Priceless

I’ve had about seven jobs over the last six years. I liked some more than others. Some paid more, but others provided the more intangible benefits like a positive work environment and interaction with great people. Each one had its own unique pros and cons, and I am thankful for each one of them. Thankful, yes. Wanting to go back? Nope. I’ve found my niche. It’s a 24-hour job, 7 days a week, with no pay. Crazy!!

Now when people ask me what I do, I proudly say that I am a stay-at-home mommy to my Jonah. I do things now that I never thought I’d enjoy doing…like changing the 8th poopy diaper for the day and waking up at 2 am to fill his tummy. Jonah’s demanding schedule keeps me busy, day and night. Yet I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Sure, it means that we have to say no to things that we’d like to do, and it even means that we have to sacrifice things that we’ve had or enjoyed in the past. There are still the same monthly bills to pay, and the baby only adds to them. And the little things add up quickly. The cost of a pack of diapers: $13.49. A load of laundry (and there are many!!): $1.25.

The extra income I’d earn “if I were working” could pay some of the bills, sure. But in the final analysis of things, I’d miss out on so much more than the things that we are currently sacrificing. Some things are just too precious to put a value on. Things like Jonah’s cute smiles…or his little coos when I go into his room to get him up…or the sweet cuddles he gives me after a good meal.

So I think I’ve changed my mind about the whole pay thing. It’s not true that I don’t get paid—it’s just that the pay comes in a non-traditional form from my other jobs. Instead of dollars and cents, it’s smiles and laughs. It’s things that are too costly to give up. It’s things that are...in a word…priceless.