The Mommy Track

The other day I was talking on the phone to my good friend who lives out of state, we don't see each other too often but we try to keep in touch as much as possible. We grew up together so we know each others families a little bit and we always ask how everyone is doing whenever we talk. My friend was telling me about her sister who is a buyer and retail merchandiser for a nationwide woman's fashion store. She travels around buying clothes for the stores, designing the stores, attending fashion shows, pretty cool job. Her other sister runs a successful dental business, and her sister-in-law is the Mayor of Saratoga Springs, is running for congress and is always on some news program as a political consultant. After talking about these awesome, successful women, we both kind of paused and said, hmm, we are just moms. We talked about how sometimes we wish we had some talent or success, but for both of us, being a mom is what we always wanted. We never really had bigger dreams than that. We agreed that we are good moms and the world needs women like us that like being stay at home moms that can raise the amazing successful people of the future. Yeah! That's right! We said, we are awesome... right? These thoughts were in my mind as my family and I settled down to watch the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, my church. Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave a talk entitled "The Moral Force of Women." In the talk he praised women and all they do and talked about "the mommy track". He said that today some women are ridiculed for choosing the mommy track. Some people believe that raising children and keeping a home is demeaning to women. Elder Christofferson praised those women who do choose to be "only" a stay at home mom saying that there is no more important or fulfilling work. I loved this talk. It was really nice to hear those words and feel like my choice to be just a mom was a good one. I really have never wanted to be anything else or had great big dreams to be anything other than a wife and mom. I really am living the dream! I think I know what my talents are and what my potential is and being a mom probably won't be the only thing I ever am, but for right now, I am loving the mommy track. No, I do not run a city, but I run a home. No one would ever ask my opinion of political issues, but someone might ask me how I taught my kids to read. I certainly  don't know anything about fashion, but my kids are dressed everyday! I don't earn a paycheck, but I try to teach my children the value of hard work. I don't travel, meet important people, make important decisions, or win any elections. I make breakfast, I drive the kids to school, I help with homework, I wipe butts, I bathe kids, I go on bike rides, I read stories, I take the kids to church, I babysit, I tuck in, I play "stuffed animal fort", I tie shoes, I clean up spilled milk, I microwave corn dogs, I say prayers, I color and paint, I go to the library once a week, I tickle, I play, I love, hug and kiss my kids all day long because they are mine and I'm raising them and I love them. And I'm good with that.