It’s a Freelancing Love Fest Over Here Today

So, I’m actually on the road from Helena, Montana (where we spent Christmas) to Lewiston, Idaho (where we’re seeing some friends for the night), and we’ve found ourselves in an interesting position. It is snowing like crazy, and we’re on a winding mountain road. There is a black river running along the south side of the road, and it’s swollen with white and green ice. I am not exaggerating at all when I say that I have had this exact nightmare, and it hasn’t ended well any of the other times.

Also, I just finally got the baby to fall asleep in the car seat, when she should have been asleep over an hour ago. I’ve been riding in the backseat with her, trying not to audibly suck the air between my teeth when I feel the tires slide out from under us. Still, we’re keeping pretty cool heads here in the car and have managed not to let the particularly tense situation get to us.

A short time ago, we came across a pickup truck that had slid off the road and was stuck halfway in the ditch. Fortunately, they slid off the north side of the old highway, or I’ll bet it would have been even more terrifying for the dad and his young daughter. While there was this little part of me that wanted to just keep going, my husband and I both grew up in Montana, and we know the protocol. You always stop and offer to help.

So, we chained their pickup to our old Bronco and attempted to pull them out. No dice. In the meantime, another pickup came along. Apparently he grew up in the country, too, because he also stopped. In the end, we chained the stuck vehicle to his, chained his to ours, and with all three of us accelerating at once, we were able to inch our way back onto the road, with those of us who stopped to help facing the wrong way.

With a “thanks so much,” the gentleman got him and his daughter into their now unstuck vehicle and set off on his merry way. The other guy and my husband both got their rigs turned around, and now the three vehicles are more or less caravanning down the mountainside. It’s grown dark, and it’s actually kind of reassuring to have those two sets of taillights to follow through the driving snow.

What does all of this have to do with freelancing? Well, it reminded me of how so many freelancers make the time to help one another. Only a year ago, Tamara and I were just warming up to the idea of subcontracting work from other freelancers who had more than they could handle. After we’d given it a try, we discovered that it was a great opportunity for us. Now, we’re at a point where we have been able to outsource work to other up-and-coming freelancers.

We’re not the biggest freelance agency out there, but we are growing; and part of the reason is because other freelancers were generous enough to offer us both guidance and paying jobs. In turn, we hope we’ve been able to offer some guidance with this blog, as well as a few paying jobs to the freelancers we know.

To the following, we’d like to say “thanks so much” for being a part of this process in the last year:

• Wendy Piersall and Sparkplugging - We’ve had some great experiences this year as a result of being a part of this awesome group of work-at-home professionals.
• Billie Gaura and Rainmaker Marketing - Billie’s dones some cool stuff for us, but we’re especially excited about the fact that every time we hire her, she hires us right back!
• Kelly McCausey and her various endeavors - This woman has more good ideas than you would believe.
• Selene Bowlby and iDesign Studios - She’s an awesome person to have in your corner.
• James Chartrand & Harry McLeod and Men with Pens - They’re just as hair-brained as we are, and it sure keeps things fun.
• Genesis Davies from At Home Mom Blog - She was the first Freelance Parent reader we got to hire, but certainly not the last!
• Michelle Nguyen from Mommy Misadventures - She’s a newer addition to our roster and is also a Freelance Parent reader.
• Laurie Mapp and Halo Secretarial - Thanks for helping us fulfill our dream of having a “personal assistant,” even if you don’t pick our kids up from school (now that would be a communte).

And to all the rest of you who have shared your thoughts and ideas with us, as well as your time and your talent. Here’s to another incredible year!