Twelve Years

Today is our twelfth wedding anniversary. Twelfth! I'm just not quite sure where all those years have gone. I have a reasonably clear recollection of the five years since Isabel was born, but that seems to now account for 90% of the time we've been married, while the previous seven years have shrunk to a meagre 10%. What on earth did we do before Isabel was born? It's all very hazy, but I think the answers are probably:

1. Worked too many hours for no extra pay. I used to think it was standard to arrive at work at 8.30am and leave at 7pm. Since my paid hours were 9.30am - 5.30pm this meant I was doing at least a day's overtime each week. How kind of me! Since I was working for my dad at the time, and very much enjoyed what I was doing, I didn't really mind, so I'm not whinging. But looking back, I wish I'd left on time more often and maybe done a course in something completely separate from anything I've done before, like carpentry or auto repair. Just to clarify - I also very much enjoy my current job, but work much more to the clock since having kids. Nothing to do with the job, just a re-balancing of priorities - if a small girl needs feeding then Mum's got to leave the office on time!
   
2. Just popped out for a quick drink, or dinner and a movie, without marshalling a small army of babysitters and other helpers. Again, I wish I'd done this more, but I think that finances may have prevented this!

I've just read a blog by a woman with two sons under five who decided, despite her kids and the fact that she's running her own business, to join the Clipper Round the World Race - she's sailing from the UK to Brazil over the next five weeks. While I'm not suggesting I want to do anything like this, I am looking forward to the day when I can carve out a little slot in my life to do something new and different, whether that's more travelling or just learning something new. However, unlike the sailor lady, I think I'll put this on hold for the next ten years or so, which should give me plenty of time to come up with something interesting! In the meantime, I'll set a short term goal - once Emily turns a year old, and breastfeeding is done with, I'll be getting back to aqua aerobics. Remind me of this next April to make sure I do it!