Last week, I had a doctor appointment in Seattle, so my husband and I took our little boy to my sister's house and "commuted" together. I dropped him off at his office in downtown Seattle then headed to my appointment. Then since my appointment ended a little earlier than his last meeting, I settled into a comfy chair in the lobby area of his building to wait. As I sat there, I watched the hustle and bustle of a workday at one of the largest companies in Seattle. And I realized something. I actually kind of miss working full-time.
I've always loved going to events and places that have an upbeat, enthusiastic, happy feeling. For example, I really don't care about football, basketball, baseball, soccer, or really any other sport. But there are few things I LOVE more than going to a ballgame! I mean, I just can't help but root for the home team! And going to the local state fair is something I look forward to every single year! And I 100 percent think it is because of the food, friends, and fun environment! So you can definitely see how easy it was for me to get caught up in the energy of the workplace and of the beautiful city I was in! And I definitely thought about those years I worked in an office and remembered how nice it was to wake up, shower, get ready for the day, and go to work to meet measurable goals and talk to other adults all day long. And sitting there waiting for my husband's meeting to end, I was surrounded by hundreds of people talking, planning, and doing so many things. And the energy in the building was so contagious! It made me want to get my computer out and cross a million things off of my to-do list all at once! But then, we left the building and the city, and we headed back home to pick up our little boy from preschool. And as soon as I was with him again and felt those little arms wrap around me in the sweetest hug and "I love you, Mommy!"...that was it. The daydream of working downtown and being some kind of corporate superhero who always dressed perfectly and met all of her goals (like showering every day), well...it simply vanished. Because these little moments and these few short years with my little boy are absolutely irreplaceable. I know I am where I need to be right now. And I love my "job"! Now, I obviously have to clarify that I am definitely not judging or in any way putting down moms who choose to work outside of the home. AT ALL! I can definitely see the reasons for doing so, whether it's financial stability or any other reason. One of my friends has a couple of the cutest kiddos I've ever seen and (for many reasons) decided to continue working outside of the home after they were born. She once told me that, even though it definitely isn't easy to say goodbye to those kiddos and head to work, she also feels like she's a much better mom when she IS home with them because she can give them 100 percent of her energy and love. Because she doesn't have quite as many hours with them, she makes sure to make every single moment count when they're together. And I totally get that! I am sometimes jealous that, when my husband gets home from work, he's so ready to just be Dad. Home is a relaxing place for him because it is not his workplace. I mean, not in the same way it is for me. He obviously has his own list of things to do when he is at home (and for the record, he is superinvolved in taking care of our home and family...we would go crazy without him!), but it's just not quite the same as it is for me. And because he often only has a couple hours in the evening to spend with us, those couple hours are so, so precious!
When we found out I was pregnant with our little boy, we made the decision that I would stay home with him. And it was the right decision for us then and now. So I want to enjoy it! I want to soak up every single moment with my little man, and take advantage of the opportunity I have to be home with him. Because this is the stage of life I'm in right now! I loved my job when I worked full-time, and someday when our little ones have grown up, I might go back to work. But until then, I just want to enjoy all of the perks of my current "job." Because I LOVE being a stay-at-home mom!
