The One in My Shoes

Hello! I'm a featured guest blogger over at Crayon Freckles today! I'm so excited that Andie allowed me to participate in the "In Her Shoes" series on her blog.
If you have been sent this way from my post over there, you may be interested in some of the following: Things I Love About Ellie, Olivia's Month-by-Month and yummy dinner and dessert recipes (see tags for more specific categories!).
 
If you came this way on your own, you can read my post about mommyhood below:

Hello! I’m Michelle. I’m a full-time mommy and part-time blogger and aspiring photographer over at The One With The Cupcakes where I share recipes, crafts, photos and any other random thing that strikes my fancy.

A big thanks to Andie for letting me participate in this great series!

Like Andie, I’ve always been excited about being a mom. Even when I was in college studying Spanish and Elementary Education, I knew that once kids came along I would want to stay home with them. What I wasn’t in any way expecting was that my first, Ellie, would be born before I even finished college. Talk about surprises. My husband, Steve, and I had been married just over a year when she was born, at the beginning of my senior year. I stayed home with her that first semester and then finished my last semester that following spring with the help of amazing friends and family. And here I am. Less than a year and a half after graduating. I have no work experience of any kind, no job title, no résumé builders, but another little wonder, Olivia, has joined our happy home.
 
I am beyond blessed with my little girls. They bring so much joy and life, not only to me, but to everyone around them. Ellie is all energy and giggles. She is strong willed and smart and is already very much the bossy big sister. But she is also the best friend who, whenever Olivia whines a little, comes rushing to her aid bringing her toys and stuffed animals to play with. Ellie loves Elmo, and giving kisses, and playing dollhouse and coloring. She is my tigress, my bubbling fountain of laughter, my brand-new day every morning.

And Olivia. She is my steadfast one. She is very contemplative and methodical. She seems so quiet, but really she is just waiting for her opportune moment to break out with a roar or a squeal or a laugh that just about melts your heart. She is my old-soul, my friend from ages past. She takes my breath away with her wonderfulness.

As much fun as we have, the three of us girls being at home together, it is a struggle sometimes, to make ends meet on one entry-level professional income. It’s hard to be such a young mom because most of my peers don’t have children yet. It’s hard to not be doing all the grand things I was planning on doing with my life at this point. It’s hard to change diapers and make sandwiches and not be out changing the world, as I thought I would be right about now. But I know that I have this one fleeting and precious opportunity to raise kind, smart and giving children that I can someday give back to the world. I have this one chance of a few years to make a lasting impression on these beautiful girls I have been given. The rest of my life can wait.
It has always alarmed me that stay-at-home moms have to really fight for respect for what they do. We are concentrating whole-heartedly on raising the next generation. We are their earliest teachers. Their life coaches. We are molding them into being thoughtful, respectful human beings. We realize, more than anyone, that children are the messengers we send into a future we will never see, which demands great sacrifice in the present. What about that is lacking of respect?

My girls are still very young, but every night I pray that, through my example, they will learn to be kind, loving and respectful. Kind, because as humans we are all hurting in some invisible way and a little kindness means a lot. Loving, because from great love stems the ability to see what others need and improve social situations by providing that. And respect. Respect for oneself and one’s own life, value and ambitions. And respect for the lives, value and ambitions of everyone else. Respect does not mean you always agree with everyone, but it does mean you try to imagine they might believe what they do for a reason. Teaching them these things is not going to be easy, but I’m determined to love them through everything, provide them with experiences and opportunities that shape them into moral, socio-conscious people and give them a peaceful home from which they can learn, grow and thrive.
 
And along the way, I want to keep track of every adorable thing they do, teach them how to make fabulous desserts, and build blanket forts for make-believe. So that's me! Feel free to stay awhile and explore!