What you do for your children...

Adia,

Lately I have been unfortunate to see parents not doing the best things for their children.  I whole-heartedly believe that as your mother it is my 100%, God-given responsibility to do anything and everything to provide you with a safe, happy, loving, and healthy life.

On a general level, parents may sometimes have to work a job they hate in order to provide for their children, parents may have to move away from the only home they have ever known in order to provide a healthy, adequate living for their children. Parents might not be able to do the things they did before they had children.  They might have to give up going shopping anytime they want, going on trips, or buying expensive nonsense 'things' for themselves.  Once you are a parent, everything is about your child/children.  No matter how much you don't like the sacrifice you need to make, it's your duty as a parent.

On a personal level, if your Dad and I had not moved from Florence I would have never been able to be a stay at home mom.  There were no jobs available for Dad in Florence in order for him to be the official bread winner, allowing me to stay home.  Granted, I had to make a major sacrifice.  I had to move away from my family and friends.  That was not easy and still isn't easy.  I don't think it will ever be easy being away from my family.  It's hard living in a new city where I don't have close friends. It's hard not being able to have date nights with my husband because I don't trust anyone but my parents to watch you, yet.  We also had to limit our spending on ourselves in order for us to afford my staying at home.  Daddy had to give up his shopping for designer clothes/new cars, and I had to give up my addiction to eating out at restaurants/weekend getaway trips.  BUT I am able to stay at home with you every day.  I know you are being fed exactly what you need to eat, I know you are being changed when you dirty your diaper, and I know you are being treated the way little ones should be treated.  I was able to witness your first steps, and hear you say 'Mama' for the first time.  I can take you to the doctor at any time you need to be there.  When your Daddy and I were both working, that was a big issue. 

So believe me, the sacrifices I made have been worth it.  There is nothing in this material world that would keep me from taking care of you to the absolute BEST of my ability.  There is nothing that would stand in my way of keeping you safe and healthy.  If I had to move to a new place every year, in order to give you the best life possible, we would make it work.  There would be no excuses.  We would work jobs we didn't necessarily like, we would live in a one bedroom apartment, we would sell our cars and use public transportation, we would starve so you could eat.  I promise you, you will always be taken care of, no matter the sacrifices we have to make.  No sacrifice is too much for you.  I only wish all parents would come to realize their duties.