Stay At Home Mom

I am so excited to announce that my last day of work was last week! This week is my very first week as a stay-at-home Mom!

Matt is working graveyards at Adobe and he is doing his last semester of school AND he is working on an internship and we felt like it was the right time for me to stop working. Matt needed the extra help at home so that he can complete everything that he needs to complete to graduate in April and he needs to pass some certification exams for his job at Adobe. So, I put in my notice two months ahead of time so that my employer had ample time to find a replacement for me and I could train them before I said adieu.

My replacement came on three weeks before my final day, so I had a little bit of time to train him and get him acquainted with the company and the products. My last few weeks at work were super busy as I was trying to give everything that I have in my head to the person replacing me... and by person, I mean people because really they hired two people to do my job. Yeah, I'm that awesome. One person is not enough.

I had my farewell lunch with my favorite coworkers yesterday and even though it was sad to say goodbye to the people that I have been spending every day with for the last 2.5 years, I am ready to leave it behind. I love being a writer. I am really good at and it is fun for me (probably because I'm really good at it), but my life's ambition is not writing, it is being a mother. Some may think that this is setting my sights a little low. Most any woman has the ability to be a mother. But, I can't think of a more fulfilling way to spend my life than to devote it to my children and my husband. I am creating and shaping my children to become awesome people. I can't think of anything more important.

I am so glad that I took the time when I was young to go to school, get my degree, and start my career, because I needed that education and that job experience when my family really needed me to. I have been able to support my family these last few years. But, I am ready to hang up my corporate hat and put on my frilly apron. My babies need me!

Matt has been awesome through this whole process. It is not easy to be a stay-at-home Dad. Matt says that it just doesn't come naturally to him to care for the children and take care of the house. And, on top of that he has been going to school full time. And, on top of that, he has been working full time these last six months. Matt is beyond burnt out. I am beyond burnt out. The last six months, between school, my job, and Matt's job, we only got to see each other.. 1 to 2 hours a day. And during that time, Matt was doing homework. And we didn't even get to see each other every day. 12 days a month, while Matt was working nights, we didn't see each other at all. It has been so challenging. We miss each other, we miss our marriage, we miss being together as a family. So, something had to give and that something was my job.

Yes, money will be tight these next few months as we go from two incomes back down to one income. And Matt is just contracting with Adobe, so he will have to find full time employment when his contract is up, but I know that if we can make it through last semester, we can make it through anything.

And so, it is my first week on the job... as a Mommy. And my first thing I did was clean. I started cleaning the house because it is in desperate need of a deep cleaning. I haven't had the time to clean the house because I feel like I have been in survival mode. Then, when I am done with all my cleaning and organizing (I made a long list for myself). Then, I will work on creating a schedule for the kids and I because I really want these kids to have a schedule. Their lives have been driven by Daddy's school schedule and everyday they never know what to expect because they have been back and forth with sitters for the last 2.5 years. But now more! They will have me home to take care of them and they can count on me always being there.

I am so excited for this new phase in my life. Maybe I can even start to do more of the things that I enjoy. Like quilting, crocheting, scrapbooking, and reading. Maybe I can even finally make some mommy friends. Maybe Nicole can finally go to preschool and dance class. Maybe we will have a normal life. So much to look forward to.