How did I get here?

My first entry into the blogsphere! Woohoo!

I thought this was a great time to explain how God called me "back home". I grew up in a family that taught me that I must attend college and "make something of myself". As such, I attended college and graduate school. I have a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education and taught for 4 years in the public school system (1 year in a private school). All was well, but I dreamed of the day when "my prince would come" and I could have babies and become a stay-at-home mom. At the time, I bought into the mentality that being a stay-at-home mom was acceptable whereas being a stay-at-home wife was simply strange and virtually unheard of.

Fast forward to October 20, 2003: the day God brought my prince to me. Until that time, I wondered if God wasn't making me an "old maid". lol We were married on October 23, 2004; both of us at the ripe, old age of 27. :)

We enjoyed our newlywed life. We would each leave for work in the morning and come home, telling each other of our day's adventures. Life was fine for a while until I started to feel guilty. Guilty when I couldn't get the laundry finished. Guilty when I neglected lesson plans to spend time with my new husband. Guilty when dinner was late because I had to stay late at school for a meeting. Guilty when I had to leave him to go attend PTO meetings. I began to feel like I was just mediocre. A mediocre wife and a mediocre teacher. When I worked hard to be the best wife I could be, my teaching suffered. When I worked hard to be the best teacher I could be, my home (and husband) became neglected and suffered. I truly felt like I was burning my candle at both ends: trying to be a great wife and a great employee. It wasn't working.

It was around this time that I found a lot of resources on the internet about becoming a keeper at home. I began to wonder if this was the step God wanted me to take....and how would I ever get my husband's consent? lol Sure enough, when I first presented this idea to him, he was dead-set against it. He didn't see how we could "make it" on one income; he thought I should work full-time until we had our first child. I began to pray that if this was the road God wanted us to take, He would show us clearly. Of course, that is just what He did. He did it in the form of a new job offer for my husband that required us to move. Because my husband requested it, I did apply to different school districts in the area but my heart was heavy at the thought of going to work--again--at the end of the summer. Around this time, the Lord had been working on my husband's heart also. Finally, one day he said that he felt the Lord was telling him that my husband needed to trust Him fully...and step out on faith by letting me "come home". I was thrilled but still wanted to know...for certain...this was where God wanted me. Guess what the ultimate sign was? I only received one call to interview for a position. I had a Master's Degree and 5 years of teaching experience and only ONE call for an interview? By the time this principal called, it was late summer, and my husband and I had already decided it was the Lord's will that I stay at home so I turned down the request for an interview. When I turned it down, I felt an incredible sense of peace in my heart.

Since then, I have been FAR from perfect in my role as keeper of the home. I could wallpaper a bedroom with the schedules I have created...my goal in all of them being to "become more organized!" LOL Dinner is still late a lot of nights, I still get behind on the laundry and the cleaning. But my husband is happy and appreciates a wife who is not stressed out when he steps in the door. (Most nights she's not stressed. lol) Financially, we have marveled at the way God has provided for us; He truly does meet ALL our needs. I am thankful for this time God has given me to focus on being a godly wife to my husband and being a keeper of the home He has given us. We pray that in His timing He will bless us with children, but we are resting in Him and trusting His timing for that.