Mooch.

If I didn't have an eternal perspective or feel that motherhood was a divine calling, I think I'd feel like a mooch in my home.

Svend and I have been married for 8 years. I worked for the first 3 years of our marriage (until I was prego with Bergen). So, for 5 years, I've been living off of Svend (mooching) and all I've done is help bring more mooches into the world. Atleast, I think that's how if would look and feel is I wasn't a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Honestly.

Svend got his first paycheck today. (yes, FINALLY). It's his first paycheck in his lifelong career. I was so excited to have money!!! I went shopping today. I didn't want to buy anything. This is Svend's (ours) hard earned money. This first paycheck represents 8 years of HARD work. I did our monthly budget today to figure out just how much we should be able to put away each month after bills and food. It seemed so little. I just thought "here Svend is working 14 hour days and he comes home with migrains, wakes up at 4am, works...is a dad and husband... and this is his VERY HARD EARNED money...and our family just sucks it up. No wonder so many families have both parents working. What a blessing to have a husband who does not see the paycheck as HIS. It is OURS. The loans are OURS, the food is OURS, the house is OURS, the kids are OURS.

This may not make much sense... in my head it does... anyways...

I told someone a while back how I felt like a mooch because I'm just home with the kids and Svend is the one actually earning our living. She brought up a few little things that really are a big deal...for instance... if he were single, he'd have to always wash/dry/fold his clothes, clean his apartment, fix his meals, makes sure the toiletries are always stocked...I know it seems little and pathetic at times, but really, we helped him a lot. And, on top of it, he came home every night to a family that loves him!

Keeping an eternal perspective reminds me that the purpose of this life is to have eternal families and to rear them to return to our Father in Heaven. I have a divine calling in the home with my children. He has a divine calling to provide for and protect our family. Together we create an eternal unit. The paycheck is just something to help us through this life. The real purpose is to have families. I am grateful that everytime I feel like a mooch, my hubby reminds me that I'm not and so does my Father in Heaven!