A work friend of mine texted me Saturday morning about an incoming letter from the school district. Apparently, she gets scans of all incoming mail so she knows what will be delivered to her mailbox that day, and she saw that a letter from the district was coming. She hypothesized that it was probably about our new salaries, but not sure. She mentioned it on the group chat thread and another colleague said that when the OTs and PTs got their own salary scale years ago, they got a letter in the mail. I have never been more excited about the mail in my life.
Nick and I were going out and about for the day, so I was worried I'd miss the mail and not get a chance to check it until much later in the day. Just before we left, I thought I'd go check the mailbox even though I hadn't heard the mail truck come by. Lo and behold, the mail had already come and I had a letter from the district! I tore that thing open so fast and couldn't read it fast enough! Our colleague was right - the letter WAS about our new salaries. My letter detailed what my new annual salary would be and it was what I had initially calculated - $83,837!!!! It was so wonderful to see it in writing. I still can't believe it!
Now I'm anxious to find out how much of that I will actually take home per month. My new monthly gross (pre-tax and benefits) amount is $6986, almost *seven thousand dollars*! Of course, I won't actually get that much once Uncle Sam gets his cut and all my benefits are paid for. I calculated that I currently take home 64.80% of my gross monthly salary. If I go by that percentage, then my new monthly take home (net salary) will be $4500! That's $1300 more than I currently take home! Just amazing. I really won't know what to do with all of that extra money. I'm definitely not going to blow it all, that's for sure. I'm going to enjoy being very financially comfortable and count my blessings! They say money isn't everything and you can't buy happiness, but it sure does help!
Meanwhile, my sister Amber has taken a pay cut this year. She dropped down to a .8 position which is 4 days per week but is still considered full time. She wanted to have that extra day with her baby. Even so, she'll still be making about $60,000/year, which is what I was making last year! Not bad for only working 4 days per week. I definitely will be jealous of her having 3 day weekends from now on, but I'm not jealous that she'll just be at home with her baby.
We all know that babies take a lot of work but actually knowing someone personally who has one and what it takes is really eye opening. It has made me realize that I don't have a maternal instinct. If I did, wouldn't I be dying to have babies right now? I'm 33 and have zero interest in it. I know I used to talk about it a lot, but is that what I actually wanted, or did I just think I wanted it because that's what society expects of young women who are married? While I love my little nephew and know my sister is absolutely over the moon with her son, to me it seems very boring just being stuck at home answering to a baby's every whim. Part of this could be my sister - she's too afraid to take her baby anywhere because of Covid, which is totally understandable. However, I'm friends with a lot of people who have babies and they're out and about taking their babies places! Amber won't even take him places outside, like an outdoor restaurant or to the lake! She gives him his morning bottle in the driveway and then they take a walk around their neighborhood in the stroller. That's it! She has taken him to my mom's house a couple of times, but that's it! She's always sending us pictures of the baby lying asleep on her, saying that she's "nap trapped" and can't get up or do anything. Sounds extremely boring! I would go absolutely nuts just being locked in my house all the time. She also keeps her house so dark! No. Not for me!
Of course, I know the baby stage doesn't last forever and eventually, her baby will be a walking, talking being with a personality, but still. If you're a mom, your life revolves around your kid and you don't get to do what you want anymore. For some women, they love that - their kids are their whole identity. Like my mom has always loved being a mom and she has told us our whole lives what a joy it has been to raise us. Idk, I just don't feel like that. I like being able to do what I want and go where I want lol.
This is all a moot point because even if I did want kids, Nick doesn't, and probably for good reason. I don't think we'd make good parents at all. We have too many problems on our own as just a couple, I can't imagine adding another being into the mix. It would probably bring out the worst in us, which is horrifying to think because I think we already bring out the worst in each other at times. It wouldn't go well and I wouldn't be happy at all. Of course, I would love any baby of ours if it happened by accident, but that's not going to happen. At least not on my watch! lol
Oh right, I guess I should mention that Nick and I did end our 9 month dry spell. I did end up starting those new progestin-only birth control pills, and so far, so good. After being off those combo birth control pills, my libido started to come back. I can't believe I stayed on a pill so long that made me feel asexual, raised my blood pressure, and put me at a higher risk of blood clots. I wish I had quit them sooner! But yes, my libido has come back so when Nick initiated one day, I finally didn't stop him for once. Cue us doing it 6 times in the last week or so, probably more than we did it for the entirety of last year.
However, the spark didn't last long as we had some little arguments and bickering, so I'm back to being completely turned off by how annoying he is. I'm going home to visit my family this weekend and he's staying here, so I'm looking forward to the time apart. I'll be meeting up with my best friend Brittany, who I haven't seen in a few weeks. Much needed girl time! I also hope to swim and see the sun as much as possible. This summer was kind of a bust, to be honest, as I lost a lot of my summer due to Covid and then the times I did go visit family and had opportunities to swim, it rained! Ughhh. It better not do that this weekend! I need SUN AND WATER.
9:52 a.m. - Wednesday, Jul. 27, 2022