Friday, October 26, 2007

Not going to drive a bus

Right now, our youngest child is four years old. He is in pre-school three times a week in the afternoon. Next year he will be in kindergarten everyday. Because of this, I have had countless people come up to me and talk about how great next year will be. I'll have so much free time now to go and do all of the things I haven't been able to do for so long. Go out to lunch with long lost friends. Make an appointment to pamper myself with a pedicure, and new hairstyle. Go out on an all day shopping spree, or even simply stay in bed and sleep all day. My friends talk about me now having the chance to finally catch up on all of my scrapbooking.

Funny thing is that, you would think that I would be jumping all over this opportunity to have some freedom that society thinks I have missed out on all of these years. In reality, I am just not into doing these things, and I find much greater joy and satisfaction in being with my family and raising my children.

As I was leaving the school office one morning after Jonny's speech therapy, something on the wall caught my eye. It was info on a course being offered by the district to teach you how to drive a school bus. This interested me, and I took down the info. This was something that I could do. I had my answer to what I would do after Jonny went to school. Rather than go out and all of the things I mentioned earlier, I would go out and drive a school bus.

I could do that. That sounded like fun. I already drive a fifteen passenger van, so how hard could learning to drive a school bus be? It sounded like the perfect plan.

Later in the day, after the kids were home from school, I was trying to call the bus garage to get more info. Caleb asked me what I was doing. After I told him, he retorted,

"Mom, you can't drive a bus. Why do you have to work? If you do, you will be gone before we go to school, and you won't be home when we get home."

Wow. What an eye opener for both John and I. Thankfully, John's income is enough that I didn't need to work, I didn't really want to go out and work outside of the home, and at least some of my kids didn't want me to work either. What in the world possessed me to even think about it?

One word. Society.

Society makes a woman feel like maybe her being a mom is not as significant of a job as going out into the workplace. In reality, I think I have one of the most important jobs in this world ---raising my children to grow up to be moral, responsible, God-following adults in this world.

So, our plans for next year. I'm going to be a new Mama to one precious little boy waiting for us in Ukraine. I really can't think of anything I would rather do.

5 comments:

Tami said...

There's no better job in the world. I hope I'll be able to join you at home soon...once we get back and get a handle on our financial situation, that's the plan. It can't come soon enough for me and the kids!

Anonymous said...

It's the most important job in the world, being a mother.
And wooohoo about the adoption thing! And it sounds like you're going for a young one. That's so wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it sad that we feel so pressured??

Being a Mom is the MOST important Job there is!

Sarah said...

Sounds like a wonderful plan! :) My dad always wants to know what I'm going to do when my kids are in school and talks about how I could be this or that. I know he just doesn't get it. But, it's okay. I just nod and humor him and know in my heart that I'm going to be doing what I'm doing for a very long time. :)

Sarah

Debora Hoffmann said...

Amen! Thanks for sharing that. I pray that someday the Lord will allow me to be a full-time mom. Or even a mom who works part-time. It's hard as I near 40 with no kids to not be discouraged, but I have to remind myself that God's plan is so much better than mine.