At the time my first son was born,I was confronted with the most challenging decision of my entire life: continuing to pursue my career,or becoming a stay-at-home mom.突然间我的整个人生都觉得，我在自动驾驶仪上。I went from preschool,到小学，到中学，到高中，to college,and then onto my first job.I had an identity in each of these phases.
在中学,我是一个足球运动员,on the track and field team,and an honor student.高中时，I was recognized as a star athlete,荣誉学生,captain of the varsity soccer team,and involved in various activities.Then I went onto college where I was a full-ride scholarship women's soccer player,an elementary education major while maintaining a 3.8 grade point average,一位记录在案的高级船长，密歇根州斯巴达人。
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在我接受教育之后，I entered the workforce.There,我有个职位，job description,带薪薪金，健康福利，detailed accolades,and tangible accomplishments.I was always able to answer the one question,“你做什么？”信心十足，proud manner.
That is,until I became a stay-at-home mom.大多数父母都同意，不管是工作还是工作，这是“世界上最重要的工作”，所以当被问到这个问题时，为什么会这样做？“你做什么？”我开始出汗，stutter,觉得不值得，大多数人觉得自己对这个世界没有贡献。Without doubt,I have experienced a severe identity crisis.
当被问到这个问题时，what I really want to say is,"My name is Erin.我以学位毕业。I played college and semi-professional soccer and then coached college soccer." For some reason,that answer sounds a hell of a lot more respectable and provides a quick synopsis of my passion and past life rather than,"I'm a stay-at-home mom." But,在这一点上，I am a stay-at-home mom,and that is what I have chosen to pursue.
I love my children more than life itself.我喜欢看着他们在我们唱歌的时候对婴儿班微笑，舞蹈，然后跳。它们提供更多的快乐，love,and affection than any of my other roles in life.But,仍然，I always question my self-worth to the world,society,and a greater cause.
In school,在每学期结束时，你将获得一个等级；an acknowledgment of the hard work put forth.在工作中，我在成功的赛季后得到了奖金。再一次，根据我投入的工作量，the more money I earned.
作为一个呆在家里的妈妈，I do not receive a weekly paycheck to see my earnings from a long,硬的，sometimes aggravating week.我没有收到突出的奖励为基准达成。In reality,我被我2岁的孩子打了10次中的7次扔到我脸上的食物，a temper tantrum out in public that I'm unable to control,或者是一个在婴儿床上尖叫的孩子。Call it bad parenting or not,my boys have tempers,they have physical moments,他们按着我的按钮，比任何人都更懂得如何打破我的耐心。
别误会我。There are many moments in between where they come and give me a kiss,or laugh hysterically at something we are doing,或者在读故事的时候静静地坐在我腿上。And these are the reasons I choose to be at home with my kids.These moments outshine the aggravating,frustrating,筋疲力尽的日子。
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The bottom line: Be proud of being a stay-at-home mom.这是那个世界上唯一能给你无条件爱的工作，教会你耐心，allows you to teach and be a part of the most precious things in your life: your offspring.
It has been a journey so far,and I can't wait for what life brings me next.As my kids have entered school,我还有更多的时间，I have finally found an opportunity in which I am able to be home for my children and utilize my skills,passion,and experiences to hopefully help make a difference in this world.I plan to continue writing and speaking about overcoming a significant eating disorder while competing in college soccer.My goal is to influence others to have a positive self-image,把性格优先于外表，如果一个问题存在，认识到它并寻求帮助。
呆在家里重新点燃了我的生活激情，is allowing me to pursue it,and I am proud to own that title.
