Playing house

This week the parents of the three kids we shuttle around every day are in California, therefore, Jaosn and I are mom and dad for a week. I must say, I'm enjoying living in a mansion. I'm especially enjoying the housekeeper that comes every day. She can fold a fitted sheet into a perfect square! This woman has serious talent. We leave for school with breakfast dishes in the sink, we come home and they're clean and back in the cabinet they came from. The bathroom sink has fresh cups every day so you can get a drink at night, or in the morning. It's like staying in a hotel with full turn-down service. I'm sure if I asked her, she would leave a chocolate on my pillow for me. The milk man is coming tomorrow. Good thing, because we're almost out. Before this job, I didn't even know the milk man still existed. He does, and his milk is fantastic and organic, of course.
There are downsides to the mansion lifestyle though. First of all, in a four-story home built in the early 1900's, it can be tricky to avoid the drafts. I was told last month,s heating bill was over $700. Bummer. Also, when you're on the first floor and a child you need could be on one of 3 other floors, it can take a lot of exploring to actually find them - especially when they're out of yelling range. But, it sure was nice to get up early this morning and walk down the hall to the workout room and use the exercise bike while watching Today on NBC.
I'm glad I'm not a real mom yet (do you have any homework? is not a favorite topic around here) and I don't have to deal with this kid stuff every day, but, it is kind of fun - just for the week.

Okay, here's the part where I vent for a few lines:
I am really, really sick of my job. I am currently an administrative assistant at a counseling center. I really believe in the ministry I am contributing to, and most of the counselors are people I genuinely like and get along with. The problem is that I am an assistant. I've always known I was naturally a leader, but I thought I could be a good assistant too. I've discovered I was mistaken. I do a good job, but I am bored out of my mind. I am also frustrated due to my boredom and this is breeding resentment. The people my resentment has been directed towards lately probably only deserve a tenth of the anger I feel inside, yet it's there nearly every day and it's only getting worse. "We need more mugs upstairs"...I think, "get them yourself! What do I look like? I have work to do too you know!" Then I remember, oh yeah, that's in my job description. Answer the phones, schedule the meetings, tally the results of this survey, type up this letter, help me write this essay, email these people, take notes during this meeting, we need more office supplies, we're out of bottled water, write up this two page document in the next 5 minutes! Am I giving you a taste? Silly me for thinking I can handle any job for 6 months. I took this position as a temporary 6 month position knowing it wasn't a perfect fit, but hey, it was a job and I needed a job.
Out of it all I have learned a tremendous amount about my personality, my strengths and my glaring weaknesses. Part of my frustration stems from the knowledge that a job I am much better suited for waits for me this summer. May 1st is my light at the end of this dark, dark tunnel. Why do I let a light in the distance make the darkness around me seem that much more black. Shouldn't it be turning grey, then a dirty yellow, and finally glorious white? I feel like the shade of black for me gets darker and darker until suddenly, bam! It's light... I don't like this about myself. But, at least I am learning things. I'll take the good and try to apply it in the future. For example, the next time I'm tempted to apply for an administrative assistant position, I'll say to myself, been there, tried that... not so good.