When opportunity arrives
Posted on | January 17, 2012 | 14 Comments
My nearly three year old Sprout settles into my arms in a familiar way that I can’t even describe. It is a language we share, between our bodies. Another way of saying LOVE, this thing that we do, folding into each other, his small arms and legs wrapped around my torso, the heft of him against my hip.
We haven’t seen each other all day, and now he reaches up and brushes my bangs out of my eyes and says, “I want to rub noses.” And so we rub noses like seals.
Across the room Bean is drawing on an index card. In another minute he brings it to me. On one side: a red heart with an arrow through it surrounded in blue. On the other, a cheetah with brown spots and a yellow sun.
“You are the cheetah, Mommy,” he explains.
He’s right. I am. I am going thisfast.
T is at the stove stirring tortilla soup. It smells heavenly, and when he looks up to greet me and his smile turns my heart into helium.
Bean shows me the picture he’s draw for T. On the front, a heart that matches mine. On the back, a tall tree with the sun above it.
“Daddy is a tree with big strong roots and he reaches up to the sky and he’s surrounded by the sun. I’m the sun, and Sprout is a lion who plays with you.” He explains happily.
Sun, Tree, Cheetah, Lion. I love how he’s captured some small truth about each of us exactly.
So. I started a job this week that combines my love of story and creative work, with my superpowers in strategy and social media. I am now the Emerging Media Strategist at a super cool design firm here in Vermont. I’ll be almost full time until I graduate, and then definitely full time after that. It’s a new position, with a lot of culture changing momentum behind it, and I’m surrounded by some of the best and the brightest people imaginable. I’m thrilled.
It is also, of course, a shift for our little family. I had every intention of working once I graduated, but none of us expected the right opportunity would arrive right now. We’re making a new roadmap. Finding a part time nanny. Exploring ways to make everything that needs to happen effortlessly and well.
And the truth is, I’ve always been one of those people who loves to work; who wants to be full time, full on, engaged, motivated, connecting, moving and shaking things up. And when n I think about what they’re getting, my two boys, by having a mama who sparkles when she talks about the creative, awesome work she does… I know it’s the just right opportunity to do this now.
And of course, I’ll be blogging about the process pretty regularly here: about the choreography of equipoise—of making time for the things that count, and doing them. And I’m curious about your stories…
I want to year more about your experiences navigating work and parenthood in whatever context you navigate that. What do you love? What makes your heart ache? What are your truest insights?
Also… PART 2 of the CREATIVE PROCESS post is coming up on Friday. And a post very soon about my 33 before 33 list progress. Also expect some news and sparkle and possibly even a love letter on my birthday. GRIN.
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14 Responses to “When opportunity arrives”
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I am Christina Rosalie
Hello. I'm so happy you've stopped by!
I am a multimedia storyteller, digital strategist, idea starter, stalker of wonder, finder of four leaf clovers, MFA graduate student, and mama of boys. My first book,
will be published by SKIRT! Books in September, 2012.
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January 18th, 2012 @ 12:00 am
I guess this doesn’t really belong here, but I so want to share it, it has spurred me into writing for hours since I heard it.
http://podcast.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/454.mp3
This is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever heard on the radio. It will make you want to scream/cry/something, and is well worth your time, or we don’t inhabit the same planet. If you prefer, you can download the podcast from iTunes for $0.99.
Smiles. J
January 18th, 2012 @ 1:12 am
Oh, your job sounds so interesting! I can’t wait to hear more about it. What a wonderful thing these moments where great jobs fall into our laps.
I love working too, although I am so tired. It is hard having the duel life: Mom and Teacher. Both are in their own way thankless, the work invisible to most people around. I try to put my kids first and fit my job around them. Then, once the semester starts, I have to put my job first for a while. It seems to work, and it has gotten easier this year because they have begun to stay home alone for small amounts of time. I still long to do more with my job, but I just can’t manage it right now. I keep thinking that soon enough I will have kids who are all grown up, then I can take more classes and get that PhD. It is hard to wait and hard to hold back, but for me it would be harder to NOT wait. Does that even make sense?
