Jonny told the kids that if he got the job at the law firm he interviewed at about a month ago, that we were getting Chinese takeout for dinner, something we never do. If he got this job, it would be a big deal. At the end of the day of interviews, he was told by the hiring manager that he would hear something within a week. When we closed in on the two-week mark, he was pretty certain that this would end up resulting in yet another phone call to tell him, “We went with another candidate.” That was the case with a North Carolina university, and later with a laboratory outside of Knoxville, TN that kept him waiting for an answer for two long months. Then there was the pharmaceutical company that seemed like a strong possibility, and one that wouldn’t require a move right away. Though when we learned they had been indicted by the Department of Justice, we felt a little unsure about whether or not he really wanted that job. I was a little bit relieved when he didn’t get it.
I was teaching my Monday biology class when I looked down to see a text on my phone. Jonny had written, “We are eating Chinese food tonight!” I may have screamed. I ran from the room shouting that he got the job, the best possible job at the law firm. I hugged some friends and then did my best to get refocused on biology.
Everything moved really quickly after that because they wanted him to start the following Monday. We had lots to do to get him ready. For the past eleven years, Jonny has worked from home. The new job requires nice clothes (he had very little outside of his interview suit), shaving (every day instead of every month or two), and commuting. He is gone for more than 12 hours every day because the commute takes over two hours one way. This is life for many who live in our area and work in D.C.
Over the years, I have been asked many times how I do all that I do or how I make time for things like knitting. One answer is that I choose things such as ending the day with knitting or a book rather than making my house spotless for the next day. Or I spend the afternoon dyeing yarn and then realize I have no idea what we are having for dinner. (I’m not always the best meal planner.) But something that I may have taken for granted was the cooperation between Jonny and me. There was an unspoken rhythm there that I didn’t quite see until it was broken. Right now, I am struggling to get just the basics of housekeeping and homeschooling done. I finish with the younger kids, and then it’s time to help with the older ones. (I’ve got two teenage boys who hate to write and are taking some writing-intensive classes this year. I could spend hours upon hours helping them.) I think about getting down to my studio to work, but then realize that I’ve got to do some housework or I’ll go crazy from the mess. (Yes, everyone has chores and pitches in, but no, no one really cleans and helps to my standards and without being reminded.) When Jonny was working from home, his schedule was flexible and he also had all those hours that he now spends commuting to help with kids and housework so that I could get things done as well. We still frequently felt a little like we were drowning, because raising a big family is a lot of work, but we had a system of sorts.
To tell the truth, having Jonny work from home caused me a lot of stress over the years. It was hard to keep the children away from him so he could work and a couple of years ago I started praying for a change, for a job that would take him out of the house. There have definitely been days in the last year that the words, “Be careful what you pray for,” went through my head. But now Jonny has what seems to be the best possible job, and despite the commute and all that shaving he has to do, he’s happier than I’ve seen him in years. And despite the fact that I realize that I’ll never get my house cleaned up now, I’m happier too because the stress of worrying about whether or not he is able to get his work done has been lifted.
Last weekend, the first after Jonny started the new job, he went on his new firm’s biennial retreat. We went straight from a week of barely seeing him, to having him gone all weekend. I had a wedding to photograph on Saturday, a twelve-hour workday for me. We wouldn’t have planned things that way, but it all worked out. I called him from the road on Saturday night after the wedding and he was so excited about all the people he was meeting and I was full of all that positive wedding energy. It felt really good, like we are in a new and exciting phase of our lives.
So here we are! After a year of under employment, Jonny’s at work full time. We are both exhausted, but so thankful. God answered my prayers. Now, I have a wedding to edit, kids to homeschool, and laundry to fold amongst other things. But,hey! I know what we are having for dinner tonight! Now I’ve just got to make it.
p.s. Lark baked the first cake (pumpkin spice topped with pumpkin spice macarons) for our church’s annual cake walk. I heard it was really yummy. I tasted the macarons, and they definitely were! My girls won the second cake. Mabel chose it for the Frozen theme. So fancy!
p.p.s. Mabel gets so dirty.
Taryn @ WoolyMossRoots says
That’s really exciting. So happy for you guys Ginny!
Sue says
Wonderful news, Ginny! So happy for you all. God is Good!
Emily DeArdo says
Yayyyyyy!!!! Congratulations!!!!!
