proud to be a SAHM

I have been earning wages by working on one job or another since I was 16 years old. My very first job was a part-time janitor for the school district I attended. I left that job began working for our local grocery store and then I went on to work for several different convience stores. Just before my 19th birthday, I went to work for Continental Airlines. I felt like I was moving up in the world. I had a job I could be proud of and advance with. After two years, I met and married my dear husband. I felt it in our best interest at the time for me to quit. In light of the events of 9-11, I look back and think that was a wise decision. After only 3 months of being married, we discovered we were going to become parents. When my oldest child was born, I was able to be at home with him everyday. After a little while, I began feeling like I was missing something and after 6 months of being a parent, I decided it was time to go back to work. With only 3 hours of college, my options were slim. I lived in a rural area, so jobs weren't as plentiful as they had been around the city, and I didn't really want to go backwards from where I had been with my career already. The highest paying job even remotely close was with the Department of Criminal Justice. So, I went through the process and became a Correctional Officer (that's a politically correct way of saying Prison Guard). After a short time there, I discovered I was expecting blessing number two. During this pregnancy, I experienced much sickness and I quit for the sake of my unborn child. When she was about 3 months old, I went to work part time at a fabric store. I did a little of everything from customer service to stocking and cleaning. I felt as though I had more potential than that, so I went back to work for the DOC. When I discovered I was expecting blessing number three, I decided it was time for me to take on a clerical position. Even though it was a little less money, I could still work to help support our family and I wouldn't have to do such laborous work. It became increasingly difficult for both dear hubby and I to work full time and be able to maintain much of a family life with two small infants at home and one more on the way. I didn't feel as though I should have to quit (now I have learned how selfish that was on my part) at the time, so dear hubby became the domestic engineer. He continued doing that for the next four years. I on the other hand, went back to work after maternity leave. Two and a half years later, I decided to pursue a career in a field I had always dreamed of. Photography. I worked as a photographer for the next year and a half, I work for two different major portrait studio retailers. I felt that if I ever wanted to keep my love of photography, I had better get out before I grew to dislike it entirely. I simply did not like being forced to take the same pictures the same way all the time. I wanted more than that. So, when I left there I went back to a field that I had at least some expierence in. I became a telelcommunications operator for our local sheriff's office. I worked there and really enjoyed the job itself. It was very high-paced and rewarding in a sense that I could actually see my accomplishments after a days work. You must understand, it took me a while to see the political side to the job. When it began rearing its ugly head, I couldn't consciously continue to be a part of the drama. I had given above and beyond myself and I finally realized that if would never matter just how much I gave, they were going to take that and more from me. Once again, I left yet another job. Here I am four months into my job as a Stay at home Mom (SAHM) and I couldn't be happier. I don't know how long I will keep this job due to finances, but I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing. I never realized how much I missed and how rewarding (and yes trying, but what job isn't at times) that this job is. If I don't get to keep this job, I will learn to cope with that too, but I will always cherish and be proud of the time I have spent as a SAHM.