Me? Quit work?

I had worked in a bank for years before marriage and then up until the birth of our first child. I resigned so I didn't have to go back to work. I had the "mom stay home" part right but I didn't have a grip on "wifely submission" so I felt that in order to better provide for the family, I needed to help financially when our firstborn was a year old. I wanted to invest in a starter house (instead of renting) so I found a job working nights while hubby worked days. Needless to say, it was a near miracle that we found time to get pregnant with #2. I worked up until a month or so before he was due (when I got my priorities straightened out).

Between babies 2 & 3, I did do some direct selling (Shaklee, Tupperware, Home Interiors, books), and after the first few years homeschooling, I worked from home doing tutoring, babysitting and occasional housecleaning for others. As a family, and to contribute to our income, God provided a job recording homeschool conferences and working the booth. We have worked at about 15 conventions for these friends of ours. Beside the fact that it is a financial blessing, our family has the unique opportunity to work together in a "dream" environment. (What can be more fun for a homeschool mom than to work in--and peruse--a homeschool vendor hall during a conference? I get to chat with tons of homeschool moms, get to know the speakers and vendors, etc. Woo-hoo)

My boys have also done pet sitting, yard work, snow shoveling (rare-- ;o) in order to earn a little money since we don't do "handouts" or allowance. My oldest has worked in a nice little restaurant for a couple of years now and takes care of his clothing and toiletries etc.

Sacrifices? We drive paid-off, older cars, we don't buy much of anything except food, unless it can be found at a garage sale, we don't "dress to the nines" so we don't buy clothing unless it can be found at thrift stores, with the exception being new jeans at Christmas or occasional clothing gifts from family and friends. Our "vacations" consist of several working trips a year that are all-expense paid to homeschool conferences. God has been abundantly faithful to take care of us and we are sure will continue to do so without me having to take things into my own hands to provide for us. It's all been so very worth it. What new furniture, shiny cars, glamorous trips, fine clothing can take the place of mom giving hubby and children the gift of time and service to them? Like Solomon said, "it's all vanity."