It Has Been Four Years and Four Months Since..

I got home from China with Maggie and since I have been alone in this house...until today. Today, both Maggie and Ellie went to school; Maggie to kindergarten and Ellie to preK....Yea!!!!!! Maggie actually started last week and today was Ellie's first day. There were no tears at all. They were both nervous but very excited. Since I work from home this really has been one of the first times since Maggie arrived home from China that I can say I was alone in my house just working away by myself.

I was so excited I swear I almost ran out of my shoes trying to get out the door after dropping Ellie off. A quick peck on the cheek and I was off to Einstein's for a bagel and Diet Coke. I got to sit down and read the Wall Street Journal without interruption....so relaxing. It was wonderful.

Speaking of working from home...it has been great. It has allowed me to spend a great deal of time with my girls while they were little instead of putting them into daycare. With Maggie in particular I think this was absolutely necessary for her to feel as confident as she does now in going off to kindergarten. She can still have terrible separation anxiety and I'm actually very surprised that she went off to school so easily...I guess she is just sick of being at home..that must be the secret...make them so sick of you that they can't wait to go somewhere, anywhere, even if it is to school!

I read an article recently that in spite of Americans being more connected than ever before with email, IM, chat groups, Blackberry's, cell phones, etc., loneliness is at an all-time high. Add to that the growing number of people who work from home and you add a whole other dimension to the problem. Working from home can be great but it is also very isolating. You really have to make an effort to get out and be around people. It is so easy to let yourself go.....no makeup, gain weight, wear your PJ's all day...and then so hard to get out of those bad habits. I don't think that I have every been particularly lonely because I really do enjoy my time alone and working on my own but several years ago when my dad died I had a very sad moment realizing what I was missing out on with all the camaraderie of office co-workers. I was at the wake for my dad with my brothers and sisters and mom. There was the usual crowd of people that had dropped by to offer their condolences and support and my brother and sister (Paul and June) both had groups of co-workers come to show their respect. Some of them even came to his funeral Mass. I just remember standing there and realizing that no one was there for me. I know that sounds pathetic but I don't mean it that way. It was just a fact. The office I work for did make a donation to Hospice, for which I was very appreciative, but other than that....nothing. Of course, I only see them half a dozen times a year so what do I expect but it was still a very telling moment and as much as I would have liked someone there I know I don't want to have to go punch a clock again. There is no guarantee that you will like who you work with. It just made me realize that when I decided to adopt and struggled to find a job where I could work from home so that I would not have to put my kids in daycare all day significantly impacted my day to day life in a way that I had not anticipated. I would definitely say it was worth it, but now that the kids are starting school I sense a big change coming in our lives. Momma is going to get out of the house! Maybe I will even become blonde again!!!