My friend Nicole blogged about her home office and asked her readers to share pictures of their offices.  Here’s mine:

There is a bookshelf and filing cabinet behind my chair and a small child’s table and chairs to the left of my desk under the window.  (The idea behind the child’s table was to keep my children occupied and with me while I work, but it never quite worked out that way.)

What is your home office like?

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Last night was my daughter’s preschool graduation.  I don’t even know where to start with all that I’m feeling.  I almost wonder if it is more of a transition for me than it is for her.  Even though I was right here for the past five years, I don’t know where they went. 

When the children received their diplomas, the teacher read quotes from the children on their future.  My daughter’s went like this:

“When I grow up I want to be a mom, just like my mommy.  I am going to live at home with my mom and dad.  I am going to have two kids.  I am going to make $2.”

What I heard out of that, loud and clear, is that I have done a good job as a mom so far, that my daughter looks up to me, and that there is nowhere else in the world I should have been for the past five years.  (Even if I only made $2!)

This is really the beginning of the end of my “stay at home mom” years.  Even though I don’t intend on working outside the home once Kindergarten starts, I won’t be staying home with my baby any more. 

But….

I am so proud!  She looked so grown up already.  She was happy and smiling and oh so sweet. 

Everything is as it should be. 

What the heck am I talking about now?  Not panties, that’s for sure! 

I recently had a conversation with an acquaintance about finances.  Things have been really tough here in the financial department since I became a stay-at-home-mom five years ago.  Business has been okay, but let’s face it, working at home with preschoolers doesn’t always accomplish what we hope it would.  And now that my daughter will be entering Kindergarten in a few months, the topic of me going “back to work” has been a hot one and I only expect it to get worse. 

This acquaintance of mine told me that I should start looking for a full-time job now to prepare myself for the fall.  While she thinks it’s great that I’ve stayed home with my children up until now, with our financial situation, I need to get back out into the real world.  “It’s time to put on your grown-up panties!”, she said.  (Did I mention that she is single with no kids?)

Well, I’ve just gotta say “POOEY!” on that thought.  Financial difficulty or not, home is exactly where I needed to be up until now and it is exactly where I am going to stay!  I left my career to be available to my children when they needed me and they still need me, even if they are in school.  

I expect that with both of my children in school full-time, I will be able to give my home business the attention it deserves and start working our way out of debt.  Actually, I’m pretty darn positive about that.  So is my husband - thank goodness.

Call me lazy, selfish, unrealistic, whatever.  I know what is best for my family.  I am proud of the choices I’ve made.  So, everyone who hasn’t lived in my shoes (er, panties in this case), can just leave me alone!