I’ve been asked questions about our “new lifestyle” quite often and thought I might share with you how the past two and a half months have been going for our family. If you recall, Matt resigned from his restaurant management position in December to work from home full-time. Our desire was for Matt to be able to spend more time with our family and in ministries. We were tired of having regrets.
So, how about I do a little bit of Gratituesday “Matt’s Home” FAQ?
If your husband quit his job, how do you have an income?
Our answer to this question has been, “We may not have jobs…but we have work and we have income.” We are self-employed, doing a variety of work that provides income for our family. We’re working very hard…and we get to do most of it side by side. We feel that for us, it has been wise not to “put all of our eggs in one basket”. We have income from several different sources…all of which adds up to enough to meet our family’s needs. We own and rent out storage units; the Heavenly Homemakers site provides income; Matt has a snow-removal business; Matt does odd jobs for people in the community. There isn’t a job, but trust me…God has provided plenty of work. Our needs are always met.
What are your days like?
Each night we discuss what needs to be done the next day. We make lists, we prioritize and we continue to dream and set goals.
Every day is very different depending on what the needs are for the moment. I’m generally home most of the time, just like I was before. If it snows, Matt is gone a good part of the day spending quality time with his snow-blower, or if someone calls on him to help out with something, he heads out to help. If he can, he takes all the boys over to help him with a job someone has called on him to do. Otherwise, he is usually home working on whatever needs to be worked on. We are tag-team teaching the boys, depending on what needs to be done and who is available. Sometimes I have work I need to get done for Heavenly Homemakers, so I go “hide in the office” while Matt jumps in and helps the boys with their work. He loves that he now has the opportunity to take a more active role in their schooling.
Matt is working on getting his Real Estate License (which is another income source he’ll be able to operate mostly from home), so recently he’s been studying and taking tests online. He’s also been working on marketing our Learn your Letters, Learn to Serve pre-school curriculum and other Heavenly Homemakers resources.
Do you get tired of having your husband home all day every day?
Abso-stinkin’-lutely not!!! God has blessed us during this season while we raise our boys to BOTH be home to parent and train and work. I know not everyone might feel this way or work as smoothly as a couple…but for us, this situation is working very well. Matt makes my life and my days easier, not harder. My stress level has gone down a great amount since he’s been home. He’s a huge help, a wonderful encouragement, and a solid provider. We love being together. God has made us into a great team and are so thankful that we get to work daily as teammates.
I’m constantly thankful and do not take this blessing for granted. When I run into him in the kitchen or office at 10:56 in the morning or 2:23 in the afternoon, I can’t help but smile and give a shout out to God that my husband is home. (And I usually steal a kiss, because well…he is just right there and I can’t really help myself.) ;)
What does your future hold?
We really have no idea. We know that God gave us this gift of time together with our family at least for now. Because our schedules are flexible we are able to be open to ministry opportunities God puts on our hearts. We’re really just trying to remain open to whatever it is that God has called us to do right now, and we look forward prayerfully to what God has in mind for our future. There is much to be done for the Kingdom. We’re so grateful that we get to work at it…together.
What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Write about it on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!
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Tia says
Love it, good for you! My husband also works at home and I appreciate it a lot. He’s a good hard worker and focuses very well despite all the craziness that we sometimes have going on. (He is a web programmer and designer.) People wonder if it’s difficult for me to have him around, but I love it. I’m glad that you’ve been blessed with this opportunity for your family as well. Love your blog, thanks so much for sharing your wisdom and your heart.
Kelly says
I too am thankful for a work from home hubby! He does have a work day schedule with his job but it is so nice to have him in the next room all day every day. Everyone always says something like “oh my husband and i would kill each other” and that breaks my heart for them. We truly enjoy our 24/7 life together. This is our 2nd year as a 24/7 family with dad working from home and me homeschooling the two kids. We wouldn’t trade it for anything. Thank you God for allowing us to soak up every moment of every day as a loving family!!
