They Finally Asked!!!

Surprisingly it has taken 5 years but I finally had this question directly asked, "wow, you're a stay at home mom. Your husband must make loads of cash?"

I was somewhat shocked to be asked, taken aback, though you have to give credit to someone "ballsy" enough to(or as I like to say "with the ovaries to...") speak aloud what they are thinking.

No, no he does not. When we made the choice that I was going to be at home with our children (then, just one child), 2/3 of our income disappeared. This has been a true venture in trust and in the faith that God will provide.

I truly believe that almost anyone can be a stay at home mom - given that they are willing to make a lot of sacrificial choices. I am sure that my wardrobe is clear evidence of the fact that though I sell Epicure and walk a little guy to school (and get paid for that, amazingly), those incomes go straight to the family coffers and don't provide for any extras such as clothing purchases. Yes I would love to spend oodles at Value Village loading up on new to me outfits (because I can't fathom paying what it costs to buy new, let alone the environmental stress caused by it), but when weighing that against spending cranky days at a full-time career and letting my child be raised by someone else, my choice is clearly the ratty apparel.

We have been blessed by and through many people - which has enabled us to be in a little less debt. Expired food from mom's general store, hand-me-down clothing for us and the kids, holidays at my parent's timeshare, a hair stylist sister-in-law way too generous with her minimal cost haircuts, a great aunt generous in too many ways to mention, endless and countless other blessings.

So that is my quick, simple answer (because you know I could go on and on!)as to how many loads of cash we bring in....

Blessings in Construction Disguise

When construction notice papers were tacked to mailboxes up and down our street I began praying that this devouring of our potted roadway and dusty inconvenience would bring our neighbourhood together in a positive manner. It is incredible to watch what has happened: people who barely spoke combining brain and braun to release broken chassis-ed trucks from mudpits; kids "too cool" for one another banding together in dirt bike races and puddle jumping; elderly ladies and gents being helped halfway down the block and back over rocky, mucky terrain to access their mailbox; backyard fences and bushes whacked down to make paths from the old arena parking lot behind to adjacent properties. Blessings abound.