Becoming a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom) Part I

It's about time I share my story of how I became a SAHM.  I get asked a lot about it.  It usually comes in the form of, "How do you do it?" or, "You're husband must make a lot of money." 

Let me first say, I went to college for four years to be a teacher.  I loved being a teacher.  I was a pretty good teacher.  I planned on teaching until the day I decided to retire.  THEN I got pregnant, and had a beautiful baby boy.  That little boy turned my world upside down.  During my maternity leave I cried almost daily thinking about going back to work.  I crunched numbers and wracked my brain for ways to stay home.  In the twelve short weeks of maternity leave, I couldn't find a way. I went back to work.

I finished out the rest of the 06-07 school year, and taught the 07-08 school year as well.  I still had the desire to stay at home, but I loved teaching fourth grade.  I got pretty good at the working mom routine and I was extremely happy with our sitter for Little Man (we're still great friends).   Still, I had the yearning to be at home. Crunching numbers and looking at ways to trim our budget, I still couldn't find a way.  I decided to renew my contract yet again for the 08-09 school year.

About the same time I renewed my contract, Steven and I had a little surprised.  A now precious, sweet surprise, but a surprise nonetheless.  That little surprise turned out to be Little Miss.  I gave birth to her in October 2008, and enjoyed every minute of my 12 weeks maternity leave with my two kids.  However, maternity leave comes to an end. 

When I returned to work at the end of January, I was frazzled.  A working mom of 2 is no joke.  My day consisted of waking up, getting ready, getting the kids ready, grab my bags for the day, grab the kids' bag and lunches, drop the kids off at the sitter, teach 40+ kids, go pick up my kids, clean up bottles/lunches/breast pump, make dinner, clean up dinner, pack bags/lunches for the next day, give baths, put kid #1 and then kid #2 to bed, make teaching related phone calls, grade about 100 papers per night, and finally bed for me.  No room for playtime.  No room for family time.  No down time.  Just craziness.  A vicicous cycle of chasing my own tail. 

I finally came to the point where I had HAD enough.  It was time to ask for help.

To be continued...