Rachel says
As we work hard on gaining partners for ministry as missionaries looking to leave for Rwanda in a few months my husband and I have worked together at home for the last year. It’s had its challenges as we learned to work as a team, since we have such different ways of doing things, but we have grown tremendously. I think God has given us these last 2 years of raising support and working side by side to shave off some of our roughness and help us love and appreciate each other better. I love it that he is there when I need a break or just a word of encouragement. We try to ask each other everyday what the other person needs that day to maintain sanity and health and try to make that happen. It’s good to know what fills up your “tank” and your spouse’s tank and make sure it doesn’t get empty.
Amy Bradsher says
It sounds like an amazing work schedule!
Julie Coney says
We are working to for the same goal… to have daddy work from home!
I too am grateful for my husband in this weeks post…
Mandi @ Life Your Way says
My husband is a stay-at-home dad and I work from home, so we have a very similar situation. I love this Q&A: “Do you get tired of having your husband home all day every day?” My answer is the same as yours, and even after a year, I smile every time we’re in the kitchen making lunch together or I grab a hug in the middle of the day. Blessed indeed!
Jessica Nunemaker says
Same here! Hubs is the stay at home dad and I work from home.
I have a flexible schedule so I love when the boys are at an activity
and we can go have breakfast out or coffee together.
We’ve definitely grown closer over the past year–we love it!
–and Mandi, my hubby will love to know there is another stay at home
dad out there! ;)
Hallee the Homemaker says
My husband has been gone for 2.5 years – 2 of them in Afghanistan. It’s our dream to be able to work together and be home together. (Well, at this point, it’s our dream to be able to eat dinner together – heh.)
Glad it’s working out for you!
Hallee
Jessica Bish says
I know we are not supposed to envy but I tell you what… jealousy does creep in a bit when I read that post. That is so awesome and I am so happy for you guys…. I keep trying to encourage my husband to start trying to find a stay-at-home job! We currently work together in the same building but in 3 months I will be staying home full-time and it’s going to be a huge adjustment for us. We ride to and from work together, we eat lunch together everyday….. we are going to miss each other so much. But God is good! and we’ll get through it and pray that He will give us the strength to get through it.
Jill Roper says
I am so glad you wrote about your new adventure. Funny about the snow. We still have snow here in Michigan. I am so ready for spring. I bet Matt will be making another great garden spot for you. I am so happy for you Laura and especially happy for those sweet boys. They are the biggest recipients of Daddy’s gift of being home.
Love you
Allyson @ a Heart for Home says
Laura, our family would love to do something like this in the future when our school loans are paid off. Can I ask one question? What are you doing about health insurance?
Laura says
We use CHM (Christian Healthcare Ministries) and have been pleased with this decision so far. http://www.chministries.org/
I’ll try to share more about it on my blog sometime!
Cassie says
What great learning/life experiences for your boys!
Rachel says
So glad to hear things are going well for your family. God is good!!
Rachel says
I’m blessed even by the way you speak about your husband…with thankfulness and uplifting words. Thank you for your example!
Amy T says
Awesome post! I hope your lives continue to be blessed in this way.
Rhonda says
What a blessing Laura! I’m so glad for you and your family.
Kristine says
Wow, that sounds amazing! My husband is actually in full-time ministry so he’s gone all the time and where we are financially I’m working full-time too. I would love to stay at home with my kids (my boy is 2 and another one is on the way in November!) I have such a hard time finding reliable income from home.
Sonja says
We too are blessed with a generous work schedule for my hubby. He works 2 weeks on at a hospital eleven miles away, is home for supper, and then has a week and two weekends off. I am able to stay home as well and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!
Jennifer says
I’m glad you posted this as I was just wondering how things were going. :)
Kimberlee says
So excited for you! In a world that is devaluing marriage at every turn, it is nice to hear some good news!
Brandy says
Awesome! So happy for you guys!
Mona says
Wow! I agree w/another poster that I felt a twinge of jealousy, but it was quickly followed by how happy I am for you! How awesome to have Matt home all the time. I would LOVE for my hubby to be home w/us too. We’ve often talked about how much he misses w/the family because of his work. This post is an inspiration to me! I’m grateful for my hubby and that he does work hard so I can stay home with our kids. Hopefully one day we can be self-employed too.
