Pros and Cons of a new job

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As some of you may know, Steven found a job and began working a week ago today. So far I have very mixed feelings about his new job.

Pros
  1. Steven has a job with a large company.
  2. Steven is finally earning a paycheck comparable to what he was making two years ago.
  3. The job benefits include good health insurance and 401k matching.
  4. Steven gets out of the house so I get more done during the day.
  5. We don't have to move away from our home.
  6. The kids don't have to change schools or leave their friends.
  7. Steven's new job is across the freeway from a light rail station, so he could potentially take public transportation there and back when he gets comfortable with the idea. 
  8. I'm getting more exercise, riding a bike or walking when I need to get around during the day. 
  9. We will soon have money to spend on non-essentials again. 
  10. We can start paying off the loans we have borrowed over the last couple years.
Cons
  1. After one week on the job, Steven doesn't seem to be enjoying it very much. 
  2. The job involves an hour commute each way - longer in inclement weather.
  3. The skills Steven has developed over the last several years are not being utilized.
  4. The job requires frequent business trips, starting next weekend. 
  5. Moving might have been a nice change.
  6. The kids don't get to see their Dad as much.
  7. We only have one car now since Steven sold his broken down Jeep, and Steven takes it to work every day.
  8. The long commute makes Steven tired (and grumpy) when he gets home.
  9. We've had to cancel Hannah's free viola lessons due to lack of transportation.
  10. I have to rely on others for rides to go to Institute, Visiting Teaching, anything else during the day outside walking distance.

While I am very grateful that he is finally employed, I wonder if it is very ungrateful of me to be wishing he had found something else a little closer to home, something that challenged and excited him. I don't feel the relief and satisfaction that I thought I would feel when he found a job, and I still feel the uneasiness and stress of his unemployed state. We started packing some of our books when we thought we would be moving to Virgina. I don't think I will unpack them until I really feel settled.

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