Working mom.

I'm linking up today with Kelly's Korner since she's doing a Show Us Your Life for Working Moms! Hooray! This is something I feel really passionately about--ministry for the working mom. I've had quite a few negative comments from people when I decided to go back to work. However, for the most part our friends and family were extremely supportive of our decision. It didn't hurt at the time that after almost a year off, I financially had to go back to work. Now that my husband has finally gotten a promotion and new job, it is nice to know that we can look at some different options for my future. At this time, I'm still confident in my decision to work, and I will continue to do so. Micah's never been away from home other than to go to his grandmother's house every morning for a few hours until his daddy picks him up from work. That has helped a lot because he's either with my mom, my mother-in-law, or my husband. That alone has been a huge relief to me.

I'm a second grade teacher, and I love my job. Honestly, I have kind of one of those "cake walk" jobs as a teacher where the kids are nearly perfect, the parents are super supportive, the school is in a nice neighborhood, and I barely spend my own money on my classroom because I have that much parental support. I can get about anything I want or need.

And all the teachers out there are throwing tomatoes at me right now.

Yes, I know! I do have that job. Those schools do exist despite what the media might portray the public school systems to be. Don't worry, I did my time at different kinds of schools including a three year stint in inner city Memphis. Yes. I did. I think that is another reason that I enjoy teaching/working at this stage of my life because I can actually teach with kids that actually listen and parents who actually are involved and respect you. (Ok, they don't always respect me, but most of the time they do.) My job is relatively stress free, and I have found a way to grade my papers by four pm so that I can spend time with my family. I wish I had learned that secret years ago. (Here is the secret: grade whenever you have a moment to spare! I grade in the hallway, at my lunchtime, during my planning period, when the kids are taking other tests or doing other things. I don't go home and grade papers anymore!)

I won't lie. I haven't always been ok with the decision to work, and I took a year off to stay at home with my son after his birth hoping to be a stay at home mom. I returned this fall to my old teaching position (they will hold my job for a year--isn't that fab?) to change grades, and after ten years as a fourth grade teacher, I have found my calling with the second graders. I LOVE THEM!

For now, my husband and I really believe that God has timed every detail of our life which does include my working full time. He just NOW gave us some financial wiggle room, and I'm not sure why he gave it to us now rather than earlier. Until now, we haven't had much wiggle room, so I had to work. Who knows what we'll do with that wiggle room in the future? We do drive twelve year old cars, and there are some other needs. I think we're hoping to save for a bit. All I know is that I have been very privileged and blessed to work for the best bosses and the best schools my entire teaching career. And yes! That does include my time in the inner city because it made me who I am. I'm super thankful for my job, my husband, and my beautiful son. I'm so proud to be a mom, and as time has moved on...I am fine with even being a working mom. I think we need some working moms to stand up and say, "It is ok. You are not alone."

I've felt alone many times in this process as most of my friends are SAHMs. At the same time, I trust in the Lord's plan for our lives, and he clearly lead us down this path. How else do you explain giving us a job six months after I returned to work? Who knows? But I love being able to represent the light in maybe just one child's life this year. I know I'm hear for a reason. One encouraging thing has been several of my friends who are working moms including Ashley (you have been a big help so public thank you!) and my MOPS group at my church. It meets on Sunday afternoons, so I have actually had some time with some other moms.

What about you? Where do you work?