Dear Aimee,
I am a stay-at-home mom and feeling a little under appreciated lately. I know everyone says how important a mother’s job is, but I don’t always feel so important. People always ask what I want to do with my life. I thought I was doing it. It’s hard to not feel like I should be doing more.
Dear Reader,
What I am about to write is directed to the stay-at-home mom. I have many great friends and family members that are fabulous working moms, but this particular piece is about the mom who’s only job is in the home. I have been in this position for the past fifteen years and have loved every minute of it. However, the rewards of motherhood are not very tangible. You cannot list the achievements on a resume, or frame certificates to hang on a wall. But they come in little heartfelt moments that you wouldn’t trade for the world. Recently, my oldest son and I were talking about life and all it’s many opportunities. He asked, “Mom, what did you want to be when you were a little girl?” I got that far away look as I thought back to all the things I had pictured myself doing when I was young and said, “Oh, a pediatrician, a French teacher, an artist, a nurse, a psychologist…I wanted to be all of those things, but I guess I ended up not doing any of them.” He sweetly put his hand on mine and said, “Mom, yes you did. You’ve been all of those things to us.” What a mature and thoughtful young man he is, and you know what? He was right. I have poured every talent and ability God has blessed me with into bringing up these four children. I’ve taught them all the best parts of me. I may not have given my time and energy to the world directly, but I have given them to my children and I cannot think of more worthy vessel. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail, the important thing is that I can look back without regret. I have been true to myself and true to what I felt was my God-given purpose. So dear reader, the next time someone asks you what more you are going to do with your life, sweetly reply, “I’m afraid my life is completely spent at the moment. For you see, I am fully invested in an incredibly promising endeavor that has enormous potential to produce immeasurable returns. I believe in this venture so much that in order to ensure quality, I have given up my own ambitions so that I can personally provide the project with the necessary resources needed to see it to completion. The best part of the deal is that the dividends are dispersed daily and many times are actually more than my little heart can hold.” Like mothers of old, we store up these treasures in our hearts. Where depreciation does not exist, thieves cannot reach, and moths and rust cannot destroy. So sweet friend, get your uniform on (Blingy velour track suit), keep the company car gassed up (Mini-van or SUV), and flip on the taxi sign. Because despite our depressed economy, the work is plentiful, the pay is great, and you’ve never been in higher demand. Viva motherhood!
_The Daily Elk Citian_05 January 2012
_The Cordell Beacon_11 January 2012
The Plain Wife by Aimee Jones 
Aimee, there is a wonderful little book by Nicole Johnson entitled “The Invisible Woman… When Only God Sees.” It is a very quick read and well worth the time… just don’t stop reading at the end of Chapter 1! You will want to, but persevere; you’ll be glad you did!
This article made me so proud to call you my daughter-in-law. Keep writing I love it!
I definitely was grateful for my hard working stay at home mom!
Love this blog! great picture by the way 🙂
Great post. I enjoyed reading your blog today.
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I believe that the words your Son spoke
Were so profound and validated you and
all that you have accomplished by being a
Stay at home mom!
I think that Randy deserves a huge pat on
The back for stepping up and being all of
the things a man should be, a loving leader
In your home !! I am so proud of what he
accomplished too!!!
You are so right Carol! It would have been nearly impossible to do what we have done if both of us weren’t on the same page. Randy is an excellent husband…I learn from his friendship with God daily.
wonderfullfamily aimee.
Fantastic!!!! After many years of being a working mom the time came that our family was to large for me not to become a stay-at-home mom. It took me years to except this new title and even more to appreciate it. I felt that all the things I had done were more important and gave me status. I prayed to God often to help me with this and in his time he helped me find the way. Now I know what God created me for this day.
Your comment reminded me of how many times we have to give up our lives to find it. Thanks for the sharing and thanks for reading!
I could not have said it all better. I too was a stay at home mother of three after working for a few years trying to handle it all. I realized that my first two little ones were not receiving the guidance and influence that only I could give them.
Now, many years later with the last child in graduate school, following in the first two children’s steps, I know that I could not be prouder of all three of them, their accomplishments and their productive lives they are living. Who knows….they could have turned out the same, but will I ever know, if I had not been there with them every day after school, at every school party, every band concert, every cub scout meeting, every soccer game, driving car pools to church choir, etc.?
It is difficult to explain to someone who decides to pursue their career also. What did I do with my college degree? Actually, it helped and it showed them also that a person is as important as they wish to be, and it is not a measure of a paycheck. Hang in there—you are so important to your children, even if they do not always express this to you.
Motherhood is the roll of the unsung hero isnt’ it? But that’s usually the role that the whole story couldn’t work without. Thanks for reading!
When I stopped teaching as my oldest entered kindergarten, I complained to my stay-at-home-mom friends that they kept me in the dark. I thought this job would be super simple and temporary, but once started, I wouldn’t give it up for anything! But it is easily the hardest and most satisfying job I’ve ever had.