A New Beginning (Again)

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Here we go again.  Into the great unknown.  Job change.  Ugh.

David and I have been married 5 years and together for 8.  We’ve gone through quite a bit in our relatively short time together.  We were only together for 3 weeks when he accepted a promotion with P.F. Chang’s at a new location in the great state of Iowa.  I went with him.  <<<—–  That link right there gives you a nice little synopsis on our history together.

When he made the decision to leave P.F. Chang’s one year and 4 months ago, we were both excited.  His new job took him to downtown Phoenix, to a higher end steakhouse where he would be able to truly flex his culinary muscles.  For the first 8 months, he loved it.  He developed an amazing team and was producing awesome results both culinarily (I just made that word up) and profit-wise.  Things started to change last summer.  He started to have to work longer hours to control labor.  He had another kidney stone and then, this fall, was diagnosed with diverticulitis.  His health issues were exacerbated by the stress of his job and the numbers corporate were requiring him to provide.  He began regularly working 12-13 hours per day, sometimes 6 days per week.

Then, he started drawing again.  And I am such a dirtbag wife, that I had completely forgot he used to draw.  Back in the beginning of our relationship, I recall seeing some of his artwork and being completely blown away by his sheer raw talent.  But work, kids, moving, all that shit, got in the way and I forgot.  He loves Dragonball Z.  Seriously, we have 45 million vhs tapes in a box somewhere (Note to self:  check out ebay).  So he started printing off images and drawing them.  He is good.

This is a replication. I don't know about you but I sure couldn't draw this.

I encouraged him to create some original artwork.  Problem:  He was working too damn much!

I was getting irritated by the hours and the boys…  Well, they would get pissed.  Pissed and then sad that Daddy had to work so much.  Nothing broke my heart more than hearing the following conversation transpire between the boys and their dad:

“Daddy, you off tomorrow?”

“No, buddy.  Daddy has to work.”

“See you tomorrow, Daddy?”

“No, I’m sorry buddy.  Daddy won’t be home til late.”

“Awwwww, no daddy!”

G.U.T.W.R.E.N.C.H.I.N.G.

A few weeks ago, my husband came to me and said, “What if I got a different job, making about 10k less per year, but with a lot less hours AND a lot less stress.”  I didn’t know what to think of it, to be honest.  I know that he has been working a ridiculous amount of hours lately, only seeing the boys for a total of 4 hours per week.  I know that the stress of his job likely has a lot to do with his health issues, but the thought of taking a 10k a year pay cut kinda made me a little weak in the knees.  I posted the question on facebook to my amazing community of friends.  We had over 60 comments.  <<<<——It’s pinned to the top for easy reference.

Every single commenter shared a similar sentiment:  GO FOR IT!

So I prayed about it.  After all, I just took my own leap of faith a few short months ago and have been blessed immeasurably.

So he is going to do it.  WE are going to do it.  Together.

I’ve hammered out the budget.  I’m ready to cut back.

He will be heading back to P.F. Chang’s in a few short weeks.  He will no longer be the big boss.  He will be a Sous Chef.  But he is okay with that.  Being a chef isn’t his dream.  It was a way to pay the bills.  His dream is to actually follow his dreams, if that makes sense.  He doesn’t know exactly what that is, but that is part of the adventure.  My dear friend, Doyin, from Daddy Doin’ Work, helped us to conceptualize a way for him to possibly make an income through his art, which we are both more than eager to pursue.  Adventure awaits, my friends.

He does know that he wants to be an integral part of the boys lives.   He just wants to be there.  He wants to leave work at work.  He doesn’t want to have a corporate figurehead breathing down his neck all the time.  He wants to go to work, come home, enjoy his wife (ahem), play with his kids  and pursue his dreams and if he can do that for a mere 10k less per year, then I am with him 150%.

We cannot wait to see what the future brings.