Staying home is a privilege

"Staying home is a privilege, staying home is a privilege, staying home is a privilege... " Sometimes chanting the same thing over and over while you are fuming on the inside helps. And sometime sending both kids to their rooms, chanting and blogging helps. (I'll let you know).
I need to remind my self that staying home with my kids and having the luxury to be the one to raise them, especially in this economy is, in fact a privilege.
Sometimes it's hard to remember that when you wake up to whining/crying/fighting, get out of the shower to whining/crying/fighting, finish breakfast with whining/crying/fighting, turn off the blow dryer to hear... can you guess??? It's a stumper. Anyone else see a pattern developing? Sigh. (That felt good). Bigger sigh. (Even better). Maybe I should take time to breathe more. People have said to me, "you are so busy, how do you have time to breathe?" Maybe I don't. Time to start putting into practice some of my social work skills I learned from a Stress management class and breathe. (I know can you believe that counted towards three of my masters level credits)? Regardless of how simple it sounds, I need to remember that.
Yet, I would not have it any other way. I want to see them learn new things, and the light in their eyes when they learn it. I want to be the one to kiss away their "owies" after they try to climb on top of the washing machine to help add the soap and are too impatient to wait for me to help them up, so climb onto a flimsy plastic laundry basket that of course collapses under them resulting in the long bloody scrape on the thigh from the dryer door being open (hypothetically speaking of course... not like this happened this morning or anything).
I want to read to them, to sing to them, to fix them healthy meals and to play with them. I want to be here when someone hurts their feelings to learn a life lesson and how to deal with it. I want to see and hear them laugh, sometimes being the cause of that sweet sound. I want to chase the "real Grinch" away with a flashlight when we play monster while the other uses the pincher to tickle it's tummy or grab it's nose.
Yes, staying home is a privilege. And I am privileged to be these two active, independent and sometimes stubborn little boys mother. I guess they can come out of their rooms now. Gosh, I love those kids.