Dream Job.

I officially quit my full-time marketing job last week! My maternity leave didn't technically end until the beginning of September, but due to a series of events, I let my job know sooner than planned that I would be leaving the firm and staying home with my son. As I was leaving for maternity leave, I was asked multiple times by friends and co-workers if I planned to go back. I decided to "keep the option open" regarding going back to work and would inform my boss once a final decision had been made about what was best for our family. 

Since graduating from college in 2006, I've been blessed with an incredible career - one I never imagined for myself. I enjoyed traveling the country, holiday parties and bonuses, paid vacations, fancy dinners, promotions, awards - the list goes on and on. 

As I started commuting down to D.C. for my new job last August, I would laugh at myself sometimes about this small town Kansas farm girl turned corporate America professional. 

I definitely grew up playing with dolls and saying I wanted to be a mommy when I grew up, but as I was gaining confidence and experience in the business world, I started thinking to myself that maybe I would focus on a career. 

Several weeks ago, I received an e-mail from my boss with information regarding a promotion when I returned back to work. I was stunned. I started thinking about all the possibilities of gaining more experience in legal marketing and all that I've learned already in a short year. I spent several days mulling over options about what was best for our family. Several experiences happened that confirmed to me that staying home was the best option right now. On one particular instance, I was cooking dinner and Eli had been extra fussy that afternoon. He really is a laid back kid and hardly cries so I wasn't sure what was up with him. I set down the spatchula in the kitchen and walked over to pick him up. As I held him in my arms, our eyes connected and it was as if he was telling me he just needed me right at that moment. He closed his eyes and was asleep. 

I cried as I watched him sleep peacefully in my arms. For 7 years, I've given 100% of my time to my career and service as a missionary. I committed at that moment to give 100% to my family and home. I feel extremely blessed for the education and work experience I've had up to this point, and I plan to stay up to date on marketing and PR trends so I'm marketable for future jobs when the time is right.  

It seriously feels like everyone I talk to, strangers included, always stops and looks at my baby and says, "Just enjoy every minute. He'll be grown up before you know it."

I'm grateful for the education and job Aaron's been blessed with that allows me to stay home right now so I can "enjoy every minute" of my new dream job as a full-time mom and wife. 

When I go to bed each night, I'm physically exhausted from my new job. People have asked me a few times, "So, what do you do all day?" 

What do I do all day?

Oh, I'll save that for another post! ;)   

Thanks to A.M.A Photography for the pics! Wish you lived closer, Mary Beth!