[NewChief]

We're working our asses off, but we're doing okay.

I got board certified, which added 5k a year to my salary. I also took a promotion which added 20 contract days, extended hours, more duties and another 5k a year or so.

That was fortunate and gave us some padding because in the meantime my wife's employing company changed owners, leaving her at an impasse. She ended up striking out on her own, opening a business, and continuing to do freelance work. While we're actually pretty tight right now due to some initial issues with the business, it's looking like it's going to be profitable. I tend toward financial pessimism on a personal level, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic right now about our potential earning in coming years. We just have to get the business in the clear over the next few months, and things should be okay.

The main problem, currently, is that I work probably 10 hours a day and serve as Mr. Mom while my wife is working around 12-14 hour days, 6 days a week, starting her own business and billing 20 hours of freelance design work a week. It puts a lot of immediate pressure on the family, but we hope we'll be better for it in the long run.