What I do all day and why I don't work

I don't think I would have written this post last Fall.  I hated when people would meet me for the first time and ask, "So, do you have kids?  Are you working?"  No and no.  And there usually wasn't much of an opportunity to explain beyond that.  So all of my education, my work experience, etc, was all kind of meaningless.  I always considered myself hardworking and ambitious, but all of a sudden felt like the laziest person in the world.

I'm over it.

Life puts us in certain situations, and we deal with it the best way we can.  And I've tried to make the most of the last 10 months as a stay-at-home wife.  Instead of trying to justify myself, I've also tried to enjoy myself.

So by way of explanation, not justification, below are the main reasons I never got a job while I was here in Germany:

1. Jobs here are limited.  You have all military spouses competing for a handful of positions on post because we don't speak German.  For specific careers, you can occasionally find job openings.  For example, the health clinic hires nurses, the schools hire teachers.  But outside of these service-oriented jobs,  there aren't many "career" jobs.  So that leaves job postings for things like sales associate, food handler, or child care provider.  Or sometimes there are openings for some type of secretary position.  And even more rare, for bank tellers.  Scarce pickings.  So from the start I was not motivated to look for a job that I didn't think I'd even like.  
2. It took us a while to get settled.  We were living in a hotel for a month, with very limited internet access.  (Public library, open from 11-6.)  Then we moved into our apartment and were without furniture for another few months.  It was November before we actually had our house arranged and I felt like life was "normal."  At that point, I told myself, I'd start looking through job openings.  But, with a trip planned for Rome at the end of November, and a two week trip to Spain in December, then the Christmas break for Hyrum, I talked myself into waiting until January.  
3. And shortly after that, I found out I was pregnant.  Any motivation to find a job quickly diminished as I spent hours and days and weeks just laying on the couch unable to eat or move.  And with a 9 month time frame to work in, I didn't see the point in finding a job I would just end up quitting.  
4. Another factor we considered from the start was our car situation.  We only had one car shipped to Germany.  Some people buy a second car, but we realized that in our situation we could easily get by with one.  But if I found a job, we'd have to buy a second car.  I didn't think the amount of money I could earn would really justify the costs of a second car. Especially if the job was for a very limited amount of time. 
5. Travel opportunities also trumped the job search.  Once a month, the Army gives a four-day weekend.  While living in Europe, those are great opportunities to go explore a country without Hyrum taking any vacation days.  That's how we saw Rome, Prague, and Austria, just to name a few of our trips.  Most on-post jobs do not give employees those same four-day weekends.  So when Hyrum had time off to travel, I would be stuck going to work.  Lame.  For both of us.   

So in the end, I never really even looked for a job.  For many different reasons.

So what do I do all day?  Sit in front of the tv eating bonbons?  I wish!  But we don't even have cable, so that wouldn't be too fun.  I try to find a mix of relaxing and being productive.  Here's a little glimpse into my days:

• I spend a LOT of time reading.  It's kind of like the productive alternative to watching TV, right?  I'm always up for a good book recommendation!
• While I had morning sickness, I watched a lot of movies and TV series on DVD.  It was all I could handle. 
• Since I've been pregnant, I sleep.  A.  LOT.  Since Hyrum goes to bed around 9:30, I take full advantage and get 9.5 hours of sleep almost every night.  (I actually sleep less on weekends.  Go figure.)
• I have played Travel Agent for the last year.  It's amazing how much time it can take to research transportation, parking, good restaurants, best time of year to go, best locations for hotels, etc.  I consider myself pretty good, now, having planned 10+ trips.  (Not to mention the trips I researched that we never went on, like Greece.)  
• I cook more.  Back when I was working I looked in awe at the wives who had a casserole in the oven by 5 pm... ready for their husbands when they walked in from work.  (I always walked in the door after work and wondered, "hmm, whats for dinner?")  Now I get it.  I have plenty of time to cook.  
• All the things I used to do on the weekend-- now I do them during the day.  Which gives Hyrum and I more time to spend together.  The cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry, budgeting, Dr. appointments, car repairs, and other errands that seem to take forever...  
• I organized our house. November and December were filled with trips to Ikea, assembling furniture, unpacking boxes, organizing shelves, and hauling things down to our storage shelf.  I'm glad our house is finally in order!
• I have time to exercise.  Back when I was more active (read: didn't have a 7-month baby inside of me) it was nice to go for a run, and now I try to walk, or go to the pool.  There's certainly no excuse that I don't have time...  I sometimes find other excuses (like the heat), but I've been fairly consistent. 
• I started this blog!  You're welcome. :)

There are things I miss about working, like accomplishing SO much in one day, and then going home to accomplish even more.  Also, I miss feeling like I was contributing something to the world--making a difference one label at a time, as my case might have been.  I liked having power to make decisions that impacted operations, and feeling respected by those around me for my abilities.  In some ways I miss the routine of each weekday, which made the weekends more exciting to look forward to.  

But I don't miss the stress.  Or the stress.  Or the stress.  No one to report to, no deadlines, no fires to put out, no team projects.  No stress.  In fact, if I could describe my life here in Germany it would be "stress-free".  It's been an interesting season of life, which I will enjoy for the last few months as I prepare for the next season: motherhood.  Bring on the stress of a crying baby.  I'm ready for it.