SAHM

I often hear the term SAHM - Stay At Home Mom.  Often when you hear it people roll their eyes like it is a luxury or super easy.  Seriously?  

I personally love being a mom.  It is the greatest and hardest thing I have ever done.  But I love it.  Over five years ago I was at home and realized I wasn't going to be able to be the mom I wanted to.  I had to go to work and quick.  I took many jobs, many not-glamorous jobs but I would do anything for my family because that is what a Mom does.  Anything for her family.

When I started telling people I was getting married their first question was, "Do you get to stay home?"  Well yes and no.  I will be at home, but I am constantly on the go.  We have eight kids!  I can honestly tell you that going to work is in some ways easier.  I get to have a lunch.  I can run a couple errands in silence.  While at work I could get some things done on my break on the computer.  There were not sticky letters on my keyboard AND all the letters were on the keyboard (not picked off by little fingers). 

Am I a SAHM?  I am going to answer no.  I love being home, but I am not there enough.  I often refer to it as my four walls.  When I am home I am happy and I work so very hard.  When I leave and especially my children I worry, I am a mom, it is what we do, we worry and we love.  I still have my vinyl lettering business that I work hard at, I am continuing my schooling for my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, I am teaching children to read, work and be responsible, I help my husband with all sorts of interesting projects and I solve all the worlds problems on a daily basis with chaos all around me.  (Latest project... installing a four row of seats in the Suburban, yes we can seat all ten now with seat belts)

I had a lot of people give me interesting looks and questions when they found out I was getting married again.  You are going to have how many kids?  What about work?  Are you sure you want to give everything up?  He (my husband) is going to support you all?  

Well, here is what I know.  I have eight kids and I wouldn't trade it for anything, at moments I might, but overall, never.  What a privilege to learn and grow and help them develop and learn and grow.   I was at Costco yesterday and an older man came up to us as we were having pizza together.  He said, "I count seven kids, that is a lot!  Is that all of them?"  We replied, "No, there is one more."  He almost had a twinkle in his eye and smiled.  He had eight kids and missed them all dearly.  He commented how much he missed the years we were in and advised us not to wish them away.  "Poof!  One day they are all gone," he said.  Have you ever heard someone say, "I wish we hadn't had all the kids we do."

Work?  What about it?  I am just a number when I go to work, I am replaceable.  I have had many jobs and I tried hard at all of them.  They were challenging in different ways and rewarding as well, both intellectually and financially.  But when my daughter was in a horrible accident you realize how quickly work doesn't matter.  You are replaceable in days.  But never at home.  A job is a means to an end, motherhood and family is forever.  No success can compensate for failure in the home.  I haven't given anything up, I have only been more blessed.  

My husband?  Yes, he supports us all and we all support him.  It goes both ways.  We are a team.  

Stay At Home Mom... toughest job ever.