The Most Challenging Job

Ok, so I feel like the worst mother on the block because my baby is 10 months old and STILL not sleeping through the night. Reading the baby whisperer book will make you feel like a complete failure if this is your situation. Who had time to read it before now?! Also, I'm wondering what the deal is because I just read in this book that all babies by 8 months are pulling up to a standing position in their cribs. Alyssia is almost 11 months old and not pulling up to a standing position. Should I be worried? This came up because I'm reading the section on pick-up, put-down for getting a baby to sleep. I think parenting is a lot more involved than some people think. I admit, before I was a parent, I had no idea it was going to be this hard.

Without a doubt, this is the most consuming job I've ever had. People ask me if I miss my "real job"(being an ALJ). I never hesitate when I answer. NO WAY. Being Alyssia's mom is so much more challenging for me than being an ALJ. She's different every day. She's learning something new every 5 minutes. She is busy, busy, busy. By contrast, after the initial training period and with few exceptions, the ALJ job tended to be the same thing over and over AND OVER again, to the point where I could rattle off my opening spiel in my sleep and usually predict the kind of testimony I would hear. ("I wasn't drinking." "OK, I was drinking, but I wasn't drunk!" "Ok, OK! I was drunk, I was totally drunk, but I wasn't driving!, I swear!") After a year and a half, this can get a bit tedious.

Here I am in my office the day of my swearing in. I was 6 or 7 months pregnant. I don't know why, but they didn't swear us in until we had already been doing the job for 9 months. That was a very proud day. My mom and dad were in town for the occasion and four of the Wrights (Bishop, Mother Wright, David and Angi) were with us too. I think they were all proud of me that day. Ben took us out to our favorite restaurant afterwards. I miss some of my colleagues very much. I was privileged to be sworn in with some great people. I think they are all still there, plugging away!

The next picture was taken at a reception given in D.C. by the National Association of Women Judges. Ben and I attended the dinner when I was 7 months pregnant. It was a very nice evening. My mom made me both of these suits. She's so talented. The night of the reception, I received so many compliments about my suit. (Thanks mom!) It's nice to actually feel pretty when you are that big!

So, this mothering job is more challenging to me and, in my estimation, it's more important too. My old office has 60+ judges making sure drunks don't have licenses and negligent people don't operate day care centers. Alyssia only has one mother! I'm so glad I can be home with her now.

I left the job when Alyssia was 6 months old.

Obviously, finances are tighter than they used to be. Ben is working so hard though, and really, God has blessed him so much that his business seems to be growing every day. Maybe one day when she's older, I'll go back to being an ALJ or doing something else in the law, but for now, I know I'm where I'm supposed to be.

Furthermore, at the end of a hard day at the MVA, I never got a nice sloppy kiss from any of the people whose licenses I confiscated. I probably get 20 unsolicited kisses from Alyssia every day! What a glorious feeling!