My New Life as a Return-to-Work Mom

I’m Back in the Saddle Again!

I apologize for the length of time between my blogs, but I hope you will understand when you see how busy the past few months of my life have been.  In early June, I began a new contract recruiting position and I also moved into a new house.

As some of you may remember, I was unemployed the whole time since we adopted Miles as a newborn earlier this year—I had been out of work for 18 months by the time this temporary position presented itself to me. I had gotten used to not working and hoped we would be able to survive on my unemployment so I could continue to be a stay-at-home mom for a while, with my husband, Mike, continuing to work.

So, when I saw a temporary opening at a great company, located close to home, with a contract time frame that would conflict with our move and wouldn’t provide me with full-time benefits, it was easy to simply not apply. Then it was posted again, with different dates that really conflicted with our house closing. A close friend forwarded the posting to me, restating the positives. I still didn’t apply. When the recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn, and I told her I was only applying to full-time jobs with benefits, she replied that for financial reasons it might still make sense to apply. All of the benefits were adding up (good location, good company, the money). If I needed a sign, there were plenty—but was I ready?

I sent her my resume and spoke with her the next day. To make a long story slightly less long, I got the position. Leading up to my first day back in an office, away from Miles, I was overcome with mixed emotions and had long crying jags. I really didn’t think I was ready to go back to work—especially with a four-month-old baby and plans to move from our two-bedroom apartment to a new house (with an infant in tow!).

But to my relief, the transition from stay-at-home adoptive mom to working adoptive mom was a success. The company was very kind to let me work three days a week during my first two weeks—when we closed on the house and then moved the following week.  Then I began my full-time status, which I couldn’t have done without the assistance and support from my retired parents, who were here visiting and watched Miles during our closing and move date.

During my first week on a full-time schedule, the company asked me if I could put in overtime. So, with Miles, who just turned five months old at home, I am clocking in 45-hour weeks. And surprisingly, I am okay with that.

Though my folks have gone home, my husband was able to change his hours and now works only evenings and one weekend day—all after I’m home from my new position.

He’s been a really wonderful stay-at-home dad. He is actually more skilled domestically than I am, accomplishing some food shopping and cooking tasks I wasn’t always able to do while I was home. When I asked if he was “trying to show me up,” he said, “No. I just want to help you feel like you made the right decision and I want you to know that I’ll be here supporting you.”

That helped. I don’t cry anymore. Well, maybe a little bit when I’m holding Miles till he goes to sleep—but those are tears of joy.

Back to the job: I work 10 minutes from home, our company went public on the New York Stock Exchange two weeks after I started (I am so proud!), and I really love what I do.

And, with the recruiter who hired leaving the company, there is a permanent opening with benefits available, which I’m hoping I can be considered for. (I’ve been exceeding my recruiting goals to make a good impression on the founders to help with their decision to hire me.)

My first day driving to work, I heard the most fitting song on the radio—“Back in the Saddle Again” which really spoke to the way I’ve been feeling!

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