Just a Stay at Home Mom

Today as I was doing a mountain of laundry I starting thinking about how I was "just a stay at home mom". The reason I thought of this is because at my aunts funeral I got a whole lot of "oh, you don't work?" from different long lost family or random friends of my aunt. I'd answer "yes I stay home" while rolling my eyes.
For years after I started staying home when people would say "oh you don't work", I'd say "no, I'm retired". The joke is getting old and I'm getting tired of having to use it. In 1950 women were expected to stay home and then sometime after our mothers started burning their bras it became cool to work. My former best friend told me while she was pregnant with her first that she never wanted to stay home. She liked her job and wanted to feel like she was "contributing" to society. That same woman who I now refer to as "she devil" decided to take to her facebook status to say that I'm worthless because I'm "just a stay at home mom". I stay home because I love to. I'm very blessed in that Scott's career is successful enough to allow for a single income. I know that there are many women that would love to be in my position and have to work because that is what works for their family financially. I also know that there are also some fantastic mothers that are fantastic because they work. There is no right way or wrong way just what way works for you and your family.
When Aiden was 1 I thought I needed to go back to work. I felt like I wasn't contributing to our family so I found a nice daycare for my beloved son and went back to work. Two weeks later I was quitting my new job and grabbing my baby out of that woman's arms. It didn't work for me. I spent my lunchtime crying in the bathroom and our sons personality completely changed while in the care of someone besides his mother. I then knew that I was contributing to my family without bringing in money. I get the luxury of watching my kids grow, seeing their first steps, hearing their first words, etc. When She-devil made fun of my job and she knew it would hurt me because she knew how much it meant to me. I'm proud of what I do. I am personally responsible for making sure the Cooper children turn into rad adults. When Aiden gets a migraine at school I'm available to take him home. When Elliot has a dance class in the middle of the day I'm available to go to every lesson. When Sophie has a well baby check up I don't have to rely on others to get her there. I love that.
I'm going to be very honest. I would hate to have a boss. I would hate to have to get up early in the morning and get to work. I'm spoiled in that I don't even remember what its like to have that responsibility. This weekend some dumb woman tried to make me feel better after I had stated for the umpteenth time that I was "just a stay at home mom" by saying "oh its the hardest job and the pay is crappy". I thought that was more offensive so I bluntly told her "well, my job is actually kind of awesome, the pay is pretty good plus I sleep with the hot boss."
I don't think my job is difficult because I love it. We stay at homers don't need pity. We don't do this because we are stupid although I do know some that do it because they're lazy. We firmly believe that our family benefits from our running the household and we're tired of being asked what we do all day.