Aha Moment

I have been applying for jobs lately. Yea, not a very fun thing to do when you've been out of the professional workforce for 10 plus years. Putting together my resume would have been hilarious had it not been so sad. I mean, how do you explain the talents you have and the experience you've gained due to being to being a stay at home mom? If I were honest, it could have looked something like this:

Stay at home mom 1999 - Present

• Vast experience in laundry, dishes, menu planning and conflict resolution. Knows how to clean up messes - especially ones that are not her own.
• Incredible ability to multi-task, manage projects, and stay within budgets.
• Self motivated and not afraid to get her hands dirty.
• Knows how to work her ass off with a smile on her face.

I've quickly learned that the corporate world does not place ANY value on these skills that I have learned as a stay at home mom. Even the substantial volunteer experience I have gained - especially over the last five years - only looks impressive until they realize that NO ONE PAID ME TO DO IT. I mean, how could it really be that important if someone actually got me to do it for free. Silly me.

So, I came home from one of these interviews absolutely exhausted a few weeks ago. If it weren't for this stupid recession, I wouldn't even be interviewing in the first place. I'd still be doing all of my hard work for free. My husband had generously gotten the kids a snack and started on their homework. I felt out of it the entire night because I wasn't at home for the entire routine. After tucking them all into bed, I ignored the laundry and dirty dishes and went into my room to think. Yes all of you out there in corporate world, I actually DO THINK. As I sat on my bed thinking about how in the world I could possibly do it all if I could finally convince someone to give me a job for more than $10 per hour - I had an amazing experience. It was like a door in my mind was opened allowing me to see and understand something I hadn't yet grasped, even though I thought I had. These are the words that came into my mind:

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU WILL EVER DO.

I pictured my children from infancy to adulthood and finally understood -

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I WILL EVER DO.

Suddenly I knew, that if at all possible, I needed to continue to stay at home with these kids. These beautiful, frustrating, gifts from God. They need me. They need a mom who will listen. Who will be her when they get home from school. Who will be an advocate for them throughout their education. They need their mom. And if I have to sell all of my worldly possessions in order to be there for them, then so be it. They need me. And even though this is not the way I envisioned myself making my mark on the world - this is it. Raising these three children is absolutely and unequivocally THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I WILL EVER DO. EVER.