If you don’t already know, I’ve been off of work for the last year after having my first baby. Today’s the last day of my leave, and tomorrow I return to full-time work at the library.

I can’t complain about returning to work. For one thing, I’m incredibly lucky to live in an area where I’m given the opportunity to stay home for such a long time with my little one. A lot of people don’t get that kind of time off, so I’m very grateful for what I’ve had. And, of course, I like my job. I love being a librarian, and I always knew I’d eventually be heading back to work. I’m looking forward to being a “professional” again (although I am going to miss my yoga/sweat/pajama pants!)

Still, it’s going to be hard. For me, for my son, and for my husband, too. It’ll be a huge adjustment period, and I suspect for the next month or so, I’m going to be exhausted. I also figure it’ll probably take some time before I’m back into the writing swing, which means a serious lull in my work there. It’s a bit of a sad time, and a scary time, but I know it’ll be okay once we’re settled into our new routine.

And I thought it might do me well to remind myself of some of the things I accomplished in my year off. I raised a newborn into a near-toddler, for starters. That’s the most important–and absolute best–way I used my time, and it was the reason I had that time in the first place! But I also read some great books (not to mention the entire Grimm collection!), I wrote stories I love, and I even got my first novel published! It was not, in any sense, wasted time. It was simply the greatest.

So there are just a few of my rambling thoughts. I’ll try to do an update once a few weeks have passed. In the meantime, wish me luck as I return to work!