Pedestal Priorities

I read a blog recently that prompted me to start typing. This blog I speak of is about a new mom, "Elizabeth" who struggles with the idea of sending her now two month old to childcare, a very personal and difficult decision shared by many parents. She goes on to share how she wants nothing more than to stay home with "Junior" but she and her working husband rely on her income.
Really "Elizabeth", really? If I hadn’t read your prior blog entries of your needs for shopping sprees, vacations, designer handbags, and your love of wine, cheese and frequent salon visits, I might have some compassion.
I'm thinking what "Elizabeth" really wanted to express was the desire to stay home with "Junior" all while maintaining a lifestyle she is used to.
I refrained from commenting on “Elizabeth's Family Blog”, because I truly feel she needs intervention over a glass of Boone’s Farm.  Sweet “Liz”, it’s time you get your priorities in order, step off your pedestal because there's a new baby in town.

In addition to sharing “Elizabeth's” dilemma, I wanted to include a post on our blog as we too faced this difficult decision when Deona was pregnant for the first time around, yet never made time to write about it.  As a reminder, our blog is not only a method to share what's been going on with family and friends, but it also serves as our "baby book" of sorts.

So with that in mind...
We knew one of us staying home meant severe changes in our lifestyle and rearranging priorities. Even so all possibilities were heavily considered and me (Monica) staying home was our decision.

What this looked like for us:

No more cable television
No more cell phones
No more eating out for lunch during the work week
Fewer dinner outings - once a week (unless for a special occasion)
Reduced monetary limits on gifts
Fewer vacations
Less travel
Shop generic and no/very few splurges (i.e. alcohol, fancy cheeses and desserts).
Shop discount/thrift stores versus department/specialty stores
No more purchases, just because something's on sale
Reduced salon visits from every 6 weeks to - ohhh maybe twice/year
Additionally, selling our home and moving into an apartment translated to smaller bills and no more upkeep; including yard/pool care.

So there you have it, the changes in the life of our growing family. Our family is on a budget and will be for a while, we make no apologies. You may notice the new “Deona and Monica” appear less than hip, less than trendy and not sporting the latest designer handbag.  Make no mistake however, we are the NEW and IMPROVED Deona and Monica.  We are truly blessed with two of the most precious boys anyone could ever hope for.  God is good.  Consider our joy knowing one of us gets to watch our boys reach milestones all in a consistent and nurturing environment. And yes, there’s no doubt being a stay-at-home mom presents its own share of struggles, but for us the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

Whether your family has decided on child care in a facility or at home, we recognize it's a personal decision and whatever decision is made, the most important advice is to make the most of the time you have with your child(ren).  In my opinion, children belong on pedestals; possessions do not.

In final I close with my little stay-at-home motto:
Even though being a stay at home mom does not bring in a dollar figure, I remind myself of its true value. The work we do as mothers is priceless.