My Take on Palin

For the past few days I have been captivated by Sarah Palin. I have researched and read and pondered and tried to decide how I feel about her. I am not sure that I have made a final decision, but I sure was impressed with her speech last night. Politically I am as excited as can be that John McCain chose her. However, as a mother I am struggling to support her. I feel the same tugs that I felt while Brad was in seminary. For so long my world rotated around politics and public policy. I had dreams of running for office or writing legislation. Law School only fueled that. But then....suddenly with the birth of John Patrick and some "Moore and Mohler" indoctrination, something happened. Politics and law degrees lost all luster. Motherhood became much more important. When John was 15 months old I entered the corporate work force. I hated it. It was misery. The thought of my child being with someone other than me was nauseating. I realized that there was nothing more important to me than being a mother. Sure there are days when I struggle now and no one was more excite about Mother's Day Out starting than me....but I promise that my worst day ever as a stay at home mom was far better than my best day of work in the corporate world.

I refuse to condemn working mothers as I know that many have to work. However, I truly believe deep down that where I am is the best place to be. Daycare makes me sick. I can not imagine leaving my children for 50 hours a week with someone else. My obligation in life is to my children to raise them and to teach them about the love and work of Jesus. Maybe someday I will use my education. I certainly have felt the pressure from almost everyone that I know. Maybe that is the pressure that Sarah Palin feels. I hope she does well and I certainly hope she wins....but I do not envy her in the least. It is not the road I would choose and I am afraid that while the rest of us will benefit tremendously from having her in office, there are five children out there who will suffer immensely.

First Day of School

Last week the day that John Patrick has been longing for for months arrived....the first day of "school". Since his last day in May he has been asking when he would be able to go back to school. Tuesday was registration day and we only stayed for about an hour. John was so upset that he did not get to eat his lunch there and play on the playground. He cried and cried because we did not stay for "a long time". On Thursday morning he informed me that he needed to stay at school for a long time and that I needed to leave him there and go far far away. The good thing about a response like this is that I know that he is happy and well taken care of. Molly also started at the WEE school last week. I debated whether or not she was ready and whether or not I was ready, but after strong coaxing from my mother, I let her go. I was so worried about her all day and I was sure that she would cry all day. When I picked her up I was informed that she did great and only cried when it was time for lunch. I must admit I was a little broken hearted that she did not protest my absence.