Congratulations on your super cool job. I definitely want to hear all about it. I want to know the nitty-gritty.
xoxo
January 18th, 2012 @ 9:10 am
“when he looks up to greet me and his smile turns my heart into helium.” love love love this line.
January 18th, 2012 @ 9:18 am
Congrats on the job! that’s wonderful news and certainly well deserved! I hope you find the perfect nanny for the boys! They need someone that wants to do Art! I was a nanny for 10 years and LOVED IT! I still miss it sometimes!!!
I can’t wait to hear more about your work, but I also hope you will always keep us updated on your beautiful boys!
xoxo
tara
January 18th, 2012 @ 9:33 am
congratulations on the new job. I am fascinated by it; and the company that is cutting edge enough to create such a position. I look forward to hearing more about it.
January 18th, 2012 @ 11:11 am
Meg~ it definitely didn’t “fall into my lap” …there was quite a bit of positioning and interviewing etc…but there certainly was some ease and grace to it as well. Pretty psyched. Though I hear you about being tired/trying to prioritize your time…
Ramona ~ totally. Will definitely share.
January 18th, 2012 @ 3:59 pm
The job sounds MADE for you! How fun. I love that your job title includes EMERGING. Both the job and your creativity and your lifestyle. Whee! Keep your arms and legs inside the ride, woman.
January 18th, 2012 @ 8:08 pm
congratulations on the job, sounds like a great new adventure. The whole negotiating job/kids aspect speaks to me the most, as it’s how i raised my kids, working full time. I worked in an office full of men who had stay at home wives, so got a fair amount of flack/questioning about it, which was hard.
I do know that it was important for me to work, and we didn’t have the income for one of us to stay home, so that kept the momentum going when questioned.
I do know that i raised two amazing boys (well me and the army of people that helped along with me!) that are independent, motivated, and actually proud of their mother and her creativity and business skills…. so think all in all though a tough road, ultimately maybe a good road for some.
January 19th, 2012 @ 12:31 am
Congratulations on your new job! It sounds very cool and I look forward to hearing about it!
January 19th, 2012 @ 1:43 am
Sorry not to answer your question, but instead I have to say how truly lovely Beans cards are but also how I had to re-read the beginning of this post several times because I could not believe that SPROUT was the nearly 3-year-old. Holy cow. That happened so fast. I cannot believe he’s almost 3! Oh, and congrats on the new position. It sounds perfect for you.
January 19th, 2012 @ 12:30 pm
I am on the cusp of beginning this journey, and imagine a year from now having much more to say about it. But I had one thought for you, which is how much of a foundation you have built with your boys already (together in home life, for yourself in finding your purpose), and how this will help in finding the balance as you begin working full time outside your home. I think one of the struggles of my friends who have worked full time from when the kids were small babies is they never had the chance to build that foundation.
Also-ADORE Bean’s cards, stories! You are a Cheetah woman
Get ready to cross another thing off your 34 before 34 list – even if it’s pouring we’ll go visit the ocean when you’re out here!
January 22nd, 2012 @ 3:18 pm
Congratulations to you and all the best with all your life projects for 2012.
I work and mother, one weaving into the next, spinning around the planets, shifting from one foot to another. I function with observation, kids showing signs of needing time, me feeling like I need time, us feeling like we need time. It’s always imbalanced, but that’s the beauty.
January 24th, 2012 @ 10:12 pm
[...] know I promised you all kinds of things: Part 2, a list, posts full of details and whimsy, but here I am, in the middle of things and all I [...]
January 26th, 2012 @ 8:25 am
Christina,
Lucky you, you work for Michael now?? what a dream job…they’re a blast from my past (via 6 degrees of separation)…does Steve Farrar still work there?
I think you and your writing have been the kick in the pants I’ve needed to move forward on many levels…
and your christening post captured a piece of my heart…and soul…
Patricia