Truths: Sick Days

So, I had big plans for today... Some blogging, some working out, a meeting, and just other things to get done... But, when we awoke this morning, my daughter's stomach hurt and well, she puked.

As she flushed the toilet, it was as though she was flushing all my plans down too.

Stay at home moms often get the, "Oh..." when people ask what they do for a living. As though our lives are comprised of laundry, homework, and cleaning the house. And, of course, between those responsibilities we are eating bon bons and watching soaps and... shopping.

Working moms may shun us when our kids are sick because at least we are home to take care of them and we don't have to miss work.

It is so untrue. Stay at homes are the masters of scheduling, the ideal creators of time management and experts at multi-tasking. Our entire identity depends on these skills and our household runs like a well oiled machine because we are good at our jobs.

I am not inferring that we are better than working moms... I was a working mom. It was hard and exhausting, but between 8am and 5pm, I had life all my own. I had lunches out and conversations with adults. I was challenged each day without seeking purpose. I loved my job and quite frankly, I loved that I was an accomplishing adult for 40 hours every week.

But, when I chose to stay home, all of that changed. Carpools, laundry, cleaning - they aren't challenging. Instead they are mindless activities and so, I had to find ways to expose myself to challenges. I had to develop my own goals - I no longer had a job to do that for me.

It is hard as stay at home mom - or any mom at all - to identify what you want to do with your life. Beyond the day-to-day, you have to reach down into your soul and ask hard questions. Such as: what else is there for me, what am I seeking, and am I not going after it because I am scared?

Writing a novel (my dream), running a marathon, starting a non-profit... what exactly do we want and how will we get there?

Amongst the volunteering at the schools, and picking up kids at soccer - we are strapped with the yearning to make more of our lives. Because, staying at home isn't enough for the world... and usually, it is not enough for us either.

So, my plans are altered today - not because I have a paying job and have to stay home. But, because even though I am home, my plans to change the world are not going to start today.