I love me some DP!

And by DP, I do not mean Dr. Pepper. I mean Dennis Prager.

Confession: I am not much of a music listener. In fact, my choice in music my whole life has always depended entirely upon the people with whom I associated. In elementary school, I was obsessed with Backstreet Boys and hated *N "stink" because that was the opinion of my best friend. In junior high and high school, I listened to the music that my friends listened to and the same happened in college. Then I dated a guy who liked country, and for the first time ever, I gave country a shot. When my nine-year-old sister fell in love with Justin Beiber, so did I.

It's not like I didn't like any of the music, Except for country. I truly do not like country. Oh, and I really liked Kelly Clarkson and Fergie in high school all on my very own, but that's embarrassing right? I just never cared about the music long enough to follow it after I wasn't around the people who really liked it. When I met new people, I hated when they asked what my favorite band was because I never had a favorite band or a favorite type of music. By myself, I just listened to whatever the top hits were on the radio. After a while, any music just started sounding like noise to me and I prefer silence over noise.

My sophomore year of college, I went to China to teach English. The commute to the school was a 30 minute bus ride and a 30 minute walk. Since reading makes me car sick, I had two hours a day to spend listening to music or to spend in pure silence. I remembered how my dad had been nagging me to listen to Dennis Prager, and I figured since I had the time I would give it a shot. I subscribed to Pragertopia (pretty nerdy sounding, huh?) and for just seven dollars a month, I learned more about myself, my country, and the world than I ever had in all of my years of education.

As I listened to Dennis Prager while living in a Communist country, I realized how blessed I was to be a United States citizen. I felt very ungrateful because I was so clueless regarding American values, current events, and our whole political process. I also realized how much I was like my dad - When I could have listened to music, I chose to listen to talk radio and other podcasts. When I could have slept in, I woke up early and went to bed early. When I could have watched millions of pirated movies, I maybe watched a handful the whole time I was there. I became a very task oriented person, like my dad.

So when I got pregnant with Jack and decided not to take the teaching job that I was offered, I panicked a little. Staying cooped up inside during Logan's winter with nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs and watch my baby eat, sleep, and poop made me nervous. I just knew I would become a very, very crazy and depressed person.

Then I had Jack, and was extremely surprised that I felt the exact opposite of that very, very crazy and depressed person that I anticipated I would become. I have felt more joy, more love, and more purpose than ever before, even though I am no longer doing a lot of the things that I love, like going to school and working. Somehow I was led to believe that I was sacrificing everything - my career, my body, my intellect, and my happiness - to be a mother. Why I did not expect divine help and joy when I am participating so directly in the work and glory of God is beyond me. I love my little guy.

Dennis Prager's column, Does a Full Time Homemaker Swap Her Mind For A Mop, describes exactly how I feel about staying at home. I am still doing a lot of things that I love and that make me happy, even though I am a stay-at-home mom. I'm telling you, that man in amazing. Read it, it is soooo good!

So to make a long story long, I love Dennis Prager and you should too! If you don't subscribe to his podcast, at least promise me you will read and listen to his links that I plan on posting?!