That's Cheating!!!

I mentioned in my last post that I was in New Hampshire for a couple days this week, visiting one of our suppliers. While I was there, I spent a lot of time with their General Manager, who was a woman about my age.

The first night I was there, we didn't finish up until about 6pm or so, and it was just her and I left at that point. She told me she had overheard a conversation of some of the people that work for her, and they told her (the GM) that "Jenny certainly isn't coming because she has small children". I told her I did have small children, one three and a half and one 8 months.

She just sat and stared at me for a minute, and then replied,

"So do I," she said, "Ally was born in September 2004 and my youngest was born in May."

"That is exactly when my boys were born!", I replied.

I ended up finding out that her oldest daughter was about 2 weeks older than my oldest, and her youngest was literally 4 DAYS older than my youngest!

I'm thinking to myself at this point, "Oh my gosh - someone JUST like ME!!! Someone who GETS me!"

Then she continued, "And my husband is a Stay-at-Home Dad!"

My heart kind-of sunk. "Huh," I thought, "That would SURE be nice - I pretty much consider that CHEATING!!!"

Instead, I just smiled and nodded. Okay - THAT explains how someone my age got to be General Manager of a multi-billion dollar company. How she was able to leave her house at 3am when she had to fill in for one of their GMs that had cancer. How she is able to work rediculous hours now - and stay at work until 6pm with no question.

I have to admit, quite a twinge of jealousy was felt throughout my body. I've been known to utter the words quite frequently that "I would like to have a wife." And I'm quite serious. Someone to cook for me, clean for me, pick up my drycleaning, etc. Okay - I realize it's not 1955 anymore, but that would still be nice. At least someone that you knew would be home with the kids at all times, healthy and sick.

Anymore, I have trouble keeping everything straight. Being the Mom, the Wife, the Boss, the Co-Worker, the Expert, the Novice, the Mentor and the Mentee - gets pretty confusing. I was scooping some formula out of the can for Connor tonight, and it didn't even occur to me that I NEED to get formula tomorrow! Oh - and now our fridge is on the fritz and we need to get it fixed - which means I threw away about 10 pounds of food. So - shopping tomorrow so we have food to eat.

It's been really difficult keeping everything organized and moving. I think I have just accepted a different lifestyle now. I cannot have a perfectly clean house - and I've considered cleaning services, but I can live with a little dirt to save $50 per week now. I can live with Tyler eating a can of carrots, cold pineapple and plain cheese for supper - so I don't have to cook. Hey - that's what he prefers. (And he seriously ate a WHOLE can of carrots tonight - then asked for more!)

I'll still secretly dream for my wife to show up some day. Until then, I'll be VERY thankful for my husband. His work schedule is so flexible at times - when the kids are sick, he spends the most time at home. He picked up my drycleaning last time (after I hauled it around in my car for a month!), and even cooks dinner (because he knows that's the only way he'll eat anything other than a can of carrots!)

I still wouldn't trade this life for anything! Like the song says "Just Another Day in Paradise!"