Taking on Titles

From before we are even born we seem to start collecting titles – daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece. They accumulate without us even realizing it and as we age we seem to just keep on accruing them.

Some come and go with the passing of time – teenager left me over a decade ago – and some, such as sister-in-law, have been marked with great fanfare and celebration and become permanent additions to the list.

While many of these titles are given without entitlement, a few, such as friend, are earned in time, in smiles, in tears.

There are also a few we work very hard for – student, graduate, alumnus – and, at least while they are shiny and new, are a source of pride and accomplishment.

And then there are the titles for which there is hardly a comparison, the simple sound of which induces pride, belonging, love – wife, mommy.

Last week I took on a new title - as in employee, or more accurately, Human Resource Project Manager. Another title to add to the pack and one I approach hesitantly, with cautious optimism.

For almost 5 years now I have championed the job of stay-at-home mom, one solely devoted to the proper care and feeding of the little people God has so richly blessed me with. While I was never the girl who dreamed of being a stay at home mom, I have taken on the task full heartedly and every day – okay, almost everyday – counted it as a divine blessing to have such an opportunity.

As I see Tyler quickly approaching his 5th birthday I have watched my term as a stay-at-homer, which originally felt like a life sentence, more accurately as stage of life – a phase that fades away seemingly as quickly as it came.

The greatest part of this newest title and opportunity is that it does not necessarily negate any of the prior titles. I have agreed to work a whopping 10 hours a week – at least half of which will be from home. On one hand, I cannot stop thanking God for this fabulous opportunity – to have such a great work schedule, to be employed by fabulous people, to utilize the degree I worked so hard for, to have a hugely supportive husband who will make adjustments to his schedule in order to accommodate mine, to be compensated competitively, to set in motion the groundwork for a rewarding career after my little ones aren’t so little anymore.

But on the other hand, I would be kidding myself if I thought that the energy expended outside my home and family would go unnoticed. There is a limited supply and it has to come from somewhere.

I will be the first to admit that I am an excitable girl. I like to dive in headfirst and jump on bandwagons and rally the troops. But the truth is, while I do see the new title as God’s leading in my life, I am trying my very best to stay grounded, never forgetting where my true priorities lie. Because, at the end of the day, it will always be the titles of mommy and wife that matter to me most.