A New Chapter

**To catch up on this flashback series, click on the link at the top of the page.**

Summer was finally here and She was done. She had taken a year leave of absence rather than leaving outright, just in case. He was a teacher too so They were just being careful until They knew if They could really do this. She decided that, in order to help financially, She would babysit one child all day and three girls before and after school. She would also tutor several times a week. This would hopefully help make ends meet.

She loved being home with the kids. She loved not leaving them every day. She loved being able to focus on them. But financially? It was so hard. Even with babysitting and tutoring, They were completely stretched to the max. He was still in school for his Master’s and gone all the time; He was also working weekends to help make ends meet. They were hardly ever together and She missed Him terribly. But They were going to try this and see if They could make this work.

They were also thinking about having a third child. They knew They wanted more than two; They weren’t sure if They wanted three or four, but were hoping with all Their mite that They would be blessed with more than two. Not only was that too much pressure on Little Man to be the only one solely responsible for Baby Girl if/when something happened to them, but They wanted to experience having a child again. And not 13 months apart from the others.

Baby Girl had started pre-school and was sick all the time. It was nice to be there for her when she was sick. To not have to do the “sick day shuffle” as They called it. Because the previous year, when She was still working and Baby Girl started pre-school just a few days a week, She was constantly having to take sick days. Which meant scrambling to get lesson plans ready and figure out what She would do. This was a huge load off Her shoulders. And His.

She was also learning that this stay-at-home Mom thing was pretty lonely. She missed seeing friends every day and chatting about life. She missed having $20 extra to order pizza once in a while. She missed getting compliments on Her clothes or shoes or new haircut. She missed being social. She missed teaching.

It wasn’t as easy or as satisfying as She had imagined, but it was still better than what She felt before. She truly felt as though She had been put on this Earth to be a mother, the best mother She could be, and this was helping Her with that goal. She would do whatever it took to make that happen.