My blog posts have fallen by the wayside lately. It's unfortunate, and I apologize. But before you judge me too harshly, let me update you on a few recent events.
About three months ago, my husband came home and tearfully dropped a proverbial bomb on our household – he was laid off from his commercial construction job. Considering our healthcare and primary household income was wrapped up in this job (which he had for two years), it was, needless to say, an emotional time.
Thankfully, he left with a small nest egg that, we estimated, would last us a few months. Surely in that time he – or I – would find work. Despite a few close encounters, nothing has quite worked out. And here we are, facing down the barrel of economic destruction so many Americans are dealing with these days. So what, you may ask, does this have to do at all with being a mompreneur? Well, my friends, I'll tell you.
Being a mompreneur has a great deal to do with spiritually and emotionally supporting your family. It's a choice you make knowing you most likely won't get rich pursuing this path, but that you will instead have the flexibility be there when your family most needs you. There has been no greater demonstration of that in my life than right now.
In the last few months I have had to face my greatest fears and conquer my mightiest demons. The least of which was facing certain poverty (something I struggled with as a child) and dealing with immense stress. Realizing my two children gauge their reactions by my own, I had to go about things as normal. School routines remained the same. Extracurricular activities continued and my business activities had to push forward.
Beneath it all, however, I was wrestling with the constant desire to bolt the scene – run away from the shifting sand that was suddenly our reality. Of course that was not an option. My kids – and my husband – needed me.
So, instead of fleeing my fears I was forced to turn and face them head on. We shut off cable, reduced our gas consumption and began clipping coupons. Next we'll eliminate our hard phone line. As for summer, we are frequenting the library, swimming pools and, thanks to benevolent family members, are sending one of our sons to a couple of camps this year.
Now that I have fewer distractions (thanks to our lack of brainless cable entertainment), I have had a lot of time to think about this situation. Through the occasional tears and heated spousal discussions, it eventually dawned on me that when this temporary struggle is over, and I do believe it will be temporary, I will have a great deal to teach my children. Savoring the little things, for one; like the fact that Daddy, after a long two-year commuting absence, is here every day when they wake and every night when they go to bed. Perseverance, for another.
Mainly, though, I will tell them about how, despite the exhausting emotional toll, Mommy and Daddy woke up every morning to fight the good fight. We faced down the fear of financial ruin together, without allowing the stress to break our unity. And when we finally win this battle, I will happily hold up the victory banner that will be an in-tact and stronger marriage.
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