“Dear Stay at Home Mom CFO,”

If you didn’t get a chance to read Ninja’s post yesterday at “Punch Debt in the Face”, you should.

He tells a great story about the letter he wrote to himself, prompted by a high school teacher, that would be sent to himself to read six months later .  He admits while he didn’t take it that seriously at the time, it’s a great time for a proper re-do.

What would you say to your future-self?  He asked for some company in his mission:  Read his initial post and add your letter too.  This one goes out to: “FUTURE SELF” sahmCFO.

Dear sahmCFO plus 10 years,

You have been married for 15 years.   You have lamented to each other many times over the past three years how much you “miss” each other.  “With the kids so young,” you both have said, “once they are a little older we will have more “just us” time.”  Well now that they are, I hope you guys are living it up, and are back out in the big wide world.   Traveling, enjoying new places, experiencing everything and keeping open-minds (even if you do have to bring them with you sometimes).  He is so patient with you, I hope you have cut him some slack by now.  And if you are still leaving your old coffee cups on your bedside table, you’re a jerk. It really is the only thing he complains about.

You have 3 teenagers/almost teenager now.  How’s that working out?   They may be all hormonal and “too cool” to want to hang around you much anymore but remember this…They asked you to read them “Someday” by Alison McGhee again today.  They love when I read them that book.  All three of them sit in a little circle around me, they don’t fight, or scream “so-and-so is touching me!”.  They just study my face and listen to my voice.  It’s not story they care about,  it’s your feelings for them, on full display they seek.  They hear my voice crack at certain parts and scoot closer.  They watch my cheek intently for when the tear does fall and squeeze me a little bit.  I fight through it, relish it actually, finish, and they say happily, “AGAIN!”   Don’t you doubt for a second that you “didn’t show them enough” how much you love them.  They see it , they glowed in it, they know.

Today (well 10 years ago really), you worry about your debt, but 3 months ago you decided it was really time to take your family finances seriously.  You made a plan and then, a commitment.   I don’t think you are a millionaire by now, but if you have a credit card and use it you better pay it off in full every month.  Do you still stay up at night sometimes worrying about money?  You better not.  You’re an “older woman” now, you need your sleep…

Love,

“young” sahmCFO

I also have been accepted into my first Carnival (Thanks for the encouragement Out of Debt…Again!). Please head over to: “M is for Money” to check out the latest “Carnival of Money Stories”!
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