I Go to China Every Day.

I love my job!

It fills a big void in my life.

Have I ever said that being a stay at home mom is the best?

Uhh....

Cause IT IS!

*lists 30 million reasons why it's the best*

But let's be real.....

I'm at home with miniature clones of myself all day, everyday....and really, while I love them more than I love anything, everything, all things.....

I don't get to talk to other people.

I don't get to see other people.

Jeff gets home from work and I'm like a famished wolf screaming: "PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN RAINBOW DASH AND TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!!! *brushes glitter and fruit snacks out of my hair*"

Me: "How was work!!?"
Jeff: "Good."
Me: "Who was there!?!?" (it changes daily, cause they're auditors so they travel all over doing audits)
Jeff: "Uhhh...*lists like 2 or 3 people*"
Me: "........How are they!?"
Jeff: "Good."
Me: "Did you talk about anything interesting?!?!?!!?!!"
Jeff: "Uh, not really."

Ha ha ha ha ha.

Stay at home moms.

If you see one, just let them talk to you.

Anyways, back to China.

I absolutely adore the kids that I work with.

I have two boys and seven girls that I teach on a regular basis. The rest are just random kids that fill in the rest of my schedule, but lately it's just been my repeat students.

These kids are SO dedicated to their studies. It blows me out of the water nearly every day.

Seriously, they are incredible.

In China there is a big (HUGE, gigantic) test that everyone takes when they are 18. This test determines what kind of job you will have and/or what kind of schooling you will receive at a college level.

If you don't know English you are going to fail.

It has made me take a huge step back and realize how fortunate I am.

How incredibly blessed I am that not only did I get to go to college and get my Bachelor's degree....

But that I have a husband who received a Masters degree all on his own. He did not have his future decided for him, he decided it for himself.

My kids will get to go to college no matter what their IQ is or what kind of test takers they are. They will get to do that, no problem.

These kids that I work with have extreme amounts of pressure on them all the time. Their parents take learning English so seriously.

I teach a sweet sweet so sweet 9 year old girl who will always respond: "I am happy, how are you?" when I see her at the beginning of class.

Today she took her end of the year exam at school and when we started class I asked her how she was doing. She responded with: "I'm okay."

I asked her why just okay and she didn't know how to tell me so her mom who was sitting to the side of her helped her say: "I did not finish my test at school."

I wanted to jump through the screen and give her the biggest hug! I told her that is okay and she is a very good student. I made sure to say in the parent feedback as nicely as I could that their daughter is so smart and capable and is going to be very successful in life.

Because she IS very smart! Our class today was an assessment, which means I had to quiz her on what she has learned and give her a score at the end.

Of course she received a perfect score of 36/36.

I just gushed and applauded her in the feedback like crazy, cause I just want this little girl to feel validated. I want her to know that she can do it! She can finish and do well!

It just broke my heart hearing about her day outside of my class.

Seriously, I was crushed for that little girl. Seeing how important she knew it was to perform well and her mom was clearly upset with her.

Oh boy....I'm tearing up again over it.

I also taught my favorite student this morning and she said that she did "so so" on her test at school. I assured her that she is great and did a good job.

Gosh, I just want to give all these cute kids virtual hugs.

Too bad they would think I'm nuts and/or have no idea what I am trying to do.

Learning English is so important to the kids I teach.

That importance makes me feel like I am making a difference in the world.

Being a stay at home mom, I know I make a difference for my individual family, but there has always been a part of me that wants to do more.

Say what you want....

What you will say will probably sound like President Harold Be Lee:

"The most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home."

And for that I am so grateful that I CAN be a stay at home mom.

My job allows me to do that.

My husband allows me to do that.

I'm lucky, and I know that!

I feel beyond lucky that I get to go to China every day.