A Bittersweet Thursday: Family Goodbyes and a Big Work Goal
Well, today is going to be one of those bittersweet days. Trevor, Melissa, Kyndall, and Liam will be leaving around noon, and I have to admit, my heart is a little sad about it.
I really don’t feel like I got to spend as much time with them as I would have liked. Trevor even mentioned that he didn’t feel like he got enough time with me either, and I completely understand that feeling.
But as I told him, when I go to North Dakota to visit them, it is a little different. When I’m there, I pretty much have their undivided attention. Unless Trevor has to work, they don’t have anywhere else they need to be or a dozen other people they are trying to visit.
When they come to Oklahoma and Texas, though, there are so many friends and family members who want to see them. I completely understand that. Everyone wants a little piece of their time while they are here, and I certainly can’t blame anyone for that.
So instead of dwelling on the fact that the visit went by way too quickly, I’m choosing to be thankful for the time we did have together.
And I’m already thinking about a possible trip to North Dakota in October. If everything works out, I’d like to go for about four days. I don’t think I need to stay a really long time. What I really want is some good, uninterrupted, one-on-one family time. Sometimes those shorter visits can be pretty special.
I also can’t get over how much Kyndall has grown! That girl is getting so tall, and she is becoming so independent. And Liam—well, he is becoming quite the little independent guy himself.
The best part is seeing how happy and healthy these two babies are. You can tell they are loved, well-fed, well-cared-for, and yes…probably a little spoiled! And you know what? That’s exactly how grandchildren are supposed to be.
Kudos to Trevor and Melissa. They are doing a wonderful job raising those babies.
Now, About That Work Goal…
And then there is work.
Y’all know I have talked about how stressful work has been about a million times, so I’m sure nobody is surprised that I’m going to talk about it again today!
Yesterday, I saved 15 members.
Fifteen!
So this morning, my manager, Sherry, looked at me and said, “Hey Karen, today your goal is 20.”
I think I may have choked just a little bit.
Twenty?! 😂
But I told her, “Well, I’ll give it a whirl!”
And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
The more saves I get, the better my paycheck can be—assuming those memberships stay on the books for the required two months. So I’m really trying to get my numbers up and put a little extra money in my pocket on payday.
With Christmas coming, every little bit helps!
I’m also going to work through my lunch today and stay an extra hour. I’m trying to make up some of the hours I missed Tuesday when I had to leave early, and staying later gives me another hour of opportunities to make those saves.
So today I’m going to buckle down, make those phone calls, and do my best to make every single member interaction count.
Twenty saves, Karen. Let’s see what you’ve got!
Taking Care of Mr. C
After work, I’ll probably pick up something for us to eat on the way home.
Mr. C told me this morning that he has a sore throat and isn’t feeling all that great. I don’t know if he’s coming down with a little summer cold, if he’s simply exhausted, or if his body is telling him to slow down.
Whatever it is, I don’t want him overdoing himself.
I’ve got enough on my plate worrying about everybody else. I certainly don’t need my husband wearing himself out, too!
Since I’m normally good about leaving work at 3:30, staying until 4:30 will feel like a long day. But I’m determined to make the most of it.
A Special Project From Trevor and Melissa
There is one more thing I’m really looking forward to working on.
Trevor and Melissa picked out a special book for me. It’s one of those “tell me your story, Mom” books where you fill in pages by answering different prompts about your life.
I absolutely love the idea.
My goal is to work on it a little at a time over the next several months. Maybe one or two pages every day. It may take me longer than I expect, but that’s okay.
I don’t want to rush through it.
There are so many memories, stories, experiences, lessons, and little pieces of my life that I want to put down on paper. Someday, my children may look through that book and learn things about their mom that they never knew.
And honestly, that makes me smile.
Making the Most of Today
So that’s my Thursday.
A little sadness because my family is leaving.
A little gratitude because I got to have them here.
A big work goal staring me in the face.
A husband who needs to take it easy.
And a special book waiting for me to fill its pages.
Life really does keep moving, doesn’t it?
Today I’m going to focus on what I can control. I’m going to make my phone calls, work hard, make every opportunity count, and see just how close I can get to that crazy goal of 20 saves.
And when I get home, I’m going to enjoy the quiet and probably miss those four crazy kids who have filled our house with so much life over the past several days.
Goodbyes are never easy.
But I’m thankful that I have people worth missing.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to read my blog. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed Thursday.
Cheers,
Karen ❤️
