And yet another fan...

I am going to take a moment to pick this one apart so that my response and my intentions are perfectly clear:

Wow - I have to agree with the other poster - judge much??
No, I don't

I understand this is your personal diary, and I can choose to read it or not. Trust me after one read I won't be back.
I am sorry to hear that you won't be back to get to know the poster even better. But, trust me, no loss of mine. Especially since you hide behind your mask of anonymity.

It's wonderful that you're happy with your choices...but try not look down on the rest of us in the real world who deal with the occasional "embarrassment of misplaced items or dusty furniture." I'm not sure why that's embarrassing - it's life for lots and lots of us who love our husbands and our families and somehow have happy, healthy (although it sounds like you'd beg to differ) home lives even though we choose to work outside the home.
Since you obviously misunderstood my intent and obviously do not know me very well, let me enlighten you on my situation. I grew up with a Mom who was (and is) a career woman. I watched her work her way up through the ranks and made it to the top. As a little girl, I always watched my Mom get ready for work - leaving with a nice suit and heels, hair and nails done, briefcase in hand. I wanted to be that. I went to school to be that. I graduated college to be that.

And, why would I bash career women with families? That would be like bashing my Mom. I had a great childhood and wouldn't have changed it for anything. I am proud of my Mom and my Dad for working as hard as they did to give them and me the life we had. I always thought that would be me someday. And it was - until six months ago.

Due to lies, deceit and manipulation, my husband and I decided that I needed to get out of a company that I was working for. It was difficult because I really wanted to grown within this company. However, this company was not organized or budgeted well and, in turn, blamed me for their shortcomings that stemmed long before I arrived.

T and I talked about options. My looking for another job, staying home, etc. We decided (although I was very hesitant) that we would try having me stay at home and possibly start a family of our own. I was very hesitant because I have always had a job...a career. I have always held my own, paid for my own and took care of my own. I wasn't sure how the financial arrangement would work and it made me nervous. But we decided to give it a try.

After a couple of months adapting to this concept, I have come to realize that I really enjoy having the "job" of taking care of the house, myself and my husband. Yes, I took care of a house, myself and my husband when I had a job. It was hard (see, folks? I have walked that path) but I did it. I have always been a stickler for a clean house. I have had embarrassing moments in my life when people would drop by and the house would be in disarray. I don't like that feeling. Never have. Do I care if other's houses are like that? No! Do I think you have to be a stay at home person to have a clean house? No. Do I think that those who have careers are not as good as me? Give me a break, folks.

I repeat, I was having a great day - I felt high as a kite. I know you don't know me, or some of you do, but these moments come and go. Just like everyone else. I ride the roller coaster of emotions with the best of them and this is the "real world" for me. I was merely sharing my happiness so that my family (who this blog was always primarily intended for) could know that I am feeling good about life.

And, just to clarify, if I had to jump into a career tomorrow, I happily would. I loved working and enjoyed the industry I worked in. I always thought that I would be in a career and never thought I would be a stay at home. But I also never thought I would want children and I certainly never thought that; I would be pregnant and put a baby up for adoption at 17, that I would be broken into in the middle of the night while I was sleeping at 24, that I would be divorced and remarried, that I would have a miscarriage. I didn't know any of these things would be on my path to Euphoria. But they were. So, with all the bumps in the road that I have survived, a simple entry to share my happiness with my true friends - my parents - shouldn't have been scrutinized or turned around to be about you...Anonymous. This is about my life and my happiness, not about you or your need to justify yours.

As far as being ready "financially, mentally and emotionally" for children - trust me, you are very likely ready financially...but you can't get ready mentally or emotionally. You've got now idea how children rock your world when they arrive. You can talk to parents, you can read all you want - but nothing can prepare you for the reality. So go ahead and gloat about how prepared you are....and re-read these posts when children do enter your life, I think you'll be surprised at how they come across from a completely different point of view.
Mentally and emotionally ready for children (or child) has to do with the fact that I never thought I ever wanted kids until the past year or so. Then, when we did get pregnant, I was at first excited and then terrified that this wasn't what I wanted. When we had the miscarriage, I realized that FOR SURE I indeed wanted to be a mom someday and that was what I was expressing here. The fact that mentally and emotionally I KNOW I want to have a kid someday. I never said I was prepared or know what to expect. And I am certainly not gloating about anything. I will be as prepared as anyone else...maybe a little more so only because my husband has been through the preparation for it before. But I wasn't trying to minimize your parenting or your point of view.

I'm thrilled for you that you're happy and fulfilled - it's great that you've made it to that point in life. And, I hope that you are blessed with the child(ren) that you so clearly want. But please, please, please walk a mile as they say before you judge those of us who have chosen different paths to our euphoria.
You are "thrilled" for me? That's nice. I don't even know who you are but that was a nice thing to say amongst your obvious fury. And, yes, it is great that I have made it to this point in life. It has taken all of 37 years to get here and I am reveling in it while I can. And thank you for the hope of a "blessing". I don't necessarily believe in "blessings" but I do hope that nature will take its course. And, my anonymous friend, I have walked many miles on many paths - most of which you will never set a foot on. So, I will ask you the same favor, don't judge those of US who are on this path when you have NO idea what I have seen along the way!

Final words. I wasn't going to publish this comment because I couldn't believe there was someone else who was getting so uptight about something that had absolutely nothing to do with them. But I am one that needs to understand. I asked my Mom what she thought about my original post - was I being judgemental? She said:

“I am living the dream that other women can only continue to dream about –“

This is the only thing in your blog that maybe someone could misinterpret--Like career girls aren’t fulfilling their dreams maybe? Maybe they misinterpreted your happiness that you could keep your house clean and raise children and career girls can’t do all of that successfully. I don’t know. I wouldn’t worry about it.

Was that it girls? Was I minimizing your career dreams by saying this? I should have said "some women" instead of "other women". Ok, I will apologize for that. I know for a fact from the experience of my own family life that career women rock and I would never minimize that fact. But get off my ass. I worked very hard and built an awesome career. I never knew that this would be the life I would lead but I have come to realize that it is one that I enjoy greatly - sorry if that offends you. It certainly shouldn't. And, Mom, you are so right. After this response, I am not worrying about it.

The thing is, and I repeat, this is my blog. My diary. My "newsletter" home. I don't post in an effort to make friends. I post in an effort to keep up with my friends. Also, when I write in my blog, I never go back to re-read or edit my posts. They all come from my heart and that's how it will remain. I want it to be raw - like I am sitting across from my folks at the dinner table having a conversation. What is really funny to me is that only one person commented on my entry regarding my lack of belief in religion and that was my Dad. But this simple "happy" post made me Career Woman's Most Wanted! The human species never ceases to amaze me.

This is the last post I will write in response to all of this. But thank you for those who have stood behind me in this mini-war and fought for my integrity. You are the ones that truly know me best and I appreciate the support. But, whether it is justification, jealousy or misunderstanding, these comments are just...anonymous. And that should say it all...