My Choice

Yesterday I am sitting next to the piano, teaching a lesson. Brookie is playing nicely all by herself, right where I can see her. Of course, like a good teacher, I should be focused on the student, but instead I'm focused on her. Because at that moment I'm feeling very overjoyed and almost overwhelmed at how good I have it.
I'm a Mommy.
I get to stay home with my daughter every single day.
We wash dishes together--she always helps.
We fold laundry together.
We read books together.
We walk to get the mail together, her pushing her dolly in the stroller, purse hung over the handles, cell phone inside. ;)
We cook together.
We laugh together at each other, especially when I say, "doooon't smile!!"
We talk to baby Joey in my belly. She says he kicks her, and she laughs.
She plays the piano and says, "Mommy, come play piano," and asks me to sing. I sing and play and she plays next to me.
We grocery shop together and talk about how yummy our food will be. We eat samples and little cookies from the bakery every time we're there.
We shop the mall together. I always ask her opinion. She always assures me, "it's cute". Maybe someday she'll be able to tell me if the outfit I'm trying on makes me look fat!

I work about 10-15 hours a week from home. I teach piano, nanny a little boy and am now starting photography. But my main job is caring for my husband, my daughter and my household.
Not a lot of Mom's can say that. Many have no choice but to go out and get a job, and for them I feel truly sorry and hope that their situation can change so that someday they can have the best job in the world.
Other's choose not to stay home, and for them I pity because they have given up the highest honor they could have--being a stay at home Mom.

I cannot go out and change the world. But I can change a very, very small part of the world through the lives of my children. I will raise them as close Biblical principles as possible and someday, when they are ready, I will send them out like arrows, darting out into this dark and evil world, making a difference for God.

And I will be fulfilled and happy, knowing that I have made a teeny, tiny little difference by making the best choice that I could have made in my life.

Every day isn't peachy. But for the days, even the moments that I receive a kiss, an "I wuv you Mama," and a hug when she still has chocolate all over her hands, I am willing to sacrifice a career for. You can't tell me that anything out there can even come close to the moments that I share with my daughter every single day.

Because I have chosen to make the most of the few short years I have before they are gone.