KARE 11, Are You Hiring?

A few months ago my husband and I had some rare one on one conversation time as we traveled to a friend's wedding in St. Cloud. During the car ride topics bounced from the boys to whatever was on the radio, back to the boys, to an upcoming trip he would be taking for work, back to the boys and so on. My husband has been with the same company since graduating college, a rare feat these days I think considering that some of our friends have been with a handful of different companies in that same time. He loves his career! It challenges him, it makes him think, it is rewarding and he has opportunities to grow in his profession. When on the topic of his trip, I mentioned how proud I was of him and kind of nervously laughed and said I was jealous of him and all he's done. He responded by asking if I wished I were still working outside the home. My knee jerk reaction was no! I love being at home with our boys, even though most days I feel like I may lose my mind either from sensory overload or from the lack of needing to make my mind think of anything outside of our normal routine. I apologize to any adult I encounter during the day. Often my ability to form complete sentences is severely lacking!

Being a stay at home mom was something I/we knew was right for our family. When we made the decision for me to leave my position and be at home full time, there wasn't really any question if it was what would be best or if it was what I wanted. At the time, the reality of what it all meant didn't bother me. It didn't make me feel incomplete or unfulfilled in anyway. I knew that being a mom was what my job would be.

When I left college, English Literature degree in hand (what in the world does one do with a degree in English Literature you ask? Great question. Great question. I however don't have a great answer for you- I worked as a Circulation Assistant aka glorified receptionist and freelance writer for a magazine company in Minneapolis and then later as a Marketing assistant for several years, so I guess something along those lines?? ) I set out to become "important". I wanted to be the C level something or other or own my own business. As I made my way along in the corporate world I started to slowly see that I wasn't doing anything that I was passionate about. I was just working because that was what I was supposed to do. But none the less, I still saw myself in that corner office, high powered and in control. I wanted to lead people and help them find what they were good at, help them become better at what they were already good at.

After little red headed boy number two was born, the daycare bill and my paycheck were looking a lot alike and my patience for ever getting anywhere at work was barely existent. The only thing keeping me at my desk at this point were the people I was working with. THE BEST. The company, the colleagues, the teamwork it was all there but I really wasn't. I was yearning to be at home with my boys, heading to the park with them or playing hide and seek. I felt like time was slipping away and the opportunity to be at home with them would soon be gone. I shared my feelings with Kevin and we sat down to see what it would look like financially. I'll admit, I miss "my own" money. Being on a budget like this wasn't something I was looking forward to, but if it meant being at home full time then I would make it work. I went to my manager that next week (did I say how wonderful she is? She's the real deal. Beyond lucky to have worked with her and call her a friend) to share the news with her- but she already knew of course. I was checked out. Two weeks later I found myself a stay at home mom, or SAHM as I would find out, with a teeny budget and lots of plans for the three of us.

We spent the summer doing whatever we wanted. It was amazing.

Fast forward a few years and one more little boy later and I would still say I made the right decision to leave my job and be at home full time. Now though, I have more "think time" to see that maybe my corner office dreams will only ever be dreams. Or that maybe my time hasn't yet come, that there will be something "important" for me to do outside of what I consider my most important role as a mom. I'd love to run for a public office (unless of course I find myself running against my friend and uber talented former Miss MN Nicole... then I will quietly run another year. Watch out people- Nicole for President!) or maybe even try to get back on tv somehow. I'm sure Jana Shortal and I would get along swimmingly! (Did I ever make you watch that one time I got to co-host Twin Cities Live? No? Well I just happen to have a link to part of it right here. DREAM COME TRUE. Elizabeth Reis! I will fill in anytime you need a break! Call me!)

At the end of the day I know that in just a few quick years I will be sending all three boys out the door to school in the morning and I will have time on my hands. I suppose I should strengthen my patience muscle and soak up the season I am in now. The best is yet to come.

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