One of Those Moms

You know when your little, how people ask you what you want to be when you grow up? I'm pretty sure I might have said teacher every so once in a while but ever since I was old enough to know better, all I've ever really wanted to be was a Mom. It could have been that I realized how much my own Mom dedicated herself to raising us and I had such an awesome example of how much of a difference it made on us. I just knew, that's what I was destined to be.

Well let me tell you, life doesn't always pan out the way you want it. I had a very clear plan after I graduated from high school. I was going to go to college and in my Sophomore or Junior year I was going to get married, then after a year I was going to have my first child and I was going to stay at home and raise that baby. Let me tell you how much of that went according to plan....I went to college.

Ok, let's give the plan a little bit more credit, Jared and I did get married my Junior year. Then we tried to have a baby. 5 YEARS LATER, I finally got pregnant. Jared was unemployed and I had a steady job so we decided he would look and if I had to, I would go back after my maternity leave. Maternity leave over... still nothing for Jared. With tears, I headed back to work. Quite possibly the hardest thing I've ever had to do. She was so young (8 weeks old), she needed me, I needed her, but at least Jared stayed home with her while he continued the job hunt.

I have such a profound respect for working mothers. You don't know, until you've been there. If I never had to do it, I don't think I would have considered it a big deal. I constantly worried that she would forget me. It hurt when she would laugh at Jared but not at me.  I was overwhelmed with the responsibility on my shoulders. I would try and workout in the morning, go to work, come home to nurse her at lunch, come home and nurse her after work, try and get dinner on the table for Jared, dream about cleaning our house, then zonk out in bed for the night preparing myself to do it all over again. But I bucked up and I did it because I knew, someday the tables would turn and I would be able to stay at home with my sweet baby girl and  I would be able to live my dream of raising my own child.

Today is that day!

On October 29th Jared had an interview at e*Trade. It went well and he was invited for a second interview on November 1st. We've tried not to get our hopes up every time he gets an interview because he's been turned down so many times. His second interview went just as well and we prayed harder than I think we ever have that if it was right, he would get the position. On November 2nd he got the job offer and it pays enough that I get to stay home with my baby! 

He started on November 8th and for the next 4 weeks he'll be studying to pass his Series 7 exam which I guess is quite an important exam in the financial industry. It's supposed to be one of the hardest tests he's ever taken. So basically he leaves for work at 7am, when he comes home he eats dinner, then retreats to the office to study until bed time. Once he passes that test, he'll have another one to pass and then he'll be working as an Financial Account Representative for e*Trade. I'm so proud of him. It's been so degrading looking for work in this economy.

As for me, I'm going to spend my week sleeping in until 8 and playing with this sweet thang for the rest of the day.

p.s. Once I get settled into this lovely new role of mine, I'm going to get back into the grind with my crafts and plan on selling them. Keep an eye out... I can't wait!!! My craft room has been SOOO neglected the last couple of months!