Home away from home

So today was the first day away from home and it is pretty good, work is hectic, but when isn't is, and hubby is missing me. It is always nice to be missed. So last night I was pretty shocked when hubby sent TM an email and she was polite and seemed to be on board with all the changes to the schedule. Basically Hubby just told her that because of his new counseling schedule he would not be able to see SD on Tuesdays and she was fine with it and asked to change weekends because her sister is coming out to visit. She just told him to pick whatever weekend, it didn't matter to her. He sent back the weekend I told him (basically just saying the Saturday day (like she did in her email) and she sends back an email asking to elaborate on the day because that day is a Wednesday. If she looked at her calendar she would see that the day was a Saturday next month, but what ever. It just reminds me that if we don't spell things out for her she doesn't get it. I picked that weekend because the Monday is a holiday which means hubby's weekend is extended an extra day since he did give up a day (no, it's not able to be made up because he gave it up do to my being out of town and him not able to drive) so there is no word if this is okay with TM or not. I guess if she takes the weekend that means it's okay.
So being away today got me thinking about my life and things that are going on. Things like I'm thankful I have a job that allows me to travel. I get to meet my new stepsister. I get to meet people I talk to on the phone and put a face to a name. No matter what, I get to learn new things and experience new things. When I travel I make sure I work out at least three times a week. I also eat less and get a lot of work done. It makes Hubby realize just how much I do in our home, when he has to do it all himself. We talk more because we seem to have the need to reconnect and hubby misses me, as do the puppies. Since I travel about once per quarter it is just enough to stay fresh and just enough so it doesn't get tiring and old. I also try to plan my trips away for the times we have SD, this time just didn't work out that way, or I plan really fun things on my trips. I went to see my dad and stepmom during my training a few months ago and I'm seeing my brother and niece on my next training session. I usually go to some fun place, at least once, and see something new. I don't know if that is translated to TM, as SD usually tells us when her mom is traveling or doing something cool, and I know that SD hates that I do all of this without her, but she also realizes, to an extent, that this is a perk of my job. A job that I got by going to college and getting a degree. Something that really bothers me is the fact that TM tells SD that she doesn't need to go to college and she doesn't need a degree, look at how successful she is. The thing TM doesn't tell SD is that she is stuck in her job with no chance of advancement because she has not degree. Yes, she makes a decent amount for someone without a degree, but all she can look forward to is the normal raises, no advancement. The woman works about 50 -60 hours a week which means she makes about 17-19 bucks an hour and at my job I make 17 bucks an hour, yes I make less but I also work less. Something that killed Hubby when he was married was the fact TM worked so many hours and did not have time for the family. Money doesn't matter if you don't have family time. There is also that fact that I'm just starting on my career. In 4 years I went from being an hourly associate to a supervisor and I am in training to be a manager, making a whole lot more then I make now and a whole lot more then Hubby or TM. And that is why I think an education is so valuable. You can climb the corporate ladder and deligate and still make the bucks. :)