why i chose to be a stay at home mom ♥

*being a stay at home mom isn't for everyone. let's please remember that this is my journey ; my calling from God. it's also sad that i have to clarify that i have no judgement on working moms or moms who stay home. as long as you're doing what God has for you & your happy, that's all that matters. i don't think either mom loves their child more or less than the other. so with that finally out of the way, let's move on!*

  growing up in a single parent family my mom had to work. she worked a very long 40 hour week, still took us to all our games & practices, made us dinner every night, & was the best mom for us three girls. it's kinda funny cause today you'll hear her say "i spent my whole life working full time & now all my 3 daughters are staying home" she's not mad, she's not condemning us, she's happy for us. she knows that God has laid it on our hearts to stay home.

   because i grew up in a home where my mom worked her butt off, i know some of the struggles of working & raising a family. i give MAD PROPS to those moms who work & raise a family. if you're doing what God has called you do to, you go girl. i see the long hours to put in, i see how tired you are, i see how you still have a house to clean, children to take care of, a husband to feed. i see you & i'm proud of you! 
   **sidenote : if you're working but you feel God calling you to stay home, you may be frightened. you may be afraid you're husband would disapprove, your friends, your family. you may be afraid there wouldn't be enough money for you to stay home. there are many things that may be stopping you ; but God will always find a way. if it is His will, you're husband will support you. God will provide for your family but you may need to change your spending habits. you can never get this time back with your kids & there will always be more time to work in the future. i just want to encourage you to take the leap of faith if you've been feeling God calling you to stay home.
   i've heard other moms say "i couldn't stay home, i need a break from the kids" haha yes girl i feel you & i know that doesn't mean you love your kids any less. God has made us all different & i'm glad you know where you stand.


so for me - why do i stay home ?

God has laid it on my heart to be a homemaker.
   from the time i met my husband, i knew i wanted to stay home. i wanted to clean the house, do the laundry, do the dishes, meal prep. eventually have children & stay home with them. thankfully God blessed me with a man who grew up in a house where his mom stayed home so he was more than okay with my heart's desire being to stay home. i've never had a desire to work full time, my heart has never been to work outside of the home.

   because my mom was a single parent for a long time, she knows that things happen where i might have to work outside the home & most jobs require some sort of a degree. that being said,  i do have a degree in health care where i could choose to work as a phlebotomist, pharmacy tech, or in dementia care . unfortunately these jobs don't make a crazy amount of money so they would barely cover daycare costs. i wouldn't bring home enough money to make it worth it. thankfully my husband is seriously amazing & not only has a full time job, but a part time job. his part time job brings home more money than i would if i had a full time job. sure money can get a little tight , but it's more a way of spending. God has blessed us with money & a mind set of living WITHOUT DEBT!! so our budget it a little tighter than some , we do lots of garage sale shopping, and sale shopping & we're totally okay with that.
  

even tho i love staying home, i still feel inadequate. is anyone with me? i feel judged & looked down on because "i don't do anything" i also feel others making assumptions about me , that because i stay home, i look down on those who work as if they love their kids less.  i am terribly sorry if i ever come off that way, i would never look down on another mom for choosing a different path than me. how boring would it be if we were all the same - ew . i mean we're all in this together, motherhood. lets do a better job of encouraging one either because let's be honest, the enemy has come to steal, kill and destroy. to steal our joy, to kill our love for one another & destroy our self worth.

i am done letting others put me down, or make rude comments. i am no longer going to dwell on what someone else might think of me when i already have the approval of the God Most High! i am making a promise to myself that every time i feel down because of the judgment of someone else, i am going to listen to a Christian song that will encourage me with Truth, not lies that enemy might be telling me. i started this today on accident. i was feeling down because of someone's rude comments towards moms who stay at home - so i found myself sitting in my self pity until i turned on the song  "No Other Name" by Hillsong Worship. (if you've never heard it - check it out! amazing!) as i listen to the words "The earth will shake and tremble before Him. chains will break as heaven and earth sing Holy is the name Holy is the name of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus"  i forget about myself & worship the king, the only One that matters.


 one last thing - the secret reasons i like to stay home ;)
   i'm my own boss - haha, that means i get to sleep in, where pajamas all day, eat whatever i want, go out, stay in, i get to decide what we do all day, i get to take naps, i get to sew, i get to blog, i mean i truly love my daughter & getting to spend all day with her, but heck the perks are amazing!! (i should probably mention that i only have one kid, who likes to sleep, so that might be why i get these perks, maybe the more kids i have, the less i find it perkier lol.)


much love to all of you mommas out there ♥ do what is best for you & your family & don't let anyone else put you down.

xoxo.