WAHM: Work-at-Home…M?

If you’re a WAHM, then you probably know what WAHM means: “Work-at-Home Mom” or “Work-at-Home Married.” I’m a WAHM when I live in the countryside (for half of the year, collectively). Some people wonder what I do when I’m away from the city (and they kind of hint that I’m probably on vacation!). Truth is, I’m still at work, as I distance-manage our publishing office via the Internet (thank You, Lord, for technology!). Aside from that, I get all the “action” that comes with being a WAHM. Here are some excerpts:

• While chatting online with my secretary, I suddenly hear a shout: “Mooooommmyyyyy!!!” My son has awakened from slumber. I excuse myself from the chat, and go to the room. “Cuddle time…one of my favorite times…in the morning,” I sing to him a song I made up, and take some minutes to cuddle him. I lead him in his morning prayers before having his breakfast prepared. Oh yeah, then I get back to my secretary.

• I focus on doing some reports, or writing, or editing…I take a break. Break = Activity Time (part of homeschooling my son). Break = “Mommy, can you play with me?” = I’m controlling one of his robots or one of his stuffed toys and we’re in some land far away. Break = Read-a-Book Time, like reading about and discussing epic battles in his illustrated Bible. Break = I’m making up a story with his felt dinosaurs who have different preferences for music — one likes classical, one likes jazz, one likes rock, one likes contemporary worship (son and I sing the tunes together…voila, homeschool music appreciation “class”!).

Here are the felt dinosaurs that "come to life" :)

• At any given time that I’m either coordinating with someone online or doing some work on my computer, any one or more of these things can happen:

·      Helper: “Ma’am, wala nang asukal/kape/LPG/_________.” [“We’ve run out of sugar/coffee (or whatever else….”)]

·      Doorbell rings and it’s either the security guard with the newspaper, meat delivery guy, water delivery guy or someone who needs to talk to the hubby.

·      I hear my son shouting at his nanny, so I have to do some intervention for peace to reign once again.

·      Doorbell rings, I open the door, smile (while quickly scanning my brain to try to recall who this familiar-looking man is with two strangers…oh! They happen to be guests of my father-in-law who’s in town). “Come in, come in!” I say, “Have a seat!” (Thank God, I am not so frumpy-looking today. Although my hair can go in multiple directions and can sometimes resemble gushing fountains in a plaza, I think it was somehow presentable that day. Phew!)

• I am in an online video call and someone from the office tells me that she sees the cook or the yaya (nanny) in the kitchen behind me. Woops…change angle.

• I am in an online video meeting with our management committee and I have to mute my microphone many times so as not to disturb the meeting with the mooing of the nearby cows, or with “Mommy! I want to bike!” or with the drilling of say, a panel in the kitchen.

WAHM: Work-at-Home…Madness? I can even enumerate other “Ms” but they won’t be encouraging: Mayhem, Mess, Monster (eek!). So I’d rather have…

WAHM: Work-at-Home…Marvel (Sounds like some super-hero…my son would love this one). Yes. “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” (Psalm 139:14, NLT)

Work-at-Home…Ministry. Yes. “But this beautiful treasure is contained in us—cracked pots made of earth and clay—so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7, VOICE)

Work-at-Home…Mercies. Yes. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23, NRSV)

And I can relax, because my Big Boss is also my Savior, my Strength, my Faithful Friend.

Can any of you relate? Feel free to post your stories in the comments! 

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