Decision Makin' Time

Today I am tired, like really tired. I don't hurt and I'm not too sore...just tired. I know this is a pretty crappy way to start off BUT it leads into why I have to make a decision.

I work the 3rd shift in a bakery, makin' donuts from scratch. Sometimes I have to do other baking as well, like baking muffins, danish, and breads. It is an easy job and I get paid very well for what I do; but I work the 3rd shift, and I have done this for the past 5 years.

I know people are gonna say "big deal", but I also have 2 children. And, until this year they hadn't been in school for a full day. I refused to put them in daycare programs, mostly out of selfish reasons of wanting to raise my own children. I mean people can function on 4 hours of sleep a day right?!? Martha Stewart is rumored to only sleep for 4 hours a night, I could do it.

Boy was I WRONG! After years of sleep deprivation I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and high blood pressure. Fun stuff, especially at 29. I'm not complaining, the diagnosis was just a shock at my age (although I am in the range of typical onset). I believe that my 'I can do it all" attitude brought it on faster than it would have had I been a little more relaxed about life.

So this brings me to my decision, my decision to go part time at work. I really don't want to chance losing my health insurance but I really can't keep doing it all. I need to slow down, a little. I want to be able to enjoy my family, my life and everything else....like the lavender out front or the cobwebs in the corner.

I just put my kids on the bus off to school, both of them all day at school now. My son forgot his lunch, I have to drive it to his school now, it's a 20 min drive one way. And, again I am not complaining but I also have class this afternoon and I have been awake since 7pm last night. I am gooing to get maybe a 2 hour nap before class, then after class my kids get home from school. I then have to get dinner together and get ready for work...somethings gotta give right?!? I don't want to have to worry about these small things all the time, like when I am going to fit in sleep (something that is a necessity for most people, it has become an option for me).

So I ask myself, Is it time for me to down-grade to part-time employee?