SISTER WISDOM

This guest post is by Leslie Ann Jones. Are you interested in writing a guest post? See how here.

Last Thursday night, I was sitting at my desk in the office, singing along with Martina McBride on iTunes, packaging several sets of custom stationery from my etsy shop, glancing over my shoulder at my 8-month-old daughter rolling around on the floor, listening to my husband talk about his day at work, and thinking about starting to cook supper when Dennis, the aforementioned husband, let out an alarmed yelp.

Immediately, I swirled around to check out Micah. Had she swallowed a hairbow, a feat she had attempted the night before? Had she rolled into the bookcase? Had she ripped apart the newspaper? Thoughts of the worst flashed through my mind.

But none of them were the reason for the yelp.

An entire tub of salsa spilled in the middle of the carpet was the reason for the yelp.

I stared at the tomatoey mess soaking into the white carpet and wondered how to react.

I chose to laugh. Because really, what good would have come out of yelling?

I turned back to the desk and continued packaging the stationery.
Then I took pity on Dennis, who was frantically trying to clean up the mess with a roll of paper towels.  And I helped.
Helping meant that I took over the cleaning task while he watched Micah and ate chocolate chip cookies.

Later, as I cooked supper, I started thinking about why I do what I do. I double-majored in college and came out with degrees in communication and religion. Then I went on to seminary, where I earned a master of divinity degree.

Then we decided that it was time to make a baby.

So I didn’t look for a job in Christian ministry when I graduated from seminary. Instead, I began sending out writing samples and query letters to various publications. As my belly grew, so did my writing assignments, and I thought freelance writing was a perfect occupation for a stay-at-home mom.

Then I actually had the baby, and writing was the farthest thing from my mind. I was entirely too busy thinking about feeding schedules, establishing a routine, and wondering why Micah refused to take naps to actually sit down and write. Concentrate on anything for an extended period of time? Not a chance. But as Micah grew, so did her affinity for sleeping, which did wonders for my sanity. I could be a mom and a writer too. And because I’ve always loved pretty paper, I began designing custom stationery as well.

I spend my days shuffling between the den (where I nurse Micah and we play together), the kitchen (where I encourage Micah to eat something other than milk and wonder what in the world we’re going to eat for supper), and the office (where I savor Micah’s naps by writing in my journal, reading my Bible, writing on snippets, and filling orders for Senojal Designs). Occasionally, I throw a load of clothes in the washing machine. Even more rarely, I scrub the bathtub. When it’s time for Micah to take a bath, I wash the dishes in the sink so there’s room to suds up my child.

And I couldn’t be happier. I’m so thankful to have the freedom to live this life. Being a homemaker allows me to embrace all the different parts of me that make me who I am. If I was just a writer, I wouldn’t be able to indulge the part of me that wants to be a stationery designer. If I was just a stationery designer, I wouldn’t know the pleasure of spending days with my sweet little girl. If I were just a mommy, I wouldn’t be able to participate in some of the most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. Being a homemaker allows me to be a wife, and a mommy, and a writer, and a designer.

When people ask me what I do, I never know how to answer them, because what I do doesn’t fit into a neat and tidy box. I’m just an ordinary girl who tries her best to keep all her plates spinning at the same time. I stay at home with Micah. I write. I design. I keep house (albeit not very well). I teach Sunday school. I cook supper. I keep our pantry filled. I hunt for cheap diapers. I check e-mail and facebook a little too often. I make pretty paper. And I hope that somehow, through all of it, I am becoming the person that God created me to be.

I do what I do because this is what’s best for my family and me right now. It may not always be best. -But right now it is, and right now, life is good.

Today’s 2 Cents Courtesy of:

Leslie Ann Jones is just a girl who’s trying to wear about 10 hats at one time. She’s a mother to a precious 8-month-old baby girl. She’s a wife to Dennis. She’s a freelance writer for various publications. She’s a stationery designer for Senojal Designs. To read more bits, scraps, & morsels from her crazy life, visit snippets, her online home.

What’s your 2 cents?

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Image courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt.