I don't know who came up with the title "Stay-At-Home-Mom." I don't know one "stay-at-home-mom." Not one. I've tried to be one, but it just never happens. I do not have a job outside of the house, yet I cannot manage to be a "stay-at-home-mom."
I haven't posted anything to the blog lately because I've not been home long enough to do so. I'd like to say that we've been on an extended vacation on some exotic beach, but that isn't the case. I've been driving kids all over the country...Okay, not all over the country. Just all over the city. I have come to realize that my dreams of being a "stay-at-home-mom" are nothing but dreams. I'm a "stay-in-the-car-mom." Even a "car-schooling-mom" as we aren't home to home school.
My boys are so actively involved in their 4-H club, as am I, that we are often on the go throughout our 4-H year. Going to project meetings, club meetings, county meetings, dances, etc. My eldest takes guitar so there we go. They are both actively involved in community service projects like city clean-ups. Obviously that means I go too.
I couldn't wait for summer. Even the Texas heat wasn't going to bother me this year. Summer was going to be quiet and slow. That is not how it turned out. Both boys are taking some summer classes at the local community college...I say local, actually it is about 35 minutes away on a good day. I guess that is still local. Their classes start at 1 and end at 5. So I get a couple of hours at home, right? Wrong! Something almost always comes up. Getting the 4-H record book signed and turned in to the county, going grocery shopping, running errands. On a good day I get to hang out with my aunt. She lives closer to the campus the boys are attending so it makes more sense than coming home.
I miss my home but in the end I wouldn't do anything differently. The boys are learning so much and gaining so much independence. I still love every minute with them. I really do enjoy their company. I know this "stay-at-car-mom" phase of my life won't last long. One day I'll probably look back and miss it just as I miss being able to pick up my eldest and carry him around. When I could carry him that is what he wanted all the time and my back would hurt and I would tell him to walk on his own. Now he is almost as tall as me so it would look pretty amusing to see me trying to carry him on my hip. One day they'll be driving themselves causing me all kinds of worry. So I'll carry on and see it for what it is, a phase. One day my home and I will be back together again. Until then my car and I will be the best of friends.
