Staying at Home- My Story

-You can find beginning of this post here.-

My story as to why I have chosen to stay at home has really started from the beginning of my life.

I grew up in a home where my mom was always home with us.

She in fact homeschooled all five of us.

K-12.
While our home was crazy with five kids it was a warm and inviting place.

I loved knowing my mom was always there.

There's something comforting about your mom.

No matter how old you get.

I loved waking up in the mornings to the smell of a coffee cake in the oven.

I loved the afternoons as a little girl where we would all curl up quietly to read.

I loved that creativity and exploring was encouraged.

I love the memories of feeling comfortable and safe at home.

Fast forward to college.

I had no clue what I wanted to be.

I changed my majors at least six or more times.

I was not interested in a career.

I wanted to be a wife and a mom.

The only problem was there was no guy.

The spring before my senior year I switched my major one final time to psychology.

The reason being...

it was the major that would have me out the doors and graduating that next spring.

I had no clue what I would do with a psychology major.

I honestly didn't have a plan.

This is the part where Travis comes into the picture.

We went to an itty bitty Baptist college.
I met him when I was a freshman and he was a cool football playing sophmore from Texas.

We hung out and flirted my freshman year.

School ended and we began dating other people.

And that was that.
We remained distant friends all the way up until my senior year (he was a fifth year senior).

In November of our senior year we happened to sit by each other in the computer lab.

Our distant friendship sparked back up and the rest is history.
We began dating in December.
We talked endless hours on the phone over winter break.

Little had I known over the years that we had the same dreams.

We wanted to marry our best friend and have lots of kids!

And the best part... he said he wanted his wife to stay at home with his babies.

That right there sealed the deal;)

We began talking about marriage in February.
We graduated in May.

Were engaged in July.

And in October I married my best friend.

I had lived in Missouri with my family until we were married in October.

Immediately after our wedding and a short honeymoon I moved to Texas with my new husband.

I began working at the middle school where he coached/taught at.

I loved my job working in the choir with middle school students.

In May we found out we were expecting our sweet Emma :)

The end of May I turned in my resignation for the next year.

There were quite a few people who thought I was crazy.

But we knew.

This was the best choice for our family.

I had Emma in January and that's when my life changed forever.

The minute I looked into her precious face I knew I could never leave her with someone else.

I had no idea the love I would have for my babies.

There's no describing it.

*One Baby*

*Two Babies*

-Colt's in the back of the stroller-

-Three Babies-

Technically four...I was already pregnant in this picture :)

I adore being a mother with every fiber of my being.

I would do anything for my kids.
I want them to know I'm their number one fan.

My choice to stay at home is a complex one...

it's made up of lots of little things...

I want to be the one to see their first steps and to hear their first words.
I want to be the first person they see when they wake up from their nap.

I want to be the one to kiss boo-boo's and comfort them if something is wrong.

I want to be the primary influence in their lives.

I want to be the one to hear the funny conversations they have with one another.

I want to be able to snuggle up with them any time of day to read a book.

I want to kiss and hug them whenever I want to.

I want to be the one training them what's right and wrong.

I want to be the one who they show their new tricks to.

I want to be there to stand up for them.

I want to be the one that disciplines and corrects their wrong behavior.

I want them to feel the same comfort and safety I felt growing up.

I thank the Lord every day that He has given me the desires of my heart.

To be a wife to my best friend and a stay at home mom to a house full of littles.

And let it be known that not every day is perfect.

Some days everyone is cranky... including me.

But on those days I remind myself that my time with them as little people is short.

I don't want to miss a single minute of it.

Because soon enough they'll be independant and wanting to go off on their own.

I've written about it before in this post but our decision for me to stay home isn't a financial decision.

Travis is a teacher/coach.

That gives you a good idea of what we're bringing in.

It's not rollin' in the dough kind of money:)

I don't stay at home because we don't need me to work financially.

In fact two incomes would be quite handy.

But we make it work on one.

It's tight.
But it's a choice we have made from the very beginning.
And we plan..and budget...and pray a whole lot :)

And each month the Lord has provided.

So that's my story.
From the very beginning to where we're at now.

I love my job and am proud to be a stay at home mom:)

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Come back tomorrow for Alex from Peppermint Plum's post on Staying at Home.
It's going to be a good one!