The Austin Life: SAHM Life of Bliss

Just "Hangin Around" all day long

Most people looking at me think I have the life...the life of bliss.

I don't have to get up every day and go to work. I don't have a boss to report to. I don't have people talking bad about me or unhappy customers. I am a stay at home mom (SAHM) and have a life of bliss.

I love staying home, don't get me wrong. We did not decide to have babies so that daycare, grandparents or other complete strangers could take care of them all day. I wanted to raise our kids myself. So, I saved money, stopped buying $300 handbags, having pedicures, spending $$$ on getting my hair done, put a huge limit on eating out, cut out cable TV, don't have a silly smart phone (and I think I am smarter for not having a smart phone by the way), and my closet has seen better days just to name a few things. I do not get to stay home because we have so much money it is streaming out of my Gucci Handbag. I stay at home because Chris and I decided it was what was best for our kids, and we worked and continue to work to make it happen. But, I do not see any of that as a sacrifice.

Chris gave me joy by helping me find a way for me to stay home. Okay, I may be a penny pincher, but I want to continue to stay at home. You know, so I can sit around and do absolutely nothing all day and enjoy a life of bliss.

I know, that is what every one thinks I do all day. Absolutely nothing.

As much as some days I wish that were true, it simply is not.

I am the Mommy of 3 kiddos, the playmate, the Austin Household merry maid, the Austin household laundromat, the Austin kiddos tutor, the Austin accountant, the social calender manager, the pastry chef and household chef (I'm not sure I would call my cooking chef like however), the personal teacher, car pooler, the adventure taker taking the kids here, there and everywhere, Catholic instructor, exercise Nazi (gotta keep the kiddos active), and, last, but not least, the poop picker upper. Oh, and unlike people who have "real" jobs, I do all of these things because I love to, not because I get paid to, unless you count my payment in kisses.

And, to top it off, I do go off to try to save lives a few times a month at a hospital as a nurse. And, unlike the "normal" population, I sacrifice sleep so that I can stay home and play with my kids after that joyful night at the hospital.

I love my "job" as a SAHM. I get to see every moment of our kids' development, get to volunteer when I can at the kids' schools, and I get to spend as much as their precious childhood with them. I would not have it any other way. I would be sad to have missed many of the "firsts" that I have been blessed to see while being at home with our 3 kids.

To clarify, I don't have to "go to work" but I do work. I do have a boss to report to. My kids and my husband are constantly telling me if what kind of a job I am doing. I am always trying to please them and do better to kiss up to my bosses so they pay me more (in kisses, of course). Unfortunately, I do sometimes have "unhappy customers." If you ever try calling me during the day, you may just hear one of those times when I have an unhappy one.

With all of that said, there is one thing that those naysayers have right. I am a stay at home mom and I do have a life of bliss.