Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Define Your Own Perception, Part VI

Welcome to September's first installment!
Can I tell you how excited I am that people were interested to participate and give us another month? I know that I was inspired by all of the ladies last month, and this month we will be sharing an entirely different set of perceptions. For that I am thankful.

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Today, we are talking about something very common in the blog world.
The job of a S.A.H.M., which up until a few years ago, I though that I would never be.
Honestly, until I threatened Will saying that we couldn't have kids unless I was a SAHM, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind. I had actually given him this veiled threat as an excuse for not having kids, but surprisingly...it didn't even phase him. That might have been the point where my gears started turning, and kids were beginning to sound like a fun gig.

Jamie is here to tell you just how she became a SAHM in spite of original plans, a Masters Degree, and all of the stereotypes that we have all witnessed. Her strength and dedication to her family, just make me love her more than I already do!

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Being a stay at home Mom is an interesting challenge to for my ego.  I am a military spouse.  Before I had my daughter, my husband and I were stationed in Hawaii, I had a full-time job that forced me to get dressed up and leave the house every morning.  I had a stable income, respected job, and prided myself on my professional life.  

I looked down on a lot of the girls in my neighborhood who just seemed too young to be sitting at home, pumping out babies and living off their husbands.  I imagined my life to be so much more meaningful than theirs because I was creating a life for myself and being an equal financial contributor to my marriage.  I was working on my Master’s degree and silently judging all of the other girls for focusing solely on family life.  I always knew that at some point I would have kids and stay home with them but certainly not stay at home full time past the toddler years.  I mean really, Momma needs me time too and, jeez, what a waste of some serious education!

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Let’s fast forward a handful of years.  I am a stay at home Mom.  I have the sweetest cutest toddler ever (*ahem, if I do say so myself).  I stay at home.  Yes, full time and yes she is almost two and a half...  And I have a Master’s degree.  

Do I second guess my choice sometimes?  Certainly.  In fact earlier this year, I got a great job offer.  It was a golden opportunity.  What did I do?  Cried my eyeballs out for a few days imagining leaving my “baby”, and needless to say, I turned the job down.  

I have turned in to the girl that I used to look down on.  I wipe up boogers, clean up spills, and kiss boo boos all day every day.  I often get stuck in yoga pants for a week straight.  I spend all my time reading Bernstein Bears and no time reading, well, anything else.  My brain is turning to mush…  

And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Congrats are in order, because she has ANOTHER bun in the oven! I'm so happy for them, and can't wait to follow her pregnancy. She's a Military Spouse too, so you can always find something interesting going on over there. Check it.

I also want to give a big thanks for the love yesterday.
The support the blog world gives is what solidifies my reason for blogging.
Thank you, THANK YOU. You are all amazing!





PS. I almost forgot that Jamie and some lovelies are hosting a new SIMPLE social linkup!
Be there or Be square!


19 comments:

Niken said...

i think about this topic a lot. haha.
and i still don't know if i could stop working completely when i have a kid.

♥ ♥ Just a Girl in Love w/ a Soldier ♥ ♥ said...

Love Love me some Jamie!!!! She's a rockin SAHM / Milispouse!!!

Rach said...

I used to feel the exact same way she did! We still don't have kids, but over the past four years of marriage I have really had a shift in my thinking. Today I am super excited to be a stay-at-home-mom despite the way I know some will see me. If it is what is best for OUR FAMILY then I don't care what other people think. :)

P!nky said...

LOVE me some Jamie! Such a sweetie and love her take on her lil one!

Great series as always Janna :)!

xoxo

Whitney @ EHFAR said...

Love her and her blog :)

Throughout life and during college, I never wanted to be a SAHM. After college and when I met my hubby, I WANTED to be a SAHM. I also have my master's degree. I am not using it not or all that interested in using it (only if something happens to my current job and have to). I always keep telling my hubby that when we have kids that I want to be a SAHM. I like working just because I am around other adults and have those friendships, but I am secretly jealous of SAHMs.

I missed the deadline to send my entry in...crap :( Are you going to do it again next month?

Alana Christine said...

I LOVE Jamie! She's the most educated SAHM I know! haha

Courtney said...

I used to want to be this powerful business woman who wore her power suit to work every day. Now, I honestly can't wait for the day I get to be a SAHM...weird how our views on things change so much, huh? I blame it on Pinterest for making me want to stay home and craft with my future kids all day, lol.

CeCe said...

I'm really not the "career type" and I think that working all day and then coming home at night to take care of a kid would be too exhausting so I'd definitely want to be a SAHM if at all possible if I ever had kids. It does seem kind of odd to have a BA or a Master's and not use it but then again-I'm not 'technically' using my degree at work anyways so it's kind of the same thing.

Jen said...

New follower the walkabout!! :)

Jen @ kyleandjensmith.blogspot.com
The Adventures of our Army Life

Anonymous said...

Great post! I usually find conflict with my friends who are working moms. They sometimes feel like I'm judging them because I chose to stay home and they didn't. At first I felt like my education was wasted, but as we start homeschooling I feel like its getting good use.

Jane said...

I use to think the same way. After getting married I can honestly say there is nothing more I want than to be a SAHM. Great post! Love Jamie!

Jane said...

I use to think the same way. After getting married I can honestly say there is nothing more I want than to be a SAHM. Great post! Love Jamie!

J and A said...

Jamie is awesome! Such a cute feature!

Jean said...

honestly, i could not imagine anything else but to be a SAHM. i was always around one parent or the other. i was never in daycare and that's how i felt about my future if i were to have children and honestly... i still feel like that. i mean, kids are kids for so long, you can totally work after they're in school and are "grown." *sigh***

what does that mean, janna? you guys planning soon?

Unknown said...

I love this post - we all make judgments about others and then reality hits and we find out just how wrong we were.
What a great post, I definitely wish her the best, she has a beautiful family :)

My-cliffnotes said...

Congrats on baby 2!!! If we have kids M will stay home but only because I have a career and he doesn't. In my dreams I'd stay home!

Amanda said...

Ahhh I didn't realize that she has another bun in the oven!!! So exciting :)

The Little Flapper said...

We discussed this in my feminism class. Everyone certainly brought up some valid points. I think that as long as a woman is happy & fulfilled in her role, as a SAHM or Professional Career we should be happy for them too :) Everyone has to make the best choices for their family and situation. Plus with a Master's I'm sure she can go back into a Professional Career when Jamie feels its the right time. :)

Daniel Anthony said...

You can define your own perception. Read the post to know more
Amazing Race Sydney

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