids strict instructions on how to behave while he was gone. My foot continued to swell and I couldn't put any weight on it while he was gone. We went to an urgent care facility that could perform x-rays after he got home, so that I didn't have to deal with the ER. We found out that I have a fractured 5th metatarsal.
So I've gone over 37 years of my life without breaking a bone and it finally happened as I'm going too quickly down the stairs to wash work clothes. I really wish my story was cooler than that. I wish I could tell you that I was rock climbing or saving a cat from a tree, but nope. I don't do things the cool way. I broke my stinkin' foot going down the stairs. Pretty cool, huh?
Honestly, I'm very upset and angry. Why on earth didn't this happen when I wasn't working? Why didn't this happen during the summer? Why did this have to happen while we are trying to gain momentum with our debt snowball?
Then I am reminded by my heavenly father to slow down. Don't lose my focus. This setback is only temporary (hopefully only a week). In the grand scheme of life, that really isn't a big deal.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Proverbs 19:21 You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail.
I'm not sure what all this means yet, but I know that God is in control. I know that His plan is greater than my plan. Right now, I just need to sit back and relax and trust God.
