Blog Changes and Fun with the Girls!

For those of you who visit often you'll notice the change to my blog background!

Blogger added a handful of new templates and a new design program that allows you to play around with them. The inner artist in me couldn't resist. I've been playing around with different templates on and off for a couple of weeks, but thought that this background was bright and cheery, which makes me happy, so hopefully it makes my readers happy too! I'll be working on my header next.

I don't feel very full of words this morning, but have a bunch of pictures from my outing with the girls yesterday. We went to a fun little play spot called Explore & More in East Aurora, N.Y. and had a blast!

My friend Melinda (one of my bestest high-school friends!) was planning to go, and her friend Megan was planning to meet her. So there we were, 3 mommas, 6 children, and 1 grand-momma (Melinda's mom- whose extras hands we were quite glad to have!) and we all just played for a good two hours!

It was one of those mornings that I was truly content to be a SAHM (stay at home mom). Really. I had this thought, even as we were walking out the door in the morning, that I wouldn't have things any other way. I can't imagine not being able to share these experiences with my girls while they are young and I wouldn't trade anything for it, not even the best writing job at say the New York Times or Vanity Fair or even Better Homes and Gardens (or one of those other girlie magazines!).

Two years ago I'm not sure I would have said that. I was really struggling with wanting to continue my career in a more concrete way...today I am content. Content to be able to pursue writing projects from home and happy to give my girls shared experiences with me while they still want to share experiences with me!

Being a SAHM (stay at home mom) is a sacrifice. I am sacrificing furthering my writing career at a faster pace. I am sacrificing the experience of potential full-time writing jobs with great organizations and publications. But it is worth it. I can't imagine not giving this time to my girls-- there is SO much happiness and contentment and relationship building that I am offering them that quite simply they would not have if I were working full-time.

I know that it is not possible for everyone. I have friends who have to work full-time because their job is the job that pays the bills and offers the insurance. I empathize with them because I think, mostly, they would truly like to have more time at home.

That said, if you are in a job, just to work, not because you need the money, or the insurance, but because you are afraid to lose your professional self to the daily and sometimes tedious tasks of taking care of children, I would challenge you to re-think what you are giving up. It took me three years of being at home to figure it out, but I'm grateful I did.

I know many moms who have made similar sacrifices and are grateful. My friend Melinda, who I met yesterday morning, has passed up management promotions so that she could be more part-time. My friend Maria who is starting a very cool children's book publishing company here in Buffalo has sacrificed fast-tracking the growth of her company so that she can be home when her daughter, who is now a junior in high-school, comes home (along with her other children). Her daughter came home one day several weeks ago completely distraught over an attempted suicide by a classmate. Maria wouldn't have traded the ability to be there for her daughter for any amount of professional growth.

So anyways, just something to think about if you are on the fence about a decision that will allow you more or less time with your children.

Here are a few of our photos from yesterday!