I am grateful for the snot on my sweater

I put on a black sweater this morning and was halfway pleased with my reflection in the mirror.  A few minutes later, my stuffy-nosed son Josh cleaned his nose on it, creating a snail trail from one side to the other.

As I looked at my son and then back at my sweater, I was overcome with a feeling of deep gratitude.  In 9 months of his life, this is the first time he has ever got the sniffles.  And instead of having to drop him off at daycare and worry about him while I am in a corporate office, I am right here at home, acting as a human Kleenex.  I have the great luxury of having an amazing bonus son (otherwise known as stepson) Jeffery (and his girlfriend Nikita too) who watch Josh when they are not attending classes at college. So I can be upstairs writing and conducting business on the phone while not being far from my son when he needs me.

I have no knock against daycare, or working moms who leave their kids with others.  Whatever works for you, I say.  I just chose to wait to the ripe age of 38 to have my first child, and am thankful that after years of traipsing around the globe growing my business that I can be at home every day to watch my son grow up.  Snotty nose and all!