10 Things I wish I'd know 10 years ago...

I'm fighting going to bed for some reason. Boredom led me to troll the internet for old hair "idols." Shawnta immediately came to mind. I went to Youtube to see what's she's been up to in the last year or so. I chose this video. She only got around to actually mentioning 6 things but I still appreciated her candor. While listening, I felt compelled to blog on this topic, more for myself than anyone else.

I'll be 30 years old in less than one month. Thirty. 3-0. Ten years from 40. I know people who throw huge, celebratory parties, making much adieu about leaving their twenties behind. I'm not one of those people.Truthfully, I don't know where my twenties went and I actually spend quite of bit of time thinking about what I'd do differently if given a chance. Actually, I've always thought about what I'd do differently, even from my early twenties, only I thought about how I'd change my teenage years.

Is it really possible to have a quarter life crisis for 6-7 years? LOL... Seriously, though, I know I'm not supposed to say I dread turning thirty or that I mourn lost time and perceived missed opportunities. I know the right answers about God's sovereignty, my salvation and how all things were orchestrated leading me to this very moment. All the same, here are some things that 29 year old Glo would tell 19 year old Glo.

1. Don't second guess your gifts, skills and/or talents.
2. Nurture relationships.
3. Be you, beautiful.
4. Live at a 10.
5. It feels really important now, but it's not.
6. Move to DC after graduation, at least for a little while.
7. Throw away all your CDs.
8. Sometimes you have to start from scratch.
9. EXERCISE.
10. Go veg or vegan.

Ideally, I'll do a post on several of these topics in coming weeks.

So funny, as I typed that I have things 19 year old Glo would tell 29 year old Glo...may visit that topic one day.

Goodnight moon.

The Part Time Housewife

A friend shared this blog post with me. I must say that I agree with the woman's thoughts on working outside the home. A few years ago, when asked to discuss my five year plan, I responded "In five year, I hope to be a wife and mother."

A few years ago, when asked to discuss my five year plan, I responded "In five year, I hope to be a wife and mother." I remember actually getting into arguments with people who felt staying at home was a waste of time and the mark of a lazy woman. I don’t know when it became LAZY for a woman to keep the home and watch her own children rather than hiring someone else to do it, but that is a completely different story for a completely different blog post.

I did and DO enjoy my job, but the plan was to get a job, go back to graduate school, work a little more to give me something to do until my Prince Charming came along. Thankfully, my Prince Charming came along and I praise God for him, however, as I face the possibility of actually having to “put my money where my mouth is” I’m realizing that being SAHM may not be an immediate option for us.

In a different blog post on the same topic she says:

In the land of idealistic egalitarianism, both spouses work the same number of hours and spend the same amount of time on childcare and household chores. But in real life, it rarely works.

I almost have to agree with this. I'm not a mother yet, but juggling my household responsibilities with my work responsibilities is a bit tiring. My hours make much of what I'm able to do, possible. Working a regular 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. would drive me crazy, as I would still need to manage things at home. My typical mornings during the week involve washing and folding clothes, cleaning the kitchen, cleaning our bedroom and bathroom, taking care of the dogs, vacuuming, cleaning windows, running errands, paying bills, budgeting and everything in between. I stop around 11:30 a.m. to make lunch (and sometimes dinner for Warren) and to get myself ready for work. I don't mind doing all these things because I like Warren to come home to a clean and orderly house. I'm a part time housewife and it's hard. I have to admit though that the possibility of throwing a baby into this rotation is frightening. I really don't know how people do it.

I'm all over the place, I want to go back to school, but I ultimately want to stay home. I want us to be able to afford a home and children without struggling, but then I know Warren isn't about to be some false preacher doing the money cometh dance, duping people out of their money in the name of "Gawd," so realistically we're not going to be loaded. I guess I somehow believe that if I go back to school everything will be "okay" but honestly from an emotional and spiritual sense, it could be worse in the long run. The idol of control rears his ugly head again....GRRRR.

A friend and new mother had this as her Facebook status message last week

Trying to be a career woman, mother , and wife feels difficult. I miss my baby, but I definitely need the moola.

I don't want to be her. I don't want to experience this. More motherhood vs. career tension for ya on a Monday night.