I'm a stay at home mom....yep, that's right, I sit at home all day long, watch tv, wear my pajamas, and take naps....oh wait, NO! The part about being a stay at home is true, but the rest, well...I WISH!! ha ha!
Sometimes I get into this little pity party, slump in my life where I think I am "just" a stay at home mom. I daydream about what my life was like outside of taking care of kids, I envy those people who get to dress up and go somewhere besides the grocery store, I imagine what it would be like to talk to grown ups all day long and have adult conversations, I think that maybe I threw my years in college out the window when I had my boys. Then I slap myself around a little bit and remember that I have been given an amazing, challenging job of bringing up two boys to become godly, respectful, fun, loving, well-rounded gentlemen.
I went to college for 6 years, I acquired 3 diplomas (2 associate's degrees, 1 bachelor's degree), and certification to interpret sign language and to teach hearing or hard of hearing children. And here I am not doing anything I went to college to do, or am I? I am responsible for the well-being and education of two children. Carson learned sign language to communicate before he could speak, he can now write most letters of the alphabet, read a handful of words, has a broad vocabulary, can play well with others (most of the time), and blows us away with the information he knows. Aden is 6 months old....but I do read to him daily, interact with him, and do a few signs with him. So here I am, entrusted with two little lives; I have been instructed to "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) But I still sometimes feel like I am "JUST" a stay at home mom. I know some women who would love to be at home with their children but financially need to work outside of the home. And then I know other women who enjoy working outside of the home and don't want to be stay at home moms. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful that I am able to stay home with my children; but like I said, sometimes I get into this little funk where I think college was a big waste of time and my brain is being infiltrated by Veggie Tales, Disney movies, and Yo Gabba Gabba, and eventually there wont be any grown up thoughts left!
When I am in the middle of my self-pity, I have to stop and think about the blessing of not needing a second income and the opportunity to experience all the big moments in my children's lives. My aunt has told me several times about missing so many of her son's "firsts" because she had to work. I have seen every "first" my children have done and I wouldn't trade that for hundreds of interpreting jobs or teaching positions. Someday my boys will be at school all day, and I can go back to work, or even to hair school like I've always dreamed of doing. But for now, I will play with my kids, run errands, fold laundry, clean the house and live vicariously through those people out in the adult world! And I will do my best to remember that I am not JUST a stay at home mom!
Yep, pity parties are no fun! I have to remember that my ministry right now in life is to my kids and hubby. We should have lunch soon and chat it up!
ReplyDeleteJust so you know pity parties can happen on both ends of the spectrum. I would love to have those seemingly endless days laundry, Disney channel and hanging out with my ever so growing fast children, but since I was the closet to retirement (5 years) and had the best benefits, it was my job we had to go with. God has given us the foresight to do what is necessary to take care of the needs of our family. I could go on and on about this, but I won't here. I've been contemplating blogging about it one day to answer our critics. You are doing an awesome job raising your beautiful boys and if you need some adult conversation better not call me because I may want to watch Disney! Just teasing of course, I'm always here, too, if you want to chat.
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