Let's Just Call it An Adjustment Period

I had often dreamed of being a stay at home mom...sleeping in until we got up..spending afternoons at the zoo and the park and just living and doing what ever my children wanted. So I quit my job and all of a sudden I was hurled back into the real world. The next few months were a journey in itself and I spent the time literally learning how to be a full time mom with out a lunch break. You see, when I worked my lunch break was MINE all MINE...my only alone time!! I used this time for anything and everything I wanted to do without two kids in tow. I got haircuts and pedicures, I ate food that was not kid friendly, went grocery shopping...I even took naps. My lunch break was my battery recharger...my way to get through the rest of the day and many times even the week. And just like that it was gone and I had to learn to time errands perfectly to avoid meltdowns and eventually learned that even timing can't prevent meltdowns ALL the time. I joined a play group which turned out to be my saving grace at times. I got rid of my new trail blazer and bought a cheap, paid for, no payments, all mine car. And I enrolled in school. I started college before I had children and somehow priorites shift once you see that pink line. I always wanted to finish I just didn't know when or how. This journey has made me explore myself and my parenting abilites. I no longer clock in and out because my job is 24 hours a day. Sometimes my days are so full that I wonder how I ever had time to work in the first place, but we no longer have to rush around to get anywhere. I get to have breakfast, lunch and dinner with my children every day. We get to live life on our schedule and do things that we want to do. When they are sad or get hurt I am the one that gets to give the hugs and wipe the tears. I have had to teach my youngest child to use a cup and a fork and we are now embarking on toilet training without any help from day care workers. I went from spending weekends and evenings with my children to spending every single day with them. There are many days that I am tired and there have even been days where I have wondered if I made the right decision. This journey has been a huge adjustment for me and the rest of my family. I went from a two earner marriage to being a stay at home mom, from making a check to getting paid in hugs and kisses. After everything I have been through, and all that I have learned from spending every day of the past year with my children I can honestly say that I would not trade one second of this experience to have my lunch break back!