I wanted those little macarons SO BADLY. One day I will screw my courage to the sticking place and make them. 🙂
Ibti says
I am so happy for you, after being quite worried, all the way down here in South Africa! God bless you and your family.
karen says
I am so happy for you and your family! One less thing to worry about and then more worries added over other stuff. My kids are grown and gone and my house is tidy, one day your house will be tidy too 🙂
Lana says
Congratulations to your husband! My husband worked from home for many years too and it is a hard adjustment for sure to let them go but I do remember the stress of having the kids home and trying to keep the noise down when he was in meetings on the phone. Our closest couple friends retired from the VA commute to DC lifestyle. We had prayed for couple friends for two years and He sent them here to retire. He made that drive for 38 years and I don’t think he misses it much.
Our five always had chores and did them so badly no matter how much we tried to follow behind and check. In some ways I was glad to take all of them over and really get things clean after they were all grown.
I love that your kids get dirty! There was a poem in one of my Mom’s cookbooks about children playing in a meadow and getting dirty and then taking baths at the end of the day. It was written like a recipe and I loved it. We were always allowed to play in mud and get so dirty and it is such a fond memory that I am thankful.
Ginny says
Dear Lana, It really helps to hear that your kids did their chores badly! I guess this is just how it is, and I can understand being glad to take over again after they are grown and having a truly clean house!
Angelina Tharp says
I am living this same adjustment. After 10 years of having my husband work from home and be constantly available to my four kids and myself, he was let go from his job in late January. He was blessed to find a new job in May and we moved 1/2 way across the country in June. Now we are in a new city, away from family and friends and without dad all day. He is so happy with his new job. God is good and we are all slowly finding our rhythm in a new city without daddy all day.
Paige Kemper says
Aaah Ginny that is soo exciting. St Joseph pray for him. We have had some new recent changea and it is kind of invigorating eveb if it is hectic. Congratulations to Johnny
Cathy says
Congratulations to you both, and hats off for keeping heads above water. So important for you both to have work you relish.
Shannon Dennis says
I’m so happy to read this and the excitement in it. God bless you all in this new beginning. ♥️
Barbara says
Congratulations on the new job and your new life ?. One of the things I enjoy the most about your blog (besides the photography and…) is seeing how dirty your kids get! What an absolute delight for them and for me.
Thank you for letting them be children ?
Lou says
Sooooo happy, happy for you all! Just love your blog and do find time for yourself. Housekeeping is overrated. :))
Marilyn says
Congratulations to John on his new job. Hopefully you can get more time for yourself eventually. Love the cakes. They look delicious. God Bless you and your family.
Marilyn
Holly N. says
That’s wonderful news—I am praying for your family as you adjust to the new schedule 🙂 The cakes are lovely, and Mabel’s cute little smudged face made me smile—life is busy, messy and beautiful, isn’t it? I’m also glad to hear there’s still time for knitting—I am taking a knitting class and am a beginner—but I find reading or knitting just gives me a sense of calm and peace at the end of the day 🙂 Maybe on his commute you can send Jonny with some good audio books or podcasts—they really help pass the time 🙂
Monique says
That is great news! It will take some getting used to and it certainly doesn’t make things any easier for you, but as your littles get older everything will get easier. My husband started a new job last year and we had to live apart for 8 months because the drive was just too far to do every day. So he would commute home on Friday nights and then head back on Mondays ( early!). It wasn’t ideal but he was so much happier in his new job and I think it made us appreciate the other person more. Just make sure to take time for yourself every day…you need that to recharge and be the best mom you can be….and the house just gets dirty again anyway ;). Hugs to you.
Eva says
What great news! With Johnny gone so much of the time and possibly a bit more disposable income, would it be an option to hire housecleaners to come in regularly and at least take over some of that? I’m serious! There is no shame in asking (or paying!) for help when you can’t do it all, even if you don’t work outside the house.
Julie C says
I agree with Eva.
Gwen says
I agree. If you could afford someone to come and do the bathrooms and the kitchen, that would probably be a great help…or start paying the girls to complete. My daughter-in-law stays home and homeschools their 3 kids (nothing like you do), but she has someone come over every other week and it’s such a blessing for her.
Ginny says
We probably won’t have disposable income for a while, but when and if we do, you can bet I will hire someone to come and help with the house!
