These past couple of month’s life has been too busy. There
was a navy reunion to finish planning and attending. Then I had to make sure
that everything ran smoothly while I was stricken with a respiratory infection
on the first day we arrived in Rhode Island. There’s the typical stuff, like running your
household, grocery shopping, home schooling, vet visits, doctor’s offices and
then, IF you can find a moment, you try to study. Since I didn’t even find time
to bathe every day, I guess you could say studying was the lowest priority
there was for me.
Between all of these wonderful domestic goddess chores
something happened to me. I got hit in my back (my arthritic back) with an
extremely large flat of canned goods at Sam’s Club. The pain that I normally
suffer with seemed to multiply by a thousand. It truly immobilized me for
almost two weeks. I was on medications that made basic things seem like a three
hour workout and my brain just wasn’t functioning properly.Needless to say studying was completely out of the question.
As I was dealing with the representatives from Sam’s to
settle my claim I used the salary.com site which calculates what a stay at home
mom is worth. When I presented this number to the agent she proceeded to tell
me that I was “worthless” because I didn’t have a job outside of the home. Eventually we came to an agreement, but I
cannot even express how angry I was at being called worthless.
The work that I do each day (well it’s like that old Army
commercial, “We do more by 9am than most people do all day”) is endless. It’s not
9 to 5, its 24/7/365. And no, I don’t get a paycheck, but I get something more
than money, I get the knowledge that I am doing something for my child that
will benefit his future.
I’m feeling better now and will resume my studies by the end
of next week, but until then may I make a suggestion to you. Thank your wife or
your husband for doing the little things around the house that make your life
easier and make sure your partner knows that they’re not "worthless," but priceless.