I'm not only coming from an economical standpoint either. Of course in this economy most people who have a job are thankful for it... This is about how much I enjoy coming to work. I realize that I was blessed with the opportunity to stay home with my four kids for 12 years, but I thank God on a regular basis that I have a job now. I love the schedule. I love the responsibility. I love the security of earning my own pay check. I love getting to spend time with grown up people. Working with my family is fun!
The last couple years I was home I used to joke with Ethel that I was going to light my hair on fire and run up and down my road just for something new to do. Your house can only get so clean... you can only attend so many PTA functions. You can only watch so much home decorating television. At least that was the case for me. I loved the time I could spend with my kids - hell it was even worth being married to that ass of an X I had to dedicate those years to my kids. And I'll be honest, I really do feel like I was good at it.
I managed a large house hold pretty damn well. I participated in my kid's schools, and we had a lot of fun!
However I'll can't see myself ever willingly going back to being a stay at home mom. Even if BLT and I got married and he earned the kind of money that made it possible. I don't want to be financially dependant on anyone ever again. I don't want to give up the social interaction, the mental stimulation, and the pleasant routine that going to work each day provides.
It's a balancing act of course. Learning to work full time and keep my house up to the standards I'm comfortable with was a learning experience. But in a good way I think. Moving to the tiny town we live in certainly has helped. There aren't a lot of the distractions available to us that some people probably deal with. We cook our meals at home because it's less expensive, but also because we have extremely limited options near us. We use Netflix and watch movies together at home, we walk to the library, or the store, or to friends houses because we have that option and we enjoy spending time together. All that time at home means we make doing chores a routine.
It's about priorities too. I want a career AND a nice house to live in, and I feel like I've gotten that for myself. I feel really settled and blessed in that regard. Life is good. You can't ask for much more than that!
Okay... I regularly ask for a tree to fall on my X... but other than THAT I have what I need!
I remember how worried you were about working with your parents and am thrilled that it has all worked out so well!
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