This was the day 10 years ago that I decided to quit working full time and be at home with my kids. Well, kid - singular - at the time, since I was pregnant with my first and had no idea that I would eventually have 4 children. I was driving home from my job as a hairstylist that I loved, struggling with what to do when the baby was born. I just didn't know if I should find day care or work part time or stay home. I can still remember the place on the road that I was; I was listening to a radio program with a mom on it who was talking about being at home with her kids, choosing this option for how she was going to raise them while they were little. I felt God nudge me in my spirit saying,"That's what I want you to do". I remember being a little surprised at first, and then becoming very excited because now the decision had been made. Fast forward 10 years...
Yesterday I took Marky shopping for a few long sleeve shirts. Just the 2 of us went to Old Navy. 10 years has gone by since I became a mother. Marky was born at 5 pounds 11 ounces, 17 1/2 inches long (or short!). She has always been small; I've always had to buy her clothes much smaller than her age, but yesterday we finally bought clothes meant for a child her age. Size larges and size 10s! It was a poignant moment, in the dressing room realizing that she is growing up so fast; watching her deal with her petite genes ("I'll have to roll up these sleeves because my arms are short, this vest bothers my neck because my neck is short, these jeans are too long") in the same way that I do (we can thank her tiny grandma for that).
I thought back to that day 10 years ago and realized how much I have been able to experience by making the decision to be at home with my now 4 kids. Some days it is unbelievably boring, hard, mundane, and I know that I have had many moments of self pity and complaining; Some years there have been circumstances where the choice to be with them was out of my hands. However, I am really happy that God directed my path the way that He did 10 years ago. I truly am very thankful for all of the memories that I have stored about my children - memories that made their way into my heart through my choice to be around them a lot. Yesterday, in the dressing room at Old Navy, I realized that no matter how slow or fast my kids change, they do in fact change. I want to watch and absorb all of who they are as they make these changes. I'm so blessed to grow and change myself because of them. I can only imagine what the next 10 years will be like.
school work, their desks, their friendships. They each reflect how God individually created them. Their teachers adore them, and they are all excelling academically and socially. When we got home from conferences, the girls played with their dollies. We did some hair, and they dressed alike; I was downstairs with them playing instead of upstairs worrying about what needed to be cleaned, straightened, washed or picked up. It was so enjoyable just to play with them. Of course Michael was in the midst of us all, zooming his big Tonka truck around the dolly clothes and accessories. As a reward for their wonderful report cards and excellent teacher reports, I took the girls to Qudoba for lunch (Michael styaed home with Daddy and took a much needed nap), and then we went to a new "makeup store" for a field trip. I told the girls they could all pick out 1 thing. Boy oh boy... we were ALL overwhelmed with how much was in the store! It was a really fun place. Usually Maddie picks out what she wants very quickly, and it takes Marky a while to decide. It was different this time for some reason! Marky picked out some lipgloss right away, and then Meredith found some glittery nail polish (she takes after Grandma Oman with her love for all things glittery!). Finally, after 30 minutes of browsing, I encouraged Maddie to decide - it was fun watching her and Marky interact about what she should buy (finally settled on a makeup kit... mmmm...). I loved every second of it. It reminded me of when my sister Lisa and I would ride our bikes up to Walgreens at the University Mall. After the makeup store, we went to Target where they picked out some boots that they were dying to have; pink for Meredith, brown for Maddie and tan for Marky. An afternoon of shoes and make up; it doesn't get ANY better than that!!!... I certainly have 3 girly girls. It was so much fun spending time with my daughters. I loved every minute of it.
Last Sunday, we took some family pictures. My dad and mom were the photographer and the "make the kids smile" assistant (respectively). It is something that I absolutely love doing. I love seeing the kids with the fall colors as well as the fun tradition with Pop-pop and Grandma. My dad is the best photographer, and he and mom make the kids smile so genuinely. This is the 4th year that we have done this and much to my family's dismay, I want to do it every year. We even tried to get Molly (doggie) in the pictures again this year, but she was too confused with all of the commotion... and believe me, there is commotion. But a fun sort of commotion, laced with bribery, bossiness, threats, and lots of love. Thanks to Grandma and Pop-pop for giving us these sweet memories!
evening at our house - trimming toenails and fingernails!! Actually, the kids and I had a wonderful evening together. Piano lessons with Grandma, no homework, sleep in mommy and daddy's bed, no school for the next two days, watch a movie, eat Grandma's cookies, drink root beer for supper, and of course our mani/pedi sessions. I love nights when we are home together (sans Daddy this particular night). Nights where we don't do anything really special, but we make the regular things that we do special.
