Fall is, without doubt, one of my most favorite seasons.  I love that the hot, tropical-feeling summers are over (along with the weeding, the mosquitos, the constant checking for ticks) and that the season for fires and jackets and crunching leaves is starting.

This is one of the reasons why I love living in Virginia.  While my family in the Midwest is talking about snow on rooftops, we’re still OK outside in a sweatshirt with fleece vest.  It’s cold enough to need an extra layer and to justify a fire, but not so cold that we’re miserable.

I’ve dusted off my camera and taken some more photos over the last few weeks.  School has kept me so busy that I have to make a conscious effort to get some pictures.

Pumpkins at the end of the driveway

My marshmallow monster treats for the neighborhood Halloween party

Now that my semester is drawing to a close, I’m feeling less pressure (which is a problem in and of itself) and have more breathing room to do stuff like go on walks with my 4-year-old’s class to story time.  More time for reflection.

I don’t know what the next 12 months will look like for our family.  Hopefully, it will include the following: graduation from grad school, passing my certification exam, and getting a job.

Speaking of jobs, one of the benefits to having moved as many times as we have moved is that I’ve been able to work with a variety of employers.  I’ve frequently considered my resume with a mix of wonder, worry, regret, and even a little resentment.  Wonder over the fact that I’ve had the experiences that I’ve had, worry that future employers will see all of my jobs and think that I’m a flight risk, regret at having had to leave some positions too soon due to Chris’ career, and that twinge of resentment over not having had the opportunity to go back to school sooner or advance up the career ladder in a way that I wanted to do so at the time.

But as I said, my nearly a decade of being a nurse has brought experience, and with experience I’ve gained a sense of contentment, resolution, and even peace about my employment future.  I know that no employer is perfect.  I have had the opportunity to work PRN, part-time, full-time, over-time, and even to work not at all (as a nurse), staying home with my 2 boys.  I’ve learned my personal set-point for what generally leaves me feeling satisfied in regards to a work-life shift and flow.  Not having a commute > 30 minutes from home.  Having flexibility to work 3 days a week or 3 1/2 days a week or 4 days a week or even 4 1/2 days a week.  I can and have and probably will work 5 days a week, but I know my ideal is to have a balance of 3 on/4 off or 4 on/3 off or 3 1/2 on/3 1/2 off.  I like knowing that I know that.

We’ll see what the next 12 months actually looks like.  For now, I’m enjoying Fall and everything that comes with it 🙂