So Far, So Good

This is my first full week as a full-time stay-at-home mom. I didn’t work last week, but I didn’t really feel like I was playing homemaker because we had some friends from Iowa come into town on Sunday and leave on Monday. Then, of course, Thursday was Thanksgiving, and on Friday Ian and I went into the California woods with some friends to cut down our Christmas tree (all legally, of course; we stopped in Hallelujah Junction to buy our permit).

So with all of that going on, it was a nice distraction from not being at work anymore. I have to admit, even though I missed Alexandra every day and wished for a less hectic schedule, part of me was a bit nervous about being home all the time. I wondered if I would get bored, or if my brain would start to turn to mush. After all, housework and interacting with Alexandra can be challenging, but not in a way that seems mentally stimulating. I wondered if being at the house would make me go stir-crazy in a matter of days.

But so far (three whole days in!), it’s been great. Obviously, the best thing about it is time with Alexandra. She is fun, happy, beautiful, and learning new skills every day. I love making her laugh, discovering that she loves carrots, and watching her babble at her toys. I realized that I only have a limited time with her (God willing, eighteen to twenty-three years, and unfortunately I don’t think I can expect to remain her favorite person in the world that whole time) and I am determined to enjoy as much of it as I can and be grateful for every second. She is such a precious gift from God and I never want to take her for granted. It’s crazy to me how much you can love one person, and it’s something you never know until you have a child (sorry, Ian :).

Also, after playing Working Mom, I am realizing the advantages of Stay-at-Home Mom. For example, even though your day consists of repetitive, mundane tasks such as laundry and washing dishes, most days you have time and energy to read a little, write for fun, play the piano, or catch up on episodes of Star Trek: Voyager while you eat lunch. You can take walks because you’re not at work the whole time it’s light, and unless baby is having a napless day, a bit of midweek exhaustion can be cured with a short siesta. 

Goodbye, Fun Students

It’s over. My time at the Davidson Academy is done. 

Okay, maybe it’s not quite as dramatic as the above sounds. After all, I am remaining on the substitute list, so I may show up every once in a while. Also, I still have some final assignments to grade and return to the regular Spanish teacher, so I have to come by sometime next week. 

The students were great. I felt very loved and appreciated on the last day, which is a great feeling for a teacher. So often when you’re teaching, some days end and you feel discouraged, untalented, antagonized, disrespected, tired, or all of the above. While I had relatively few of those days over the last several weeks, it was still great to be encouraged at the end. I got a candle, a sweet card, and a Starbucks gift card, and many thanks and affirmations of my teaching. 

A couple girls also made me a video, which is a great gift, because not only do you receive the encouraging messages, but you have a lasting memento of your students’ faces and voices, and you get to remember their mannerisms and the little things that make them fun and unique. They interviewed various students from my classes and recorded both things the students like about me and humorous things they remembered from Spanish class. It was very touching and SO much fun to watch.

(It also made me realize I should maybe be more careful about the random things I do occasionally, because one girl said one of her favorite memories was when I told the girls that once they had been pregnant, their belly buttons would never be the same. Also, one student has pictures of me sitting under a desk, gripping its legs and demonstrating my fake terrified expression, taken during an earthquake drill. It was fun at the time but not very dignified in hindsight.)

They are very thoughtful students, and I feel really grateful for the time I got to spend with them. And now I am looking forward to all the time I will get to spend with my daughter!