Here Come the Girls: The Gallery Week 30

BritMumInNZ

Girls run strong in my family. I am one of two girls, just like my mother and her mother was one of SEVEN girls! My husband’s brother and sister each have three sons. We have three daughters. I would have been beheaded or divorced in Henry VIII time!

Saturday at the beach after a Birthday party – Sophie and a friend, taken by me!:

Sophie and a friend at the beach: Photo credit: Sarah Lee

Thankfully, we live in an age when girls can do anything they put their minds and hearts to. My sister is an inspiration to me on this front – taking on the male dominated arena of science and coming out with a degree in Geophysics. She then went on to work on research ships in the wild North Sea, battling 6 metre waves and proving she was equally as strong as the rest of the mostly male crew. With the same company she was sent to Egypt to do land research and manage an all male Egyptian team! She went on to work in business and is now undertaking a PGCE to be a teacher of Physics.

My sister: Photo Credit: © MIKE HUTTON PHOTOGRAPHY

Claire climbing credit Michael Hutton

Woman can run countries, be doctors, lawyers, marines, play football and fight fires. The world is their oyster, isn’t it?

I am so proud to be a mother, just as I am so proud of my dear sister’s accomplishments in male dominated areas of work. We each have our own calling. As a stay at home mother some may say I’ve made sacrifices and let myself go in terms of a career. Well, I have made sacrifices in some ways, but when my children are old enough I will return to the paid workforce, I won’t be running a country, but that path isn’t for me. I have chosen to make being a stay-at-home parent my main focus (and am fortunate to be able to do so thanks to my supportive hubbie) and wish society as a whole would look upon this choice with more respect.

Me & Alice at Lyall Bay: Photo Credit: Daddy

Lyall Bay Beach with Alice: Photo credit - Dan Lee (Daddy)

When I travel overseas and fill in the various forms to enter another country I always stumble on the part that asks me to state my ‘occupation’. Why should I feel that writing, ‘Mother’ isn’t enough? Why do I toy with more ‘official’ sounding titles in my head such as ‘Domestic Engineer’, ‘Ambassador of Peace’, ‘Childcare Professional’… is it simply that I am not earning a wage and don’t have an official job description?

I have no one to give me an annual review. There are no promotions. There are no bonuses. But then, here I am wrong. I have three girls who give me all of these in their words, their expressions, their gestures and with their hearts. I know when I am doing well. I know when I could do better. Sometimes I lose my way, but they force me back on track.

The laughing sparkle in Alice’s eyes as she glances across at me is the best bonus in the world…

Alice and Daddy

Seeing Sophie so confidently walk her own path and speak her mind is all the feedback I need…

Sophie at Edie's Party

Watching Charlotte blossom into a thoughtful, caring, intelligent young girl helps me to see the path we’ve walked and understand a little of where we are heading…

Charlotte with Alice in the garden

Here come the girls and my biggest hope is that they find the path that’s right for them and follow it with all their hearts.

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This post was inspired by ‘The Gallery’ at Sticky Fingers, with the prompt ‘Here come the girls’. Please visit ‘The Gallery‘ to see more wonderfully inspired photographs.

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32 thoughts on “Here Come the Girls: The Gallery Week 30”

  1. wow!! your sister is brave theres no way I could climb like she is the photo

    we are different
    special and unique

    LOVE the look of that orange skirt of yours

    Sophies crown is beautiful

    you should be very proud of what you have achieved a beautiful family

  2. Great post! Totally relate to this line: ‘I have chosen to make being a stay-at-home parent my main focus (and am fortunate to be able to do so thanks to my supportive hubbie) and wish society as a whole would look upon this choice with more respect.’ I too have found myself hesitating slightly when having to fill in ‘mother’ on forms. Like I feel the need to explain it. Many Mum’s need to have (and should have) the kick ass career, but for me, personally, being a stay-at-home Mum is of far more value. Will have to start writing ‘mother’ with a bit more pride! 🙂

    Love the tutu shots and the beach shot your hubby took. Beautiful!

  5. Great post, good to see your enjoying the school holidays! I have been battling recently with career choices vs more motherhood time, so your post was great to read, thanks.

    Your sister is so brave, I’ve done some climbing but in the safety of a climbing centre!

    Hope you enjoy the rest of your hols 🙂

  6. Great post! I’m sure there’s lots of working mum’s out there that would love to write ‘stay at home mum’ as their occupation…. I wish I hadn’t worked so much when they were little. They grow up so fast! My father-in-law passed away last Nov… something we learnt through his passing is that life is short. This year we have changed our work schedule so we can spend more time together as a family.

    Love the photo of you walking on the beach wearing the orange skirt.

    Your sister is very brave!

  8. Sarah – you might well have been divorced (or worse) in Henry VIII’s time for producing three girls, but there’s an excellent chance all three could have become Queen of England. Remember all of Henry’s kids assumed the throne. It was the boy who was the weakling.

  9. Wow what a lovely post and fantastic photography! I love being a woman and a mother.

    ‘Ambassador of Peace’ made me laugh as that is definitely my job title at the moment!

    xxx

  23. Your girls are beautiful. it oo gave p a big job to be a full time SAHM and its the biggest job inthe world! I love it am proud and cond comitted. There is space and a place for us all. You go girl.

  28. Great post. Your girls sound wonderful and you and your sister sound like fantastic role models for them of following the path that’s right for you. I love being a stay at home mum too, it’s the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done but because I enjoy it so much (well not so much the domestic side that comes too!) I sometimes feel like I have to justify to people that I am working just not in paid employment.

  30. What a fabulous post and great words to go with it. Your sister sounds an amazing woman and so do you and your girls, this is the first time of coming to your blog and it looks wonderful.

    Oh and you have very gorgeous girls x

  32. Enjoying your blog.  I have three daughters myself as well as a step-daughter and my wish is that their bond remains stong forever.  I’ve always been grateful for my three girls.  Carol

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