Crazy-Awesome!

You know how I wrote a post yesterday all about how I had to come back to work for two weeks to get the most out of my retirement account? You know how I said it was really hard to be away from Bennett and I wished I didn't have to be in the office, but I was toughing it out?

Well, this morning my awesome boss (and friend) went to the partners in charge of our team and asked them for a favor. And they said yes.

What was the favor, you ask? She asked them if they would let me just not come in to work for the rest of the time I'm supposed to be here, but let everyone else (including HR) think that I'm here and working. That's right--starting after lunch today, I'm going to be a stay-at-home mom. I'd be thrilled about it even if I was getting the time off without pay. But for the next week, my paycheck and benefits and everything will still be coming to me. They're paying me to stay home and play with Bennett next week! I still can't even believe that this is for real! You know all those rotten things people say about lawyers? Well, they're mostly true. But I work with a few exceptions. Audra (she's a paralegal) didn't even tell me that she was going to ask them to do this for me, she just called me to her office this morning and told me that she had some news she thought I was going to like. She rocks more than any boss has ever rocked before. I can't even believe she managed to arrange this surprise! I never expected anything like this in a million years. She said that she saw me cuddling Bennett at lunchtime and saw how much I wanted to be with him and decided to see if the partners would go for it. She's a working mom (three kids) herself, so she knows how hard it is, and she didn't want me to sit in the office and suffer when I've already finished all the work that was waiting for me. She knows what it's like to wish she could be home with her munchkins, and she was happy to have the opportunity to give me back to Bennett a week early. She's the best!

I'm still kind of stunned. I'm having a hard time realizing that I'm done. I'm planning on coming downtown for lunch at least a few times next week, that way people will see me in the office and hopefully no one will wonder where I am. (It's important that the real arrangements don't become common knowledge, just in case HR has a hissy and decides to screw me out of my full vesting amount.) Audra's going to tell people that I'm working at home if anyone asks. Technically, that will be true, because I'll be doing laundry and tidying up the kitchen--that's work, right? I suppose I should also spend some of this "found" time writing thank you cards and downloading pictures!

I hope this isn't completely incoherrent--my brain is all a-jumble right now! I just wanted to share the news of this unexpected blessing with you guys. YAY!