I stay home........

It's funny because my lofty ambitions growing up (once I got over the fact that I would never be a solid gold dancer or a nun) was just to be a Mom. I wanted to pack lunches and car pool and go on field trips, and volunteer. And I have reached that goal.

When I was at a volunteer training course (every year gotta love Spencerport Central) I was listening to the woman in the room, and they were all stay at homes Mom's. Well, not only was I everything I wanted to be be, but here I was in a whole group of my idols....

When it came to me, I proudly announced my name and that I also didn't work & was a stay at home Mom. But my hours of availability were limited until after 9:00 a.m. and before 3:00 p.m. and never on school vacations & nothing during the summer because I am a liscened home day care. It was at this moment that a Mom at my table leaned over to me, and corrected me. Not only IS a stay at home Mom WORK, but I also WORK. I thought she's right.

Every morning I cook, that's right cook (except one cereal day) breakfast for 9 children. (7 come in & 2 of my own).
I settle disagreements about card games, K'Nex peices, TV channels, who's turn it is on the computer, if So & So is lying about how many Pokemon cards he has, if Yu-Gi-O is better than Pokemon, and who is touching who, or looking at who.
I listen to stories & events that heppened the night before or 2 years before, to gossip about the neighbors & sometimes some really interesting family information.
While doing this I help my kids get up and ready. Samantha likes (needs) my undivided, so I have to try, and every day I know she's awake because she begins to chant "Mom, what's the high, MOm, what's the high, MOM what's the high"

Right about now I wish there was a high , trust me, but she dresses very true to the weather forecast, and it can change over night, soooo....

Then there is always the last minute, "oh yeah, I'm supposed to wear red today." The rest goes like this....
me --> "so put on your red shirt"
her --> "I can't find it, where is it?"
me ---> "Did you check your drawers?"
her --> "yes, it's not in there"
me --> "what about your closet?"
her ---> "It's not in there"
---------meanwhile in the playroom an arguement has broken out about whether Spiderman or Superman is stronger and if Hannah Montana is prettier than Gabriella --------- so I leave my perch at the bottom of the stairs & settle this----------
her ----> "Mooooooom, I can't find my red shirt"
me ----> "WELL I DON'T WEARYOUR CLOTHES AND I KNOW I JUST WASHED IT SO IT'S CLEAN SO JUST LOOK"

------- 5 minutes later-----------

her "Mom...."
me "fine, i'm coming", and i check the closet, and the drawers, and it's really not there. so she goes without and i wonder...... She wears pink.


Now, Libby just got out of her cast which thank goodness means although I am still getting paged from upstairs "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMY", "MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMOMMY", she can move on her own. Although, she has begun wetting the bed, so i have to clean her up in the morning, then I try to sneak back upstairs to clear the sheets off her bed.

I make sure that everyone has a lunch, a snack, a coat, shoes tied, their homework, and backpack, those who should brush their teeth have, and that everyone gets on the bus with a smile. Unless of course there is a special project that can't be carried on the bus, then I drive him or her in.

I come home *the bustop is now down the street instead of at my house (love Spencerport Central) * and I clean up breakfast, and toothpaste spit, and I go onto my usual things, and realize that a laundry basket is missing, I check Samantha's room, there it is, she never put her laundry away, and guess what is on top? Yup, the red shirt.

I won't even get into the regular Mom duties & house stuff, we all know that in & of itself is work. And I only have two kids.

Then there are the after-school kids, but that would take about three more pages.............

Anyway, my point after all of this rambling is that NOW I am offended when someone comments that I don't work. This is a very select group of people. And I'm sure they have no idea that they are offending me. But offense taken. I work. Come walk in my shoes, try to stay patient for more than 15 minutes, I dare you.................

p.s. I also volunteer 3 days a week at the school, and teach religion on Sundays........... and all the Mom & house stuff.

I work.