Okay, a little breathing room. 🙂
First, I want to thank everyone for all your various words of thanks and encouragements (in a number of different formats! 🙂 ). I really appreciated your taking the time to send your well wishes and especially touched at some unexpected ones!
I’m at work today tending to my current/ ongoing projects and making sure everyone will be able to function without me while I disappear for three weeks starting the week of July 9th. One thing about the new Parental Leave Plan is that when I take it, it’s not like I’m on vacation from work. Au contraire. For that time, I’m actually not an employee of the company! Thus, besides having to pay for all my benefits (insurance, etc) ahead of time, all my accesses are revoked. So, unfortunately, if something needs my attention or someone needs my help, I can’t readily provide it.
I’m working a few days next week as well and before I know it, I’ll be experiencing something I’ve yet to! Three whole weeks at home with my family with nothing on the agenda outside of some scheduled doctor visit/ checkups while taking care of hearth and home. The idea of biking Kyle 40kms every couple of days to take him to daycare just fills me up with energy, joy, and just happiness to live something so innocent and beautiful at a pace that does NOT include rushing to catch a train! Life without worrying or relying on a CLOCK! Whoddathunkit?! 🙂
Do I have other plans? Yes and no. I do want to finish up a few more of those Reno projects still outstanding, but both money and baby/family-demands will play heavily on any decisions 🙂
For now, I’m just so grateful to be living in a Country that allows Mommies to take 52 weeks of Maternity Leave and Daddies 5 weeks of Paternity Leave without impacting each other and still having some income flow. And I have to also admit to being grateful to be working at a company where I’ve reached a certain position that allows me the flexibility of devoting necessary time to my family while still maintaining a positive workflow. 🙂
…but MAN am I looking forward to some time off!!!!! 🙂