No tags yet.
Who am I? How did I get here? Well, it’s a long story that involves losing a few jobs, going bankrupt, trying to start a business, getting some therapy. I love being able to stay home and keep my own schedule. I don’t enjoy some of the financial aspects of that lifestyle. I have food, shelter, clothing and love. Now I need to embrace staying home. So the beginning of my tale of being a (somewhat) reluctant housewife.
I have a husband and 2 children, a boy and a girl. My husband and I have been married for 17 years and together for 21. Both children are school age. They are slightly less than 2 years apart. I have 2 sisters and 3 brothers. I mostly grew up in Minnesota. My father’s job involved a lot of travel so when I was a kid, we got to travel with him frequently. I have visited over half the United States and hope to get the other half before I die.
I did work outside the home for several years. However, after trying to find a job for 2 years after a job loss and having no success, I just couldn’t handle to emotional ups and downs of the job hunting process anymore. My therapist says I need to accept being a “housewife” or go back to work, but I can’t keep one foot in each camp. I used to wish that I could be a stay at home wife and I guess now I have my wish. So, note to self, be careful what you wish for because wishes sometimes come true, even if you didn’t really mean it.
The positives are being home are that I am here to take my children to school and when they come home. I can attend events at the school during the day if I choose too. No begging my boss for time off when I want or need it. I can take those daytime appointments at the doctor or dentist and not try to squeeze it in during my lunch hour or at the end of the day. I can shop for groceries during the week when its not swamped with people. On days when my kids don’t have school, we can all sleep in.
The negatives. Ahh, the negatives. Things I shouldn’t complain about because there are people out there dying to have the life I do. Well, its not all sunshine and roses. Sometimes its quite a bit of Kleenex and tears. Going from a 2 income to a 1 income family is still an adjustment in progress. The summer and holiday breaks with the kids can be trying. Feeling like I’m contributing enough to our family since I don’t do it financially.
Housework is probably the biggest negative for me. I really despise cleaning. I don’t like dirt and mess, but I get overwhelmed when it comes time to clean. I also don’t think that just because I’m a mom that means I should also be a maid.
So that’s where the name of my blog: “Mom, Not a Maid” comes from.