Skip to main content

Let Me Explain


Ok, so I had this idea for a book.  A book about the struggles of a 21 century, feminist-ish woman dealing with life as a stay-at-home mom.  Yeah, so that woman is me.  And while someday, I may compile a book of episodes, for now we get a blog.
Don't get me wrong, I love, adore, treasure my children and my husband and I strongly belief that as a woman of God I should be at home with my children especially while they are young.  And while I never doubt any of the above mentioned, I do still have struggles one a day-to-day basis (and have had since day one of stay-home-mommy-ship).  
Ok, so I don't really qualify myself as a true feminist, mostly because I do believe that women should take pride and honor in raising their families.  However, I did grow up in a feminist culture.  Every woman in my family for a few generations have been "working women" (as if there is such a thing as a non-working woman, any and every woman has plenty of work to do).  My parents, like so many of my friends' parents, divorced when I was making the transition from junior high to high school.  And that event shed new light on why women should have an education.  I never really pictured myself as the stay-at–home type.  I think I just never thought about that.  I knew I wanted to get married someday, but children was such a far off thought...  I was dedicated to my studies in college and had plenty of big plans for my future career.  That is, until I met Geoff.
I don't want that to come across as a bad thing.  It undeniably isn't.  Geoff became my heart's beat and soon I was thinking of my future married life and what that would bring.  We talked about having children: how many, how soon, and of course,  how I would stay at home with them.  Without a conscious switch of gears, I was now a pre-stay–at-homer.  
So, here I am 8 1/2 years after that conversation with my then fiance, the mother of 4 children all born within a four year span.  I have attempted to work both from home and in the real world a few times since the birth of my oldest, but it just hasn't worked and really it just hasn't been right for us.  I am working on my Bachelor's and hope to have my Master's in Secondary Education before we move back to the States in 2012 and I may or may not join the 'work force' then.  Until such a time arises, I am a stay-at-homer thru and thru. 
Thus we see that a girl raised with feminist ideals and values (while not pronounced as feminist, some things just are) can in fact become a traditional, old-fashioned housewife.

Comments

kemp-y-QUA!! said…
i agree as a work-at-homer. as i ponder having kidlets, i wonder if i will be able to keep my sanity as a stay-at-homer.

excited for this blog- its good already

Popular posts from this blog

Being Dismissed from Services

I heard those dreaded words today. "I'm afraid that most likely your child doesn't qualify for services anymore." I paused afraid that if I responded too soon I'd yell or cry. I asked a few clarifying questions, blinking back tears of panic. I held my own for nearly the entire conversation. And then the therapist said, "You should be so proud, Mom. He's made so much progress." Then, I cried. The truth is he has made so much progress. The truth is I am very proud of him. Still, the truth is I hate hearing those words. Every time a specialist says to me that one of my children "no longer qualifies" for services, bile-like panic rises in my chest. "But he still has such anger issues," I said. And, "His impulsiveness gets in his way on a daily basis," I added. Doesn't she know? Can't she see the things I see? "I did tell you that he pulled a knife on his brother last week, didn't I?" Somehow she h...

because he deserves his own post too

The surest way to bring tears to my eyes: in your moment of vulnerability, tell me you love me.  I will feel honored, blessed beyond deserving and like the luckiest girl in the world.  This is something my husband gets. I'm going to tread lightly with this next thought, because I love the freedom we have to write whatever is in our hearts and I don't want to heard as only saying I don't think women should be writing about women's issues... but, I have to say, it makes me sad how few articles, blog posts and even status updates there are praising the good men of the world.  Good men, like my husband.  Good men that work long hours at thankless jobs... just like their wives.  Good men that pull double duty, going to school and working full-time... just like their wives.  Good men that love their children, sacrifice daily for their happiness... just like their wives.  Good men that are overwhelmed with the various and conflicting expectations placed...

Diligence and Obedience Bring Safety and Peace

I've had a few people ask for copies of a talk that I recently gave in our ward's Sacrament meeting, so I am putting it here with the thought that maybe others will appreciate it too. Please find at the end a reference list for all sources I used in planning and preparing this talk. Diligence and Obedience Bring Safety and Peace Today we live in an unstable world. Due to this instability many are security obsessed. They buy the top-of-the-line locks and alarm systems for our homes and our vehicles. They buy expensive insurance policies, even for their pets. They invest their money in stocks and bonds to "keep it safe." We have large militaries and governments. We have nuclear weapons as deterrents. We band hand lotion and breast milk and nail clippers from airplanes. We even go so far as to invade others privacy in the name of security, so that we ourselves can be safe. That's not to say that any, or all, of these things are wrong or even unne...