I imagine, from time to time, you all get tired of reading about my adventures in toddler town and would like to hear from other parents. So, as you can imagine, I was thrilled when Hinesville Public Relations Manager Krystal Britton Hart took me up on my offer to guest write this week’s column. Krystal has two daughters herself, one of whom is the same age as my daughter, Reese. I enjoy comparing notes and talking with her, and I’m sure our readers will be as interested in hearing what she has to say as I am. Enjoy!
— Hollie Barnidge


What have you contributed?

When I was a little girl, my mom made my sister and me read a Proverbs chapter and a Scripture of our choosing every day. Out of all the Proverbs, my favorite was Proverbs 31:28, which reads, “Her children shall arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her” (New International Version).
A chapter in the Bible that I studied over and over again was Colossians 3. Verses 18-21 stuck with me the most.
Why in the world I was worried about being a good wife and mother at the age of 11 is beyond my comprehension. Studying family units and behavior is something that always has intrigued me. Whether in the Bible, a book or through everyday observations, I’ve always wanted to know more about families. Now I know that way back then, the seed was being planted for  this season of my life.
I am an educated woman with a successful career and a promising future. I have many passions and talents to offer the world, yet my greatest joy comes from being a wife, mother, friend, teacher and motivator in my home.
When I get off work in time to cook my family a full meal, I feel successful.
When I put my cellphone and laptop away and read my daughter a book or teach her a song, I feel successful.
When I pack my girls’ lunches and bags for day care, I feel successful.
When I pass over a $300 bag to buy my husband an outfit and shoes that he wouldn’t buy himself, I feel successful.
When I stick to my family’s budget so we can be prepared for the future, I feel successful.
When I stay awake to pray for my family while they are sound asleep, I feel successful.
When I’m able to help my husband through a bad day, I feel successful.
When I teach my girls what it is to worship and praise God in and out of church, I feel successful.
When I turn the TV off to enjoy quality time at home, I feel successful.
When I stop to take a deep breath, spend a moment looking in the mirror or take some “me time” to regroup and reflect, I am proud — and I feel successful.
No contract, client or certificate can make me feel as accomplished as I do when my husband says, “You are amazing,” or my 2-year-old says, “Mommy, I appreciate you” (yes, she has told me so in those exact words several times).
Satisfying a client or completing a campaign is rewarding, but nothing has the same impact as the simple yet essential moments I spend with my family. No, I don’t envy women who are “single and ready to mingle.” No, I don’t regret not living the city life in bright lights, seeking out thrills. No, I don’t regret not climbing the corporate ladder to make more money and claim “important” titles.
I have found what many people spend a lifetime searching for after all the thrills are gone — a love from within that now is shining back at me through the lives and eyes of a man who calls me his wife and two girls who call me Mommy. It is through them I can testify about what being the woman of the house means. My contributions to their lives come before anything this world can offer me.
 What have you contributed as woman of the house?