I often ask myself: When did I choose that I wanted to be a mother?

For me I knew I would love being a mom as early as when I was a teenager. I remember learning by studying the scriptures and going to church that the family is the most important thing we have on this earth. And I remember having a huge desire to get married someday and start a family. I always studied and I thought deeply about the career I would pursue some day. I envisioned myself in a certain way once I would be done with school. But ultimately I came home and loved to clean. I would cook too. I would practice being a good sister to my younger siblings in hopes that someday I would do the same for my own kids.

Before I turned 14 my mom worked part time and during the summer I would cook and clean the whole house for her. I remember I enjoyed so much doing it for some reason. And my dream was truly to be a housewife and a mom some day.

I know this is something that most women would call me crazy for. Possibly dumb. Nowadays it’s considered a great opportunity to be able to work and have a career and bring home money. It’s viewed as a high badge of honor, while staying at home is often referred to as being lazy, and not being a smart woman if you stay home all day.

I’ll be honest, being a mom is not the type of dream that has a happily ever after ending and that makes you happy every day of your life. Never did I imagine that I had chosen as a dream one of the most unappreciated jobs in this world.

Yet, I go back to how I felt about over and over again as a child. How much I dreamt of it. How much I admired lots of women that were housewives. I’ll describe some of the best European housewives I know on another post and how they shaped my life and made me desire to do this.

I also remember how much my mom did have a good career and yet truly wished she could be home. she couldn’t do it at first. She was finally able to do it once I turned 14. And I remember that she always taught me to treasure that opportunity if you have it.

I remember my siblings telling me the story that my mom cried when she was at work and our grandma called. She was taking care of them when she was gone at work. My grandma one day had called to tell her that my oldest sister and taken her first steps. And she was so sad that she had to miss that.

For my mom being able to stay home was something that didn’t happen for a very long time, but it taught me to not take that opportunity for granted.

The kids teach me more than I teach them myself. I love watching them grow, and I love being loved by them. Yes, being a mom is tough work but Is definitely worth it over any other achievement in this world.