In December one of our goals was to get the company out of the house by the end of 2008. Two days before we left for the NIH we moved our offices out of the in-law suite in our home and into a cheery space with lots of room.

And so, on January 4th I found this building, which is near our home and quite lovely. It had all the elements we were looking for…close to home, rental income with other offices, enough space for us to spread out and grow a little bit. We never looked at another building in person. I saw a lot on line, but there wasn’t really a need to go look, because this space fit our needs. Except it was about 6-8 months too early. So we had to scramble to figure out how to buy it, but we settled on a contract near the end of January and we closed early March.

It’s been utter chaos since. We had some technology upgrades (Blackberry phones for both of us! Ah, the addiction of email whenever!) that have me confused on a daily basis. Because I could work anytime while our business was in our home, I often did. Clients would get emails from me at 1:00 in the morning and I could do billing or paperwork after the kids went to bed.

But now I am trying to set some work day boundaries and it is hard. I am not sure what I need at home or at the office and the split has me out of my usual routine and I’m feeling very unsettled.

I think it will be good when I get used to this new situation. Just my observations since day 4 in a “real” office.

- Craigslist rocks. I’ve furnished our office with everything off CL and it’s awesome. A cool conference table the shape that matches our office? Found it for 50 bucks. Six desks that are perfect for the space and a little retro. Sets of chairs crazy cheap. And cool. And retro. And orange and red – also the colors of our logo. It’s visually pleasing to go in the office. Except for the unpacked boxes and the cheap chairs that need new footer cover thingys.

- The laundry, which I happen to love to do (I know, you hate me for it) is never ending for the sole reason I can’t do it while I work. Plus, it sits on a table in our living room. The kids have taken to just getting dressed down stairs. We’ve all forgotten that clean clothes really belong in drawers where they are happy with other clean clothes.

- Spring is here, then it is not. Shorts or pants? More laundry drama.

- I’m completely confused about what I need at work to work and what I need at home to not work or to maybe work a little. I’ve been so used to having fuzzy lines where work and home or as my friend says “church and state” that I’m confused most of the days. Twice I’ve had to come home to get some to be able to do something at work.

- I love my blackberry. Which I had resisted getting for a long time because I admit it. I’m an addict. I should belong to a 12 step program for email abusers. But I don’t care. It actually helps my stress level because I know for certain something isn’t going crazy with work if I sneak off to the grocery store before getting the kids from school.

- I don’t do well with clutter. I like organized space to live in and work in. If my house doesn’t get put together SOON, like this weekend soon, I’m going to whimper in a corner. This much I know about myself. I need to get things under control.

- Speaking of control. The 20lbs I gained as part of Gage’s new kidney treatment has not left me. Ugh. And it seems purchasing a new building and moving your business out of the house, a trip to a research center with your kids, a couple of trips in between aren’t so good for the emotional eating either.

- I’ve been planning the summer kiddo schedule with the summer sitter and camps and vacation. It’s easier to schedule a kidney transplant. Really. It is.

- I have the best family eva! One sister helped out at work, mom helped out while we were gone to the NIH, one sister sent my kids booter scooters, which they love, and one has offered to take my cute kids next weekend while I am out of town so Julian can get caught up. Can’t leave Dad out…he arranged my entire office move, going above and beyond. Seriously. I know you are not as lucky as I am.

- Dawn always makes me laugh. And we should never go without talking live for over a month. It’s just not fair. I have to keep reminding her that my kids have crappy kidneys (and eyes and livers) and that she should make me laugh more. She needs to get an agent for her book.

- Even after almost 14 years of marriage and owning a business together, I still really, really dig my husband. I like telling people we have a strong marriage even though what we’ve been through has the capacity to mess up a good thing. He makes me laugh most of the time, except when his humor timing is off. Like yesterday at lunch.

- I spoke to a friend tonight that has a beautiful baby and she is worried for her baby. And yet, she is still concerned for me and my babes. We compare notes, and talk about being worried. And we laugh too. We concur there’s no corner on the market of pain and hurt at certain levels.

So, tomorrow is Friday and the clean up of our lives begins. I’m glad the weekend is here so I can get home from work.