Have a Happy Thanksgiving!I posted this quote from 30 Rock on Facebook this week...
"I feel about as useless as a mom's college degree"
It just sort of struck me as interesting, yes, my degree in mechanical engineering dosen't really seem to affect my life right now. At least, in a big, everyday, money making kind of way.
I believe that I am using my degree, at least in an indirect way, every day. By knowing how to learn to be more effecient, and striving to do what I do better, and faster. By trying to fill my time, and Leah's time with useful and productive activities that teach something. I may not be solving a problem involving differential equations and the coefficient of friction, but I am solving problems. Maybe I didn't need the ME degree for that, but it couldn't hurt. (This was supposed to be the main focus of this blog...a nice idea, but hasn't really worked out that way.)
Then I got this response from a college roommate I haven't talked to in some time...
"so what else do you do besides being a Mommy? I'm working on building a side business that I can do once we start a family."
Now, let me just say first that I am happy for her. She has always been a very driven person. With big goals. Following through on them. Always top of her class in chemical engineering. She is really a person who lives out her beliefs, and I respect her...
However, I also have to say this note... kind of ...upset me.
Why does our culture always seem to say that being a mom is 'not enough'? That somehow it can't be fulfilling all in itself. That caring for, and teaching, and loving, and feeding and entertaining a child 24/7 is more like a hobby than a real job. Like having a pet. I should be doing something productive with all my FREE time.
ahem. Free time? What 'free' time might that be? She us up at 6:30-7 most mornings, and I am lucky if she will take enough of a nap/rest in the afternoons to get cleaned up from the morning and start dinner.
Even right now while posting this, Leah is eating breakfast, I am eating (second) breakfast, and I have been singing 'How much is that doggie in the window" by request. All while watching the time and trying not to be late for bible study...speaking of which...I need to go now. Be back in a bit...
OK. I'm back
(Now she is eating lunch...and pretending to talk on the phone)
In one of my bible studies this fall, we discussed the lies women believe. One that stood out to me was something about The man can not be the sole provider in the family. Meaning, that women believe that in order to 'make it' they must return to work and make money.
(done with lunch...have to clean up sticky fingers)
I realize this is a loaded statement. And I think there are some circumstances where women need to work to help support the family. Sometimes, it may be more of a situation where, to support a certain higher standard of living the woman must make money.
(now she has her arm stuck in a mailing tube...be right back....)
And I think sometimes it isn't really about making money, it is about fulfilling a desire to work and being career oriented. I don't think that is a bad thing either. Lots of families do this very successfully.
Right now, it seems that the thing women are doing is making a side business, where they can make something to sell on their own terms and time. This sounds like a wonderful idea. Sites like Etsy make this a very convenient option for talented people.
(Now we have turned the tube into a leaf blower...)
In fact, I have had several people suggest that I start my own Etsy site. I think my main hesitation here is that, while Etsy makes this very easy for people to do...Etsy makes it very easy for people to do. Does that make sense? Seems like everything I would be tempted to make and sell is already being sold in several thousand Etsy shops. Probably better, and cheaper, than I could make it. I guess that dosen't mean I couldn't make any money doing it, but I think it would have to be more than about the money.
(Now she is trying to jump off her tractor-which she is calling a diving board...hmm, maybe it's time to intervene...)
Right now, I just don't feel like it is a season in life where I can handle something like that. I'd say that Leah keeps me very busy, from the moment she wakes up until the moment Dwight takes her off to bed.
(now we are in a battle over not eating too many marshmallows).
Right now I am enjoying my crafting by making things to give as gifts, and trying my best to keep up with all the baby gifts I'd like to make. Right now, I am thinking about getting to travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and putting up Christmas decorations, and doing Christmas crafts and activities.
(we just ended up doing a google search because she wanted to sing the 5 little turkeys song...i didn't know the turkey song. Then I wasn't sure she knew what a turkey looked like, so we looked at pictures, and now she is coloring a picture of a turkey I printed off for her)
and then...after all that, and January comes...I have to get ready to double the amount of children in this house. And I don't even get to clone myself to keep up with demand.
Maybe I am just not effecient enough to do 'something else besides being a Mommy', maybe I am not motivated enough. Maybe I'm too lazy. maybe I'm just too focused on Leah and the house and the coming little person.
Or maybe, being a mom, and staying home with my kids, is what I've always wanted to do. Maybe I am one of those lucky people whose dreams all came true before I turned 30.
I have a wonderful husband who provides enough for us. I have a beautiful daughter who keeps me more than busy. We have another little one on the way, kicking me right now in fact, that will keep me more than more than busy. We have a nice, safe home that requires care and cleaning.
And right now, that is more than more than enough for me. :)
(and right now it is also time to see if this kid will take a rest...fingers crossed!)
((I don't want to offend anyone, these were just some thoughts that were swirling around in my head today, and I needed to get them out. I know this is a big topic, and this dosen't really cover it completely-and obviously i was a little distracted while writing it-but hopefully it isn't too confusing))
And, maybe next time, you will get to see a picture of the finished turkey :)
