Starting Life

It feels like life is about to start. Not to say that I haven't enjoyed myself up to this point, but most of it has felt like prep-work. Peter and I are quickly approaching our 4th year of marriage and we have truly enjoyed the last 4 years of marriage together and the 6 years we've been together. It is just so nice to finally see the hopes and plans we had for our life together finally happening!

Let me explain:

6 years ago, when we started dating, Peter was just preparing for his first year of college. Over the course of those first 2 months of dating, we knew our love was forever type of love and we knew it was going to last! I was still very unsure of what I wanted to spend my life doing. The only thing we knew when Peter left for school in September is that we wanted to get married in 2 years and that I needed to get a job. So I did.

I have spent the last 5 1/2 years working hard to get our life started. Peter also was working 30 hours a week, while balancing a very full class schedule (up to 30 credits a semester). We started our life off at a very good place for being 20 years old. After our wedding, we kept at it! We were only halfway there. Peter still had 2 years of school left. We enjoyed married life to its fullest, while still balancing work schedules and Peter's class schedule.

Finally, Peter graduated! It was a great day. I finally felt the financial responsibility for our family get lifted off my shoulders. Peter was more than happy to take that role over! We were able to step out of survival mode and start preparing for our future together which included children and a bigger house.

The last 2 years have been spent preparing for that. We've bought the house and we almost have our first child home! Life is good. The final piece of that puzzle we dreamed and talked and planned for almost 6 years ago is about to happen. I am about to quit my job and be able to stay at home with my children! I am thrilled and feel so incredibly blessed that we are in a place where I am able to enjoy my time at home with my children!

I have one more week of work before my personal dream job will start! Okay, so Malachi isn't home yet, but he will be soon. I have worked hard. It hasn't been easy. I currently have a very bad back ache and sore wrists as a reminder of just how difficult the last 5 1/2 years have been on my body. In case you were unaware - upholstery work is not easy!!!

But here I am - steps away from the finish line. I have completed this task. I have sacrificed. I am about to get the ultimate reward! I am thankful to my husband for allowing me to stay at home!

With that being said. Here are the top 10 things I am looking forward to:

1) Not getting up at 4:30 in the morning for more then a feeding and diaper change. (Malachi, I pray you are nice to your mommy and don't wake up and want to play at this awful hour of the night!)

2) A direct result of not having to get up at 4:30 - being able to stay up later at night!

3) Being able to do things during the week! I don't have to fight with the weekend crowd at the grocery store. I can join Bible studies and support groups that happen during the week. Places are much less crowded during the week!

4) Not being involved with "work drama" or work stress caused by under staffing. I already feel the stress disappearing.

5) Being a better wife. I am confident that I will be a better wife as a result of this life change!

6) Hopefully being able to do a better job of keeping up on housework and cooking better meals at night. I know a baby could mess this one up, but I hope to do better at all of this!

7) Not having my life dictated to me between the hours of 5:30-4:00 everyday. No more scheduling appointments for after 4:15 and no more having to rely on 3 free weeks a year of vacation time.

8) Hopefully relief in the aches and pains. I don't know what carrying a little guy around all day will do to my back, but I hope overall the symptoms improve.

9) More than 12 weeks of bonding time with my son when he gets home! Infinite days of bonding. I get to hold that little boy until he doesn't want me to anymore! It is NOT dictated by my employer but instead by my new boss who is all of 7 weeks old ;)

10) Not missing a single smile, a single feeding, a single diaper change. Being there for every first. First roll overs, first crawls, first steps, first words. Being available for every hug, kiss, boo boo. Getting to comfort him every time he cries. Being there for everything will be priceless!!!