What Do You Do When You Do What You Do?

A dear, old friend of mine ("dear," because she makes my heart happy, and "old" because I have known her since the ninth grade) recently quit her job to be a full-time mommy to her TWIN BOYS!  She has always "punched a time clock" out in the busy work force, and is now going to give  being the CEO of SAHM a whirl!  She emailed me and posed the question:  "What do stay-at-home moms even do?!"

Being one who enjoys a.) "waxing philosophical" and b.) thinking I am SO much wiser than I actually am (ahem!), I gave some serious thought to her inquiry.  After pondering, my "Mama Leisha brain"--which is a big ol' storehouse of ideas, according to my daughter--began putting a list together for this dear, old friend.  (I really, REALLY love lists!)  Here's what I came up with:

What Do Stay-At-Home Moms Do?

1.)  Stay-at-home moms watch enough "Yo Gabba Gabba" to make their eyeballs drop out of their heads.  (Dear Nickelodeon, or Creators of "That Wacky Show":   I would like to mail D.J. Lance Rock a package of Twinkies.  That man's legs resemble toothpicks.  Are you paying him enough?  Because he clearly can't afford groceries.  Please email me his mailing address.  Love, Aleisha.)

2.)  Stay-at-home moms do laundry.  Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of laundry.  

3.)  Stay-at-home moms clean up a colorful myriad of messes.  Spilled apple juice.  Barf.  Toothpaste used as finger paint.  Pee.  Poop.  Stepped on crackers.  Mud.  Sticky lunch remnants on kitchen table legs.  Orange Doritos fingerprints on walls.  Toys.  Dirty socks.

4.)  Stay-at-home moms drink Diet Coke, because it makes them feel blissful in the midst of chaos.

5.)  Stay-at-home moms are tough chicks; they occasionally brave the McDonald's playland so that their children may know the joys of cheeseburger Happy Meals...and germy slides.

6.)  Stay-at-home moms use words and phrases like:  Time out!  Don't pick your nose!  Did you remember to wipe your bum?  Go "nigh-nigh."  Where's your blankie?  Stop that!  And my personal favorite...Why are you handing me your booger?

7.)  Stay-at-home moms "pretend play," build blanket forts, and know all the words to the magical spell that turns the carpet from "hot lava" back to carpet again.

8.)  Stay-at-home moms kiss and cuddle and hug and squeeze and snuggle their kiddos!

9.)  When it comes to making "The World's Best PB&J" or "The World's Cheesiest Mac N' Cheese" for lunch, stay-at-home moms nail it.  Every.  Time. 

10.)  Stay-at-home moms write blogs!  (*Insert my obnoxious giggle here*)

Here's the thing to remember:  Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a work-at-home mom, a single mom, a working mom, a mom-to-be, or a crazy mama like me, you are pretty terrific!  Yes, indeedy!

"You are the guardians of the hearth.  You are the bearers of the children.  You are they who nurture them and establish within them the habits of their lives.  No other work reaches so close to divinity."

(--Gordon B. Hinckley) 

Hey!  That's MY mama!