First Day of Work After Maternity Leave

It's my first day back at work today, after 13 months on maternity leave (I had to use up some vacation time before going back to work). It felt really strange initially, to get up and dress up, put on make up and take the bus. I had to take the bus so the car is free for LoYe to take Jasmine to preschool. That bus experience is an adventure on its own.

At first, I was uncertain how things would be because when I left on mat leave, the government was in the process of slashing jobs, announcing a hiring freeze and there was uncertainty about the healthcare system as a whole. But as soon as I walked into my office, my feelings of uncertainty disappeared. I soon found out that our department had expanded space-wise and that we had hired on several people. In that sense, I felt that my position was secure.

I also had a feeling that I haven't felt in a long time. I felt... FREE! It seems so odd to have free time, without hearing Julia cry or Jasmine throwing a tantrum. I didn't have to worry about Julia climbing onto something and falling over. I didn't have to think about when to feed milk/food and when to put Julia down for a nap. I could go to the washroom and eat lunch in peace and quiet. It was awesome!

I do miss the kiddies though and I thought about them alot. I wondered how LaiLai was doing at home, with feeding and putting Julia to sleep. I'm sure they were in good hands though. I'm really glad that I decided to go back to work fulltime, as I now feel satisfied with being a Mother and as a regular person.