Stay-At-Home Mom

Stay-at-home mom. Do you realize that term has four-letter words in it? Do you remember what your mother taught you about four-letter words? Do you know what you do when your little one comes home touting his expanded vocabulary, which now includes four-letter words?

Yet, I did it to myself. My husband and I decided it would be best for our family if I stayed at home with our little girl. When she first arrived, all cute and cuddly, I felt incredibly blessed to be in a situation where we could make this choice. Those first few weeks, she slept so much and smelled so good (most of the time).

Fast forward a few months. I felt a little tired but overall, things were still going smoothly. I had the great privilege of seeing each and every milestone of my baby’s first year. Her first time rolling over, her little side-kick crawl, her first steps, her first words. Again, it took it out of me some days but I wouldn’t trade these times.

Now, I have a toddler. About 6:30 every morning, we hit the ground running. All my concerns about television have gone flying out the window. Actually, all my concerns about just about anything that holds her attention so I don’t have to, have gone out the window. I’ve learned it’s really perfectly OK if she wears a swimsuit top (affectionately called a bra) and panties all day. And potty training – cosmic joke of the century – is on me. Literally. Day after day.

Some days, what I wouldn’t give to have a boss breathing down my throat, a deadline stressing me out, a supplier calling me about an order now on backorder for the third time.

I remind myself about one hundred times a day that these pre-school days will go by fast. I’ll miss them. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here with her. It’s true. However, when she wakes up from her nap, we’ve got to figure out how to get ink off her crib. That’s if she takes a nap, as of right now, she is still in her bedroom talking as I type.

So, in conclusion, I don’t ask for pity. I chose this and I would do so again. I just ask that you pray with me.

Dear Heavenly Father, How you must laugh at us when we sweat the small stuff. You know full well that stay-at-home mom has some four-letter words in it (although maybe it doesn’t in Hebrew and Greek). And there are days this mom’s thought vocabulary employs some four-letter words as well. Please give us the patience and endurance to glorify you in every stage of life. Remind us thousands of times a day, you love us… and you love our little ones too. Amen.