Lisa@HappyinDoleValley says
What a blessing it must be to work side by side with your man! We’re praying about making the move to home-based employment — love how you don’t call it a job, but rather describe it as it is: work! Thanks for sharing and for hosting! Blessings, Lisa :)
jamie says
Awesome! I love the times when my husband is home. It makes me feel sad when someone says they are tired of having their husband home. I consider it a treat. Life is short. :-)
Lori says
Great post!
Sheila says
Thank you. I really needed to look at what the Lord is doing in my life this morning!
In Him,
Sheila
Jennifer says
My husband is a teacher and since we moved to Ohio 4.5 years ago he has not worked over the summers like he always did before that. For 2 months he is home with the rest of us. I love it! I don’t think we ever get tired of each other, we have a good routine when we are all around. My kids are off next week for spring break and my husband is off the following week. I can’t wait to have a week of him home with me.
Tracy says
Love this post. when my husband was out of work for two years I loved having him around and now that he is working full time , I miss him.My congrtas to you for doing what you love together and trusting the Lord.God Bless.
Shannon says
Hi Laura. My husband works from home too and I just love it. We eat all our meals together and he gets to see our son much more than if he worked outside the home. Congrats!
Gail Griner Golden says
Oh yes, it is great to have my hubby at home. We work well together, too.
Shalom,
Gail
Meredith McG says
what a blessing :) Thanks for sharing this !! :)
My doesnt work at home but he is able to set his own hours and he CAN work form home if need be – like when our son was born :) Just last night the baby was sick so he stayed up with us till 4 am – I love that Man !!!
Mombeam says
My dh has always been a WAH-DH (LOL!) for all but 1-2 days a week. This works out really well most of the time, however the biggest challenges I have come across are 1) Recognizing that there are going to be a lot of times where even though he’s home we have to pretend like he’s not. Having a private office space with a door that closes really helps with this. Work-oriented phone calls are hard to conduct when a bunch of kids start a fight, a meltdown, or a really rowdy game in the next room. 2) WAH-DH has to realize that most of the day the house isn’t going to look like it usually would when he comes home from work at the end of the day. It can be a very eye-opening experience for a husband to realize that a lot of stuff goes on during the day, including a lot of messes, noise, fights, mini- (or not-so-mini-) crises, etc.
jenny says
Laura, I can’t thank you enough for how candid you are. Yet you always make it clear that your situation may not be what God has in mind for me, or anyone else. Satan knows that I am a sucker for a guilt complex and not feeling “good enough”. Yet, your blogs have never left me feeling that way! I am a SAHM who does NOT homeshcool, and my husband is a pastor, so sometimes he’s home during the day and sometimes (most times) he’s not. I can’t imagine taking on more than I already do. Not now anyway. I have goals for the future, like a garden this summer, but we’ll see if mine match God’s, huh? Anway, thank you for always being clear that what your family does works for your family. And that each is different, with a different purpose that the Lord directs.
Laura A says
I am thankful for what happened to me Tuesday night. I had a cart-full of groceries, like just about every week with our family of 6, and as I was beginning to load the belt, I glanced behind me and saw an older lady in a motorized cart. So I asked if she would like to go ahead of me since she only had a couple things. After she paid and received her change, she turned around and handed me $50 for my own groceries!!! I was so speechless and grateful, all I could say was Thank You! It made the rest of my evening! I’ll never grumble about going to the grocery after 9:30 with the sleepy baby again.
susan says
laura, you mentioned at one point a book that you/matt had read about finding the job of your dreams, or being fulfilled in your work. what was it again? i’m noticing increasingly that my beloved is less than satisfied with his job and thought maybe it woudl be a good read for him.
also i’m jealous that your love is home w/you all the time. i adore summer b/c my school-teacher hubby is home then. nothing better than being w/ the one u love.
Laura says
The book is: 48 Days to the Work You Love, by Dan Miller. GREAT book!
Heather says
How wonderfully amazing for you all! I would also totally love if my husband could be home. We just figured out our life so that I could stay home with our children just two years ago. I’d love to get us both here, but am grateful that at least I get to stay home as I didn’t for the first 7 years of my oldest’s life. Maybe someday, but for now, I’m enjoying every minute of it and I think my kids are so much better for it as well…