Bree says
God is so good always! Quick question, in the 7th picture, what is the item with the bird material? I’m wondering if it is a bag or little girls dress and do you have the pattern? 🙂 Thanks!
Bree
Ginny says
It’s a little project bag that I bought from https://www.instagram.com/theresa.blackstone/
She periodically sells things she makes on IG. 🙂
Lacy says
All things in God’s time, not our time. It’s a hard lesson for me, as I want things to move quickly (in my time). Having to wait and pray is frustrating for me. But in the end, yes, in the end all works out as it should. And I might add, even better then we pray for (smile).
Congratulations to everyone! A new adventure awaits!
PS.I bet that Chinese dinner was fantastic!
Marion says
Ginny I am so happy for you and your family on the new job. Success and happiness for you. Love the cakes especially the Frozen one.
Marion
Joan says
Congratulations to Johnny on his new job. The cakes are lovely.
Joan
Martha says
So, so happy for your good news! I’m sure you will continue to figure out all the kinks in the new schedule and eventually get in a good rhythm with it all. Thankful to our good Father for His provision.
Lisa G. says
Well, congratulations, Ginny! And if God enabled this change, He will enable you, too! Just remember that when it gets rough. 🙂 xo
Megan says
Congratulations!! Adjustments are can be so hard, but feel worth it when you know it’s a good fit. When my husband was working 12 hour night shifts, 6 days a week, it was a huge change for our family. But gradually, I figured out what I could let go of, and what I needed to add. I was really surprised that one of the essential things I needed was a babysitter and regular craft nights with friends, a great habit that got me over some of the loneliness of long days without my guy around and really cemented stronger friendships in my life. I wonder what new habits you might be surprised by?
It’s always good to hear your voice here!
Andrea says
Congratulations! Years of my husband having long commutes and working out of town have pushed me to my limits physically at times; but this season in our lives here in my family has strengthened my bonds with my kids as they have stepped in with compassion and fortitude to help me (and each other) out and has also helped my husband and to appreciate and enjoy each others’ company more when we can be together. I pray that God gives you all strength through this season in your lives and blesses you all in new ways as well.
Leslie F says
Congrats to Jonny on what sounds like an AWESOME opportunity!
Your lovely blog has encouraged me to seek out others featuring moms with large families – I have recently begun watching Jamerrill Stewart’s video’s on YouTube and checking her blog on a regular basis – she is also a homeschooling Christian mom of 8 in Virginia (I think near Winchester). While her personality appears to be completely different from yours, you ladies are BOTH amazing to me! My boys are young adults now but as a mother of two who worked full time, there was always something falling through the cracks! Please know that no matter how chaotic or messy or crazy your life may seem right now, you are an inspiration to me and to many others!
Thanks for sharing the journey will all of us!
PS – Larkspur’s cake looks like a professional did it – very impressive!
Antonia says
Happy for you all!!
Jennifer King says
Oh, Hooray!! I’m so happy that Johnny found a good job. The commute sounds like a bear, but I’m glad the upside is that it’s helped eliminate the stress of him being home. It sounds like a big adjustment, but I’m sure you’ll find your groove.
Laurel says
What wonderful news for your family, Ginny! So happy for you!!
New routines and rhythms can prove challenging, but I’m praying you all find your groove quickly.
Kate says
Congratulations! I guess the best part is that you don’t have to move.
I can relate to having a husband working at home. My husband has been working at home since 2000. I (and the kids) have enjoyed having him at home, but it can be challenging. Until we moved two years ago, he had his own office space and could close the door on all the distractions and noise. That’s not the case with our new home where we have to be creative with shared space. But we also have fewer children at home now and no little ones which cuts down on noise. I have felt over the years that I’ve drawn him into the home drama more than I should have and to the detriment of getting his work done in a timely way. Thankfully, he prefers working at night anyway. We have shared a lot of the driving responsibility over the years. He’s an extrovert so he doesn’t mind getting out and away from his desk for his sanity.
Maybe your big boys will now fill in for Jonny at home. There is season for everything.
Ginny says
Yes, so thankful we don’t have to move! I do not have the energy for that!
Alicia P. says
FANTASTIC. I’m ecstatic for you guys. Well done! XOXO
Nancy Perkins says
I found this post to be very inspirational, it reminded me to keep working hard during the difficult times and to always have faith in God’s love. Thank you for sharing, so honestly and eloquently, the daily joys and challenges of your beautiful family.
