Lynette, I checked your pics. The floor looks great so far! Keep plugging away at it! I'm sure the result will be worth it!
As for maids, if anyone knows someone who will scrub this place for the price of a batch of homemade cookies, let me know! :P
I agree this is a terrible time to bring up children. In a society as dangerous and lacking in true community as this one, with the gigantic price tag thrown in, it's a VERY uphill battle. I almost feel sorry for people dumb enough to think they'll have it easy.
And the time of the American SAHM is practically past. Those who are doing it now are taking a huge risk for their financial future. Many of them are barely scraping by on a week to week basis. Most people, if they can afford a kid to start with, can't also afford to stay home with them. Or if they can, costs of living are going up so much so fast that Mom will probably be back at work long before she planned to be.
The whole situation is awful. You can either forgo kids entirely, or mortgage the financial stability of the rest of your life to have them... and possibly end up having to pay other people to raise them whether you want to or not.
