I'm the lucky one

All this time I've been fretting the loss of my career and identity. I've worried about money and our limits on attaining stuff. I've been completely focused on what these changes have 'cost' us as a family. I often times intermix how good these changes are for our kids - but never for me. I've looked at this as a net loss for me.

But...,

I get to spend this irreplaceable time with my kids. A time when Dave and I are the moon and the stars to them. The girls and I go on daily adventures. We go to the Zoo or the Wild Animal Park, Balboa Park or the Beach, Museums or playgrounds, we make play dough cookies or paint or glue baubles to colored paper to create artistic treasures, we go to an international preschool twice weekly (http://www.theirc.org), we visit grandma or have play dates with friends.

I don't have to get up in a rush, dressing my girls in a hurry as I throw a breakfast together and run off to drop the girls at day care and fight traffic to get to work.

No - I wake up slow (OK, slower than I'd like to admit really) enjoy a little alone time to shower and dress while the girls have a little morning TV. We then have breakfast together before heading off for our morning adventure. We're usually home for lunch and then nap time.

I'm blessed with two little girls who aren't prone to temper tantrums or constant sibling bickering so are days are pretty happy and easy.

My girls are happy. My husband is happy. And, surprise, I'm happy too.

I've realized I am the lucky one - WE are the lucky ones. We're happy. We have love and comfort and security and while more money might make give us a little more breathing room - the cost of making that money (me working full time, away from my kids) would represent too great a price for our family.

Words to Live By....,

"Values are the shield that you carry with you throughout life and it protects you from whatever life throws at you."
-- Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah

"I want my children to feel like they are global citizens, to really have an understanding of the world at large. Because once you feel that others are like you then you want for others what you want for yourself and that way you start helping others. When you solve someone else‚s problem you solve a problem for yourself because our world is so interconnected."
-- Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah

"To whom much is given much is expected."
-- Unknown

Poop on Parade....,

Sitting at Kidsville with Ron, Alec's Dad, we were talking about the kids while we watched them play. Alex alerted the large warehouse sized room that she had to go potty. 'Poopy' to be specific & she was going to go by herself! Well, I could not have been more proud.

"I can't believe how grown up she is. Just three and she can take care of business. How cool is that!" I beamed at Ron.

"Yeah, that's great. Alec (who is 5 months older) isn't anywhere near that stage," he replied.

And, as I continued beaming about my daughter, we chatted about Alex and her apparent advanced potty training & verbal skills for the next few minutes until we were interrupted by our subject.

"MOMMY! MOMMY!" Alex yelled excitedly from the restroom door, where she was now standing with her shorts and panties around her ankles. "Mommy come here!! You have to see this - I made a REALLY big POOP!! Come see!"

A bit more sheepishly then before I stood up to go 'see' my daughter's latest great accomplishment as my friend said with a grin, "We tend to celebrate other things in our house."