Welcome to the Real World

I hate that saying about as much as ...

"Welcome to motherhood..."

"Welcome to the teenage years ..."

"Welcome to hell ... " 

And

"What's the plan for dinner ..."

As if the past eighteen years spent as a stay at home mom I DIDN'T know what the "real" world was like.  I know the people who say this are usually saying it in jest but underneath hmmmmm they really mean ..."welcome to the hell of punching in and punching out, answering to someone else for your actions, being responsible to be where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there or there will be consequences, paying the man, and/or being (possibly not everyone is) miserable for the rest of your life and begging for Friday to get here for those two days of freedom"

I get it.

Or apparently I don't.

But that's okay.

In MY REAL WORLD I have dealt with shitty diapers, vomit, snot, tantrums, diagnosis', grief, countless doctors appointments, prescriptions, finding out who is there for you and who is not, heart ache, loss, finding clever ways to make money for my family, helping raise other people's children, being a good friend, a good wife, the best mom I can be, Autism, depression, anxiety ....

Nah ....that's nothing like the REAL world.

The WORKING world.

But I am about to find out.

And I am ready to take it on like everything else in my life .... With optimism and rose colored glasses which can be a blessing or a curse depending on how it fits into this new job. 

I am helping kids, I am putting my degree to work ...what more could I want.

Let's DO THIS! 

BRING IT ON BABY!