Homeward Bound

Sometimes I surprise myself. My first job out of college was in advertising. I loved it. But after a few years I decided to go work a desk job at a state agency. The hours would be better for a mother with a young baby. My husband also worked there so we could tackle the demands of working parents together.

The work was intriguing, but I longed to return to my former life in the world of advertising. After our second child was two, I moved back to the land of marketing at the coolest agency in Topeka. It's great, intriguing work. Full of cool benefits, creative people and exciting events. I loved the energy being  around these fantastic people who were so knowledgeable about so many things. I was so excited, but here is where the surprise comes in. As much as it is what I thought I wanted, my heart wasn't in it. I missed my job at the state.

Sharing a work environment with your husband brings benefits you would never imagine. We don't have to talk about how our day was because we always know. Think of all the pressures of your working life and consider how difficult it is to come home after work to someone who has had the opposite day as you. Now imagine if your spouse was aware if your end of quarter push times. What if they were aware of office atmosphere changes that affect your day? Even if you're not doing the same job, working in the same environment allows you non-verbal communication. Couples who are raising young children know that communication is difficult. No, not difficult, nearly impossible!

My job at the state was not anything I would have ever guessed I would be doing. But I enjoyed the work, and it allowed me to be completely available to my children when I was not on the clock. The joy that I found working in advertising was nothing compared to the joy found in the life my state job allowed me to have. So one year, four months later, I am packing up my stuff, and heading home.