Perspective.

I just had a conversation with an old friend talking about our "jobs".  He talked about his pay and how he wish he had more and I talked about my "job" and how the pay was horrible but the benefits were amazing!

 I'm a stay at home mom.  This doesn't mean I sit at home all day on my leisure or go to as many lunch and play dates that I can schedule, That's not my life at all.  I am responsible for the well being of another human being, two human beings to be exact, because I also have a husband, in college, who needs taking care of too!  So not only do I keep the house in order, clothes clean, bodies fed, make sure they are well-rested.  I run errands for those who can't and make sure things run smoothly.  I help my husband stay on top of school things, and help with any break I can give him.   I commute back and forth long distances to serve family.  I make sure my child know her elders and values her family.  I am responsible for teaching my child the gospel and the importance of right from wrong.  I have to teach her everything (or most everything) she will know... and I'm held accountable for that, by Heavenly Father... no big deal, right?  Oh yeah, and I also play with my child, love her, comfort her, show her how to love and respect others.  Cater to her needs and somewhere in there I eat and sleep... this is what they tell me.

I know I'm not the only one doing this and I know being a working Mommy is just as hard. But what is the big WOW moment for me is, perspective.  This person saw it as "well it's great if you can afford to stay at home."  My reply, "We cannot afford NOT to have me at home with her"  I can not imagine not being a part of Bella's up bringing.  It is the greatest calling in life, my calling, to be her mother.  I am so blessed that I am able to do so, but there is no amount of money that could persuade us otherwise.  Our family is the most important thing to us. We can't take anything material with us when we leave this earth.  But we will have our family, and it's my responsibility to make sure we are all there together.  He then spoke of the economy and it how bad it was.  I just assumed he was talking about himself.  So I just let him know, hey.. you'll pull through!  He was talking about me!  I don't need to tell you the numbers, but we have a low income... Mitch is in school, I stay at home... money is not a surplus BUT I never saw this as a bad thing. Of course, our circumstance is different but I do know, if you have a righteous desire, it works out.  I don't know how it works out, it just does and you have to go forward with faith.  Our needs our met, our tummies full, and at the end of the day, we have a home filled with love (for the most part).  I feel like we are the ones truly blessed because ours is a home of happiness and as the saying goes, you can't buy happiness.  And I'm glad you can't, because we probably couldn't affort it :)