SAHM

Had a conversation with my pal yesterday... re: staying home vs. working. Got me thinking. Now you have the history.

I quit working when we went to Joshua School... we were going to have to devote all our time to it... 4 hours a day five days a week for class, and then at least 4 hours of homework per class, plus home groups, leading the youth ministry, and regular church (I say regular, loosely). We were the first year of Joshua, and they kicked our butts. We almost died. It was awesome. But I digress.
I stopped working for that reason, or stopped going to work. I was working hard. Then, after Joshua School, the ministry really took off and Richy went on staff at CTK and I helped him, I guess... and maybe worked for my dad a little. Got pregnant, never worked again. (eh, temp job in 02 for a couple months). So that's another history lesson.
The thing is, I HATED working. I despised it. I hated waking up the same time every morning. I hated having a dress code. I hated eating lunch with strangers, and nobody my age (I was 18 working at Hewitt). I hated feeling stuck in a cubicle all day and then getting home and it was already nighttime. The only thing I liked was the cashola. The only thing I miss is the cashola.

So is staying at home work? Heck yes. 24/7 work. No breaks, But there are some benefits.
• I don't have to wake up at the same time every day (I do have to wake up all night)... some days it will be 7 am, other days 9. The variety is nice
• No dress code. Unless you consider spit-up a dress code. I sport that every day
• Lunch with strangers? HA! I never even see strangers.
• Some people around here take naps. So every day there is a possibilty that I may be able to nap, and it helps me feel not so tired. (just the possibility, I never do actually take one)
• Freedom to rule the internet
• There's a cute guy who works over the pond, and sometimes he comes over here and tells me to clean stuff and I talk him into taking us out to eat

I don't really get to stop. It is a whirlwind of feeding and changing and patting and jiggling and trying to convince someone to eat their sandwich or for the love of all that is holy go outside and laundry and dishes and so forth. But these little guys... man. Cliche, but you could not put a price on it. I feel paid every smile.