Summer Vacation

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!

That, my friends, is the sound of summer vacation starting. Not for me. I still have to get up every morning and drive nearly 40 miles to work. But for my husband, a teacher, it is the start of 8 weeks off.

I used to be jealous. Before we had kids, he would just hang out all summer- going to the pool, lazing around the house, occasionally, but not nearly often enough, doing something useful.

But now in the summers, he is a stay at home dad. Not an easy job to be sure, but one I would trade him for any day of the week.

Since the first summer after our daughter was born, I have come to realize just how wonderful it is for one part of a married couple not to work. Now, instead of rushing every morning to get lunches and diapers packed and kids up, dressed and fed before trying to get everyone out the door on time, I just had to get myself ready. I just had to pack my lunch. When I left the house this morning everyone was still in their pajamas and it wasn't my problem. It wasn't a problem at all.

For the next 8 weeks, all errands are to be done by my husband. Midweek trips to the grocery store, cooking dinner, trips to the library, all his job. All I have to do in the evenings is take the kids off his hands. OK!!!! I don't have to get bottles ready for the next day, he can fill them as he goes during the day. I don't have to make sure diapers go through the whole diaper routine, if they aren't clean and dry by morning no biggie, he can finish them during the day. Cooking dinner- for some reason, I still have to plan all the meals but he will cook them!

You have no idea how much time all of this frees up. To be able to come home and just focus on playing with my kids rather than worrying about getting everything in motion to be ready for the next day. To get up in the morning with only myself to worry about. To have all the errands taken care of so that weekends can be about relaxation and fun!!!!!! It makes all of our lives better.

Unfortunately, we are not in a position for one of us to stay home full time, all the time (I'm looking for the right work at home opportunity but it has to make us at least break even). This is why I am in the market for a sister-wife. An independently wealthy, OCD cleaning, asexual, unattractive sister-wife.