A BBA, an MRS, and the Job of a Lifetime

I recently (this past December) graduated from college with a B.B.A. Many have asked me what I want to do with it. This is my apologetic, of sorts, about what I DON'T want to do with it. And what, one day, I DO want to. You see, I have noticed this trend in society that says that women have to be doing some kind of work to be considered worthwhile. They either have to be doing some kind of work, or have seven children and be 'unable' to, in which case they are shunned for having so many blessings (???). But I have to ask...why?



Is motherhood not worthy? Why do you have to have a stock portfolio and bank account full of slips of paper with dead presidents on it to be considered worth something? What about the LEGO letters I made with my (almost) 10 month old? What about the fact that she knows how to find and turn the pages of a book....on her own? What about the fact that she can already say "Mama", sign "food" and "milk" knows the word "No" (AND responds to it....sometimes =P), and has discovered the toilet, pots and pans, and is capable of climbing stairs? What currency is that? Is it a worthy one in our society?

You know what I want to do with my Business Degree? I want to build massive Waffle Block/LEGO/Little People cities all over the living room floor with my daughter. I want to walk around the house like a crazy person saying things like "yellow squash, red apple, black fridge", "EHH! Don't you tear Mommy's book!!", "Are you allowed to climb on the table and pull the Tablet down? No you are NOT allowed to do that. Nooo....Hannah...no..I said NO!". "Put the computer cord down. You can't play with that.", "Oh did you find your book? Yay!!", "You LIKE the piano, huh? That makes Mommy happy to see you happy." I want to take her to the library and the park with my mommy friend (her blog is here), who has a son her age. I want to show her how the world works and be a part of her exploration. I want to be there with her as she discovers, learns, and grows.

What do I want to do with my life...my degree? I want to grow up to be like my Mother-In-Law. She got TWO Associates degrees in the middle of raising THREE young boys. (She was eight months pregnant with the youngest when she graduated with her second Associates). Then, she raised her boys. She taught them how to cook, clean, read, write, question, explore. She home-schooled them. She hosted Pampered Chef, Usborne Book, Origami Owl, and various other parties. They made movies when they were around 9, 11, and 13 (they made them over the course of several years, and one is here). Now, one of them (mine <3) is a Meteorologist, undertakes epic debates on Facebook, and is a bit of a Theological nerd (his blog is here). The middle son is working on his Bachelors degree and is full of all kinds of interesting insights. The youngest is dating a wonderful girl and going to Tech school. The two younger ones help run the farm and are about to take it over for a while. (Obviously my husband can't because he's too busy attempting to keep track of me. =P). The boys are in their 20's now, and what is my Mother-in-Law doing? She is back in school getting an Accounting degree, working at Weight Watchers, traveling frequently an hour and a half away to see her siblings and parents, running an 80 acre farm with cows, chickens, guineas, dogs, cats, and a garden, and who KNOWS what else. She is amazing. I am so proud of her. And I want to be just like her.

Don't get me wrong...I DO want to use my degree. But in my own way...my own time. I dream of one day decorating pastries or making useful objects like nursing covers and hats or something. Maybe refurbishing and selling furniture or something like that. Definitely writing and selling books. I have so many dreams. But right now, I am in the trenches of young motherhood, and that is exactly where I want to be. 2am with my not-supposed-to-be-awake-and-definitely-not-playing daughter, days with banging on pots and pans, and moments with memories like an arm reaching out as she says "Mama!" for the first time. THAT is what I want to do with my degree. THIS is where I want to be. This is my happy place, for now. And I have embraced it in all its sleepless glory.