Life as Mom

Have you ever met a woman who's only goal in life was to become a stay at home mom? Maybe you yourself are one of those women. Well I have a confession; I use to think those kind of women were crazy. I certainly didn't understand their aspirations. Me? Sure, I wanted to have a family some day, but my dreams were lined out by degrees. You know the ones...Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate.

My thoughts didn't even shift drastically while I was pregnant. I planned out how I would stay home for three months and then find a good daycare and return to work and school promptly. I was on a schedule, you know. I knew I would love my little one, I just didn't really understand what that meant.

When I met Brooke everything changed. Did I still want to be a therapist? Yes, but my top priority became being a mom. Now don't shoot me, but I must admit that the prior me would often wince when hearing of a friend or colleague who was putting her career "on hold" to be a mom. There was (sadly) a quiet voice inside of me that would proclaim, "what a shame" when a situation like that would arise. The true shame, of course, was in me not understanding the beauty of motherhood.

I never imagined myself as a stay at home mom or as someone who would arrange my job and whole life around a baby, but that's who I am now and I LOVE IT. I wouldn't want my life any other way. I can honestly say, after completing a Bachelors and being half way through a Masters, those accomplishments pale in comparison to both the challenges and rewards of being a mom. God willing, I will one day complete my Masters and even Doctorate, but only if I can also raise healthy and happy children. It's not the most glamorous career to be cleaning up spit up and changing diapers multiple times a day, but one intoxicating smile from the light of my life and I'm motivated to do whatever it takes to keep those smiles coming.