Maternity Leave's Almost Over . . .

   Today is the last official day "off" of my maternity leave.  I have gone in for a couple of hours here and there these past two weeks, catching up on some leftover typing from before the baby came along.  That last week I was pregnant I could hardly walk or sit down, she was so big!  You might remember she was a 10 pounder.

   Now the times they are a-changin' at work.  A new girl is working check out and has taken over a lot of the insurance issues I was dealing with.  And the doctor has a new widget that types up the dictation as he speaks it, so I will no longer be needed as a transcriptionist, one of my main responsibilities for the past 3 years.  A little stressful to start with all new tasks, and a little depressing to be replaced by a machine in a way, but I kinda saw that one coming.  My new duties will focus on scanning back material to switch our files from paper to digital.  Come the new year I'll be trying to keep up with the day to day incoming new paperwork, so there is plenty to keep me busy!  Plus I like this because it does have to be kept up with, but it is still flexible enough -- and thank God, so is my boss -- that I could take baby to work in a pinch and just stay later to make up the work.

   But that shouldn't happen too often, I don't think.  My husband and I have work schedules that allow one of us to be home with the kids most of the time, and when we can't, there are two sets of loving grandparents within a short drive of here.  We are so blessed to have them, and that they are so involved in the kids' lives.  Both grandmas are itching to have baby to themselves now and then!

   I'm definitely missing my paycheck.  Our income tax return got us through but we definitely need to recharge our savings account now.  Our older van is pitching a fit these past few days and may not be long for this world . . . at least not our world.  It still runs great for being 10 years old, and I think we'll be able to get a good trade-in for it when the time comes, since we maintain it well.  But like any old car, it has its idiosyncracies and we'd like something that needs less money put into it, less trips to fix this or that little hiccup now and then.

   On that note, I'm going to try again for the Gather cash option.  I just cashed out for a $25 Target gc.  I'm so glad they added Target to the selection!  Wal-Mart would be better but this is a very close second.  I have 14 lonely points at the moment, but let's see what I come up with in September.  If I don't make it, no big deal.  I have reached the goal points before and had not received a Gather invite.  But that was a year ago.  I have come to find the gc's are just as good.  I can buy cleaning supplies, trash bags and yard maintenance stuff at Home Depot.  And at Target I can buy clothes, shoes, household items, school supplies, baby stuff like diapers and wipes . . . terrific, really.

   So that's a quick update on little ole me.  I'm using today to get a little bit done around here and so far accomplished more than I thought, and spent some time with baby and hubby.  So nice.