My thoughts on transitioning to be a stay-at-home mom so far

Like so many others out there, I was raised by a single mother for much of my life. Not just a single mother, but a very determined, strong mother who managed to handle three girls, work, and getting herself through nursing school. To say I thought she was Wonder Woman is an understatement.

From the moment Marcus and I began to get serious, we were pretty open about what we wanted our futures to look like; we thought it was very important to be on the same page with those things early on, and I'm so glad we did. We easily fall into traditional gender roles as a couple, because that's just what suits our personalities and strengths. I'm naturally the tidier one who notices messes and such, while Marcus would live in piles of laundry if he could. My mother-in-law is a Mary Kay director, so she has immense flexibility in her work and is very successful, but Marcus also loved how involved she was. To this day, that's what he points to as one of the best parts of his childhood. She was able to support him and his brother in every sport, and that's invaluable. As far as parenting goes, that's something we both want very much-- to be as involved in our kids' lives as much as possible.

For the last year, we knew we'd be relocating for Marcus to pursue a new hospital job at some point. The timing was pretty up in the air and was reliant on mostly factors out of our control. In the meantime, I was able to gain some of my best work experience to date: personal training in a gym setting. Never in a million years would I have pursued my personal training certification, although it's something I've had an interest in and a love for for years. The job opportunity sort of fell into my lap, and I thank God for that. It helped me take the leap of faith to gain my certification, and that job gave me the confidence I needed to work with people one-on-one towards their health & fitness goals. When we discovered we'd be moving sometime in April/May, I felt pretty iffy about changing jobs this deep into being pregnant. On one hand, I'm pretty sure an employer can't NOT hire you because you're pregnant, but at the same time, I couldn't really blame someone for not wanting to due to the fact that I'd be needing to take leave shortly after. It left us in a predicament, and Marcus was more than supportive of me staying home. Honestly, it felt like the only option at this point.

With my body changing so much and the ups and downs of the third trimester, I am so very grateful right now for this chance to settle in our new place and nest. I'm able to really focus on Marcus's needs as he digs his heels into his new job, and I can actually keep up with all the things around the house that I want to get done. Honestly, it's been the only time in my adult life when I haven't had a job, and it's been a tough adjustment. I know, I know, poor me. There is a really negative voice in my head that thinks I sound ridiculous to be struggling with staying home while my husband works, but I know this is a very temporary season.

In 7 weeks or so, there will be a baby boy who needs me more than anything else in this world. He will consume every moment of my time and energy and sleep. He will teach me new depths of fatigue and frustration and concern, but he will also bring us more joy and pride and love than we have ever felt. I cannot fathom how different our lives are going to look in less than 2 months, so for now, I'm not going to try. I'm going to take each day as it comes, and I'm going to enjoy the peace and freedom I have. I'm going to nap and take care of me so that I can continue to grow and nourish this sweet child inside me. This time is a rare gift in this busy world we live in, and I have no place questioning the blessings in my life.