For the STAY HOME Mom

     Hey there. I am hoping to reach at least one other Mom out there. I recently heard that only 10% of women in America choose to make their home their sole place of purpose. This is not a bash the working Mom post by any means. I desire to encourage the ladies that are in my boat, that's all.
     Each family makes their own choices for how they structure their family and income. We chose on engagement that I would stay home just as soon at we had children. I have not "worked" a day since being a Mom. I tried out the home business thing with painting. Loved painting hated the money end of things. We make great sacrifices to stay home with our kids. There is one income and things are tight. We as in you the stay home mom I'm writing to and me. The early years are full of poop, barf and crying. No sleep and and way to much Kipper.

When the boys were 1 and 3

     I was pregnant with the next baby while the current baby was still waking up through out the night. I can remember my husband coming home from work one day.  I was pregnant with Abigail and sitting on the kitchen counter soaked in my own tears. Troy (3) and Bear (1) playing/fighting on the floor.  My answer to what is wrong was simply that I had no idea what to do with them ALL DAY LONG. I look back at that memory with a giggle now. I just hadn't slept in 3 years and I was barfing myself for 9 months. My husband suggested crafts and coloring....if you know me it is strange that I hadn't thought of that myself. It was just the season I was in. Physically taxed and emotionally well, pregnant. Things get easier as we train our kids to help with chores and they have been around long enough to learn that disobedience is in no one best interest. They start understanding big concepts and even develop a sense of humor which is wildly fun and you feel like your not so alone in the day.
     I guess all this reflecting came about as my husband has had a ton of over time (blessing) and everyone including myself decided to get sick. Feeling terrible myself I was up half the night with one only to get them to finally sleep and have another start crying. On my way to that ones room I step in dog vomit and want to just stop and cry myself.

This was the morning after the stepping in barf.
lol. I love this one. I was so physically done! 

ear infection

ear infection 

My spot on the deck. Watching the
rain before the needs begin again

     I have done these seasons in the past my way. Which looks like feeling sorry for myself, wishing to be appreciated or seen and thinking something strange and terrible has happened to me. No. That's just being a Mom. Here is the gem God whispered to me this time around. Isn't it great that doing this is your top priority? Isn't it wonderful that you are not pressured about missing work or people outside your home needing anything from you? Wow! yes that is really nice.
     God has been really slowing me down. Showing me what fruit will last and what won't. This wave of sickness couldn't have come at a better time. It rained all week and we are not stay inside kind of people. I let my kids zone out to video games and movies and didn't feel bad about it for a second! This is growth for me. God even helped me keep up with the home so that we could feel gross in a cleanish environment.
     Mom's that have been blessed with the circumstance to stay home...Enjoy it. Don't miss out by a perspective that thinks there is something better going on somewhere else. There are the really rough moments but if we press into God He will lead us as we lead this next generation in loving Him.

He lost his first tooth today. He got out of bed burst
out to the living room scaring me half to death and
squealed IT CAME OUT! This was such a big deal
as nearly every kid he knows has already lost a tooth.
It was a right of passage of sorts and I didn't miss it.
I was home!