When Matt was first interviewing for a position with a law firm I was taken to lunch by the wife of one of the attorneys. She was telling me about her schedule and said that she had dinner at 7pm and sometimes her husband was home, and sometimes he wasn't but that is when they had dinner.
I very clearly remember thinking "There is no way that Matt will not be home by 7pm on a consistent basis"....then he graduated law school and I discovered that I was very happy for days that he was home near 7pm :)
Last year I remember telling Matt that I felt like I had finally adjusted to his schedule. I wasn't bothered by the late nights (which meant eating dinner without him nearly every night, putting the kids to bed (and giving them baths) by myself, and for the most part not having him available for things that happened during the week). I had adjusted to long business trips (after he spent 5 weeks in Finland one October/November, anything less than a week seemed short), and him working the occasional weekend.
Now....don't mistake that I didn't love all of those things, I far preferred him to be home and thoroughly enjoyed when he was, but it didn't upset me or really bother me...I had adjusted to it and knew it was part of the job.
Then he had a slow year last year. He didn't have very many late nights, almost zero business trips, and could come home if I needed help for a school event or family party.
The whole year I kept telling myself "don't get used to this--it will go back to being the other way soon", I told myself to enjoy it while it lasted, but know it wouldn't last forever. I promised myself I would not have to go through that adjustment again because I would remember.
(Thankfully) his hours have picked back up--we are very happy he has a lot of work to do, and there is a need for him to be busy...but I realized this weekend (when he worked the whole weekend), and was reminded again this week as he worked nearly 18 hours a day and will leave tomorrow on a trip for 3 days...
I got used to it.
2 comments:
Ick! I am so sorry. I too have had to be flexible and work around erratic work hours. Good thing you adjust easily and I guess we just get to be thankful when they're home!! yea!
It is hard though not to have your husband home for dinner, events, and bedtimes. I am grateful that Frank is willing to get up so early, so he can be at least home in time to put them to bed. I guess I should be grateful he has a job in these economic times, but I pine for the days when he can stay up late with me late to watch a movie or to have someone to wake up next too in the morning. I am gratful though that I am married to someone who is a hard worker who is willing to sacrifice for us to have the things we need and the wants too.
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