These are two magical moments I was lucky enough to capture. I NEED pictures of these moments, because they keep me reminded to stay the course of staying at home. It's too touchy of a subject to touch on in public, even at church. But this is my blog, and I don't feel restrained to say that I'm proud of myself for choosing to stay home with my kids, and for sticking with that decision. I know lots of people who have made different decisions than me. I'm not saying I know what's right for them and their families. I'm saying I know what's right for me and my family. When people tell me I'm "lucky" to get to stay home, I only partly agree. Some of it is luck, I guess, that I'm not single right now and working out of necessity. Some of it, however, is choosing to live with less, so that our one income is sufficient. While I have heard many mothers give many different explanations as to what the effects of their working outside the home were on their children, there is just one I have clung to for my example. One fiercely righteous mother I know has worked all throughout her life, and struggles with more than one of her children's moral decisions in life. What she said to me on this subject is, "I will always wonder if things would have been different had I chosen to stay home with them." I have heard lots of women say they are better mothers because they work. That's entirely possible. But I don't ever want to wonder, so I'm not taking that chance. I've never heard a mother say, "I had a pretty easy time raising my kids, I probably could have taken on a lot more." My kids don't even know yet that this is a sacrifice for me. I guess if I've done my job right, they will never feel like it's a sacrifice for me. I brought them here to this earth to give them every ounce of energy and love I've got, not to focus on making MYSELF the best person I can be.
"In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. Taking time for each other is the key for harmony at home." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf "Of Things That Matter Most" Ensign magazine, November 2010
4 comments:
Those are precious pictures - so glad you captured them.
I too am grateful that I can stay at home. That doesn't mean that at some point when all the kids are in school that I won't want to do a little more for me, but for now, it's what is best for our family. And in the future, what's best for our family will be the deciding factor too. I keep thinking I would love to work part time at the library - make a little money, and enjoy having my own thing. But we'll see . . .
So glad you have made a conscious decision to stay at home with your family. No regrets. When your daughters/daughters-in-laws come to that decision in their own lives, they will remember that you were home to love them and nurture them, and they will probably choose to stay at home with your Grandkids. Obedience brings Blessings. :)
I'm with you on the staying home thing! We work hard to make that happen, and feel it is best for us.
Thanks too for the compliment and feedback about the RS Logo! :) Much appreciated!
I completely agree! Sometimes I feel pressure to go back to work. But I know what I'm supposed to be doing.
-brooke
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