My Journey, Part 3 – Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mama (SAHM)

In 2011, our children’s ministry had grown from 25 kids to about 300 kids! Click here to read that story.

I was also the mother of a growing 3-year old, an extremely active 1-year-old, and very pregnant with our 3^rd son!  My husband and I agreed that for this season of our lives, it would be best for me to be a full-time, stay-at-home mom.

Since 2011, we’ve gone from two to three, then FOUR little cowboys!

I’m incredibly grateful for the years of being home with my littles! Getting everyone the food they want, the drinks they need, their teeth brushed, nails clipped … getting them washed up, then dried off, making sure they go potty or get their diapers changed, getting all of their clothes, socks, and shoes on (why can’t I find all the shoes! Where do they hide the shoes?).

On days we have places to go, there are four different types of car seats or seat belts that need to be fastened – while at least one child is crying about something. In winter, I’ll get all extra layers packed onto each one, but when we’ve arrived at our destination, they’ve taken everything off. And so I start over. Let’s just say that I’m GLAD for the “STAY-AT-HOME” part of ‘stay-at-home mom.’

There were days in those ‘little years’ that I’d be so tired by the end of the night, I’d just cry. I knew I’d be up with a baby through the night and have another long day ahead of me with four busy little boys. Ted is an amazing daddy and husband, but for a few of those ‘little years’ he was working full time – plus going to school full time to earn his master’s degree. When he finished school, he commuted to Chicago every day for work – making his long days even longer with an hour-long drive each way! Many days each week he would leave as the boys were waking up and get home when they were going to bed. (Which was one of the things that inspired our move to Colorado – a better work-life balance!)

Being a full-time mama is hard, and I’ve talked about the hard. But it’s actually more wonderful than it is hard. The good far outweighs the bad! It’s hard to understand unless you’re in it!

Some of the things I love about being a mom:

• being there for each of the ‘firsts’ – first step, first word, first food,

• all of the snuggles, hugs and kisses,

• hearing the sweet mis-pronounced words my boys say (lemonade is pronounced “little maid” at our house)

• kissing their ‘owies’ and putting on all of the band-aids (so.many.bandaids!)

• holding them and being there when they are sick,

• watching them love, help, and protect each other,

• laughing with them and enjoying the funny and creative things they say and do,

• experiencing the world through their eyes! Life takes on new meaning and you begin to appreciate the little things.

What a privilege to be a mom!

Though it felt like they’d be tiny and completely dependent on me forever, I now have four boys who SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT. They are all potty-trained! My oldest son can make his own food – and helps cook for the family as well! They all know how to do so many things ALL BY THEMSELVES!! They make their own beds and help with other chores around the house.

After years of not having five minutes alone all day long, I now have time to do things like  START a BLOG and consider opportunities outside the home.

I worked part-time role at New Life church in Colorado Springs Click here to read about it! And I currently substitute teach at my children’s schools.

Others told me it goes by fast, and that was hard to believe when they were all babies, but now I see how TRUE it is.

To read more about my days at home, read this!