I don't normally think about what I do everyday. There's chores- they get done. Something needs cleaned, mended, tended- it gets done. Bills need paid, groceries need bought, pets need vet care, elderly need doctor visits- I go do it. It can get stressful at times but it's just life. If I was working a regular paying job, I'd be paying someone else to do what I do. But I'm not working a regular paying job. My check doesn't come in the form of money. And sometimes that can make me feel like I'm not paying my full share in the partnership. It's easy to forget about the costs of going out into the "regular" workforce.
Since DH's job takes him all over the country, his employer has to keep track of which states collect what tax and all the intricacies of the paperwork. Sometimes the different state reports show up on his check stub. I don't normally pay too much attention to the details but the last one really caught my eye:
Spouse does not work? Excuse me, spouse does too work! Spouse works a lot! Spouse might not bring home a regular paycheck but she has some worth. And she isn't spending money for gas to get to work or career clothes. Plus she's not purchasing the services of eldercare, housekeeping, accountants, and all the other myriad day to day things she takes care of.
Fortunately, DH seems to see things the same way. But after I got over the initial shock of seeing that statement in print, I wondered what it would look like if I ever made up a pay stub for all the things I do. Maybe someday I'll do that.
