The Words, "Stay With Me Mama," Broke Her Heart

nMary was immersed in feverish activities. After all, her marriage to John was only two weeks away. She was unsure that she would be ready by the date. She was confiding her anxiety to some of her closest friends who were taking her to dinner. Most of them were married and had children.nnOne of her best friends told her to make sure that they could afford for her to stay home before a family was started. She confided that she and her husband had an unexpected pregnancy and her income was desperately needed to cover all the obligations they had taken upon themselves.nnFortunately, she worked for a company that granted her a few weeks maternity leave and she relished every minute of it. When the time came to go back to work, it was all she could do to leave her little daughter in someone else’s arms. She told how she sobbed all the way to the office.nnThe conversation became more difficult as she continued her story. Even though the Daycare Center was excellent, she felt she had missed so many precious moments and events that occurred. As the months passed, she missed the first steps and some of the first words. As her daughter grew a little older, she didn’t want to go to daycare. She wanted to stay home.nnMary’s friend said there were two events that forced them to look for alternatives. The first was when she came to pick up her little daughter and the little girl turned to the daycare worker, waved and said, “Bye, Mommy.” This was almost “the last straw.” She and her husband must do something for additional income to cover debts and other obligations so she could be a full-time mother.nnIn the next few months as the little daughter grew older, the second event became a reoccurring plea, “Stay with me mama,” broke her heart. She told how she and her husband began a search for a way to earn money from home. A home based business seemed to be the answer but her experience with most home based businesses was unappealing. She didn’t want to spend every spare minute calling on friends, acquaintances and dealing with strangers.nnShe expressed her good fortune in finding what she was looking for and she handles most of her business with the internet where interested people come to her. This gives her flexibility to spend any needed time with her child. She expressed her joy that in a relatively short period of time, she was able to quit her job and be with her daughter.nnMary talked to John about this conversation. Both agreed to investigate this home based business possibility after their wedding and after they were settled into a married routine. Mary and John decided to carefully monitor their spending practices, especially the amount of debt, so they could consider a business from home if it was their choice. Never did Mary want to hear the words, “Stay with me Mama,” from one of her own.nn