I started this blog months ago. Correction, I set up this blog months ago. My original intention was to document the kids' craft projects, meals I prepared, etc. I think I'll keep along those lines, but who knows where this will take me. I've taken pictures of many projects, I just haven't done anything with them. I can say that summer was my excuse. Really, it's because I didn't sit down and make the time. I'm sitting now, the kids are sleeping, and I'm making the time. I don't think I'll write every day and I certainly won't have new projects every day. I'll do my best to bring new ideas, new recipes and maybe meet some new mamas in the process.
Self-disclosure time: I love to learn. I always have. You can ask my own mama. I drove her nuts when I was a kid always wanting more books to read, more workbooks to complete. I was a school nerd. There were lots of years where I was embarassed to say that. I look at my oldest daughter and see so much of myself in her. I hope I can show her it's ok to be a school nerd, but I'm guessing there will be years where the kids in her class won't agree. Anyway, I'm a work-at-home mom. I went to the prestigious private liberal arts college. Loved it! Got my fancy degree and spent my 20s working. I had some jobs that I loved and others that were simply jobs. I got to travel, meet lots of people, earned reward trips, worked tons of hours, learned so many skills I can't even list them all on a resume. I met my husband when I was 27 and in the midst of my career. Suddenly, I didn't want to travel. I didn't want to be working nights and weekends and holidays. I wanted to be home with this great man. Then, we got married and had ourselves a daughter. I always knew I wanted to be a mom. I was raised with the mentality that moms can do it all (be a wife, mom, and have a career). I realized after my daughter was born that I didn't want to do all of that. I really wanted to just be a wife and a mommy. Unfortunately, I had to go back to work. I balanced working a 48 hr/week job + 1.5 hour daily commute with being a wife and a mommy. Crazy, right? Let's add another baby into the family! After my second daughter was born, my husband and I did some number crunching. Basically it came down to this: I would be bringing home nearly nothing after insurance, daycare, and commuting costs to be away from my kids 11 hours a day. If we were going to be poor, at least I could be with my kids. Our solution was for me to stay home and take in some children for childcare in our home.
This has proven to be the most amazing adventure. As a mom, I love spending the days with my kids. I sometimes feel guilty because I missed out on almost 2 years of my oldest daughter's life. I have to keep myself in check because I know she was well taken care of and she is perfectly adjusted and wouldn't remember it anyway. I'm thankful that I have this time now with my kids. I've always loved kids (and if I were younger, I would have had more of my own!) so taking in additional children wasn't a stretch for me. I have a background in education and developmental psychology from my college education. Now was my chance to really apply those things.
The challenge for me has been maintaining adult relationships. When you speak with preschoolers, toddlers and infants all day, adult conversation becomes golden and coveted. I need my girl time more than ever. I'm thankful to have such a great husband who understands this and helps me take the time I need. I'm also thankful for the parents whose kids are over here because I probably talk their ear off when they pick up the children. :)
Being a work-at-home mom keeps me challenged because the kids are anything but routine. I'm always trying to come up with new games, crafts, songs, books, meals, activities for them to do. Hence part of the reason for this blog. But I'm also wanting to be sure that I'm challenging my mind and not letting it go to mush. I'm hoping that writing will help me keep thinking. Who knows? There are lots of opportunities out there for mama bloggers just like me.
That's it. Me in a nutshell. And the introductory post to what I'm hoping will be an enjoyable blog for me to write and you to read. Stay tuned!
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