Lorna says
Well, being in an unemployment boat ourselves, I am so glad this difficulty is lifted from you and yours. What does your husband do professionally? The drive will be a challenge, no doubt.
Ginny says
I’m praying unemployment ends for you soon! Jonny is a patent agent. 🙂
Ann says
I’m happy for you and your family. There will be many opportunities for the kids to participate in chores and meal preparation, they just need an organization plan and guidance. I too came from a large family and my Mother became very good at organizing and delegating. All seven of my younger brothers became very good at cooking and that went a long way to help them as they became adults as not all of their wives do much cooking. They learned to do their own laundry too! Our house was never really super clean but it didn’t really matter.
Sending peace to you and yours.
Kelly says
I am so grateful for this update. I have been praying and sacrificing for suitable employment for Jonny. Thank You, Lord!
Veronika says
I am so happy for you and your family.
Lady Locust says
Congrats!!!! Changes and new routines are certainly a challenge but often have positive outcomes ? So happy for you all!
Missy says
Yay! What wonderful news for you all! I get the shaving thing. My husband wouldn’t know what hit him if he had to shave every day. I hope he can use his time to listen to some good books. Think of all the “reading” time he has now.
Nancy M says
Congratulations! The gift of a job! We experienced this but it was 2 years of waiting. It is hard especially on a husband with a family to provide for. The Lord is good always- and to those who call upon Him & trust in Him. Yes, be gentle on yourself with your Hashimotos and take moment by moment as to what you can do & accomplish. Blessings and you’ll get in the groove of these new changes. ?
Jennifer says
Hi Ginny! Been awhile since I commented, but I’m happy for you all. It is an adjustment for all but soon you realize you are aback in a new rhythm! Will you all need to move?
Ginny says
No, we don’t have to move! I’m so grateful. 🙂
Christi {Jealous Hands} says
Glory to God! Happy with you for this change for your family! And, congratulations to Jonny! xo
Eileen says
Congrats Ginny and Johny! My husband commuted 90 mins each way to work daily for 27 years, it was an adjustment at first but we made it work. For me, the trick was to be patient to myself and everyone in the house. Best of luck to you both.
Your pictures are beautiful!!!!!
Tonya Gunn says
So happy for you Ginny – and I know what you mean about working at home with both parents… some days I love it and others i feel more relaxed when Mike goes off for one of his part-time jobs.
Kate says
Congratulations on the new job for Johnny. I have been checking in often to find out how things are going for you and your family. I am very happy for you!
Even though we’ve never met I feel like friends. I love seeing all that you do with fibers and one day should be able to purchase some.
Thank you for taking the time to share on this blog. Enjoy the Chinese dinner!
Lindsay says
We are in a similar season of changes. My husband started his own business and I started teaching full time. I am learning that I have to lower my standards for housekeeping/organization. I am also trying to learn how to say “no” so that I don’t take on other commitments.
Stacy says
Such happy news…..congratulations!
Bindy in Australia says
Congratulations to Johnny! Good on you for finding ways to adjust, Ginny….It’s not easy, and it’s for a particular season. I hope that Johnny continues to find the workplace and people to be good and kind to him. Much love to all of you!
Linda says
Yeh!!! congratulations on your husbands new job 🙂 ..and that cake !!! (well both cakes looked lovely), but I truly thought the Pumpkin spice cake was made by a professional baker. I think the decorating is just exquisite !!! 🙂 I would love a cake like that for myself. Blessings to you ~ Linda
Fiona says
Such wonderful news. God bless you all.
mamasmercantile says
I am thrilled for you all, congratulations.
Elizabeth says
I am so very happy to hear this! An adjustment but it sounds like a wonderful beginning ♡ May God bless you all! ♡
Vera Unwin says
I am so glad for you as I have felt sad by your circumstances. H prayed often for you all. Now i pray johnny will find great christian colleagues and that both spiritually and financially it will prove the best move ever. for yourself that your strength will improve and that you will cope with the change better than you ever th0ught possible. you are a treasure to us all and we have much to thank you for in your willingness to tell us all the ups and the downs of your life. your kids are adelight and i love to know all about them the big ones and the little ones.
May Gods blessing surround you each day as you trust him and walk in his way