This week's theme in Couple's Corner is about "Sacrifices for Loved Ones". I'll try my very best not to get too emotional about his post. =) *hope so*

Oh well, I believe sacrifices are my best friends since birth. LOL... I think I have sacrificed sooooooo much!!! as in SOOOOO MUCH!!! for my family (I'm talking about my being a daughter). I have to sacrifice not having a whole and happy family for the sake of my parents. I don't think they ever tried so hard to keep our family whole and happy. They just wanted to enjoy their lives (oh, that I know is true and they can't contest!). Being a mom and wife now, I know for myself that this responsibility has been given to me by God and I can't just let any circumstance break it up. I just hope my parents handled their responsibilities better then, but of course, everything happened for a good reason. But looking back, I just can't help but feel the pain on everything I've been through (dark childhood indeed) because I don't have my biological mom to guide me, but I was blessed by having all the love of my father, lola, aunts and uncles. 

Let's jump to my family now. I had my family even before I earn my degree, so I guess I'm lucky that I don't have a career to sacrifice. The only thing I have now is my degree which others would think is now going to waste, but is actually not. God has been so good that he opened new opportunities for me where I can use it and earn while still being a full-time mom and wife. 

Looking back and comparing all my sacrifices then and now, I believe what it did was to mold me and get me ready to who I should be now. I won't be where I am and I won't have what I have now if not for everything that had happened to me. All I can say now is "THANK YOU, LORD" because He blessed me with a very wonderful family that I can call "My Own". I may not have it before, but I already have it now. Though it's painful to think of the past, it's always much joy to think of the present and the future and I guess, that's how we learn.

I think my post is outside the couple's sacrifices part, but we haven't sacrificed so much for the sake of both of us aside from hubby being away from us for about 6 months so I can finish my studies and he can have a better career here. But since we were able to live together again after that, I guess it erases the fact that for once in our lives we actually lived a million miles away.

Click the badge and read different kinds of sacrifices on this week's Couple's Corner.

Career has always been the last thing on my list of priorities. When God has given me my own family earlier than usual, I still strived to attain my degree. I might have thought of being a working mom - wearing a nice corporate attire, working in a cosy office environment, struggling to climb the corporate ladder - but when I've already tried my best to have the job that I'm dying to have and failed many times, I started to accept the meaning that it wants to communicate with me. 

The first factor why I don't fit in any job that I'm applying for is TIME. I have a daughter whom I have to bring to school in the morning and pick up at around 3:30 in the afternoon. That alone won't let me work full time (9-5 job) and so I only apply for part-time positions, but because I'm new and don't have enough experience yet, it's so impossible that they give me the time most convenient to me.

Then I re-learned the blogging world. As I explore, a large community of moms staying at home and earning while blogging and doing some freelance works welcomed me. I tried and on my first month of trial, it seems like it's whispering to my ears, "THIS IS THE RIGHT THING FOR YOU."

I just got an interview invitation from the nearest hotel in our place, but the working pattern will hinder me from doing what I love - preparing my hubby and daughter in the morning and being unable to pick her up on time every Friday. I thought about it, but at the end, hubby and I realized that with all the opportunities coming my way at the start of 2010 I can earn the same while working at home. 

I'm already blessed with everything - having a husband who's always been a good provider and the time that I am able to dedicate to my family and these I really thank God for letting me to have. I no longer need a career that will bring me to the top while slowly forgetting that I am the light of my home. My family is my priority and if career is there, it's surely at the last.

Yesterday was a super fun day for me. I really waited for this day as it is the day where I will be transferring my first oDesk earnings to my Paypal account and told hubby that once the earnings are credited, I will be buying my own domain for my Happy Home Working blog. 

Good thing Ate Liz was in front of her laptop when I messaged her. I don't think I can link my blog to my domain name without Ate Liz's help. So once again, my sincerest thanks to you, Ate Liz, for being there for me in this blogging world. You really ROCK!!!

I bought www.acmomcee.com in a lower price as I was able to get a promo code. I was really eager to make all my blogs in their own domains, so since I was able to save on my main blog, I bought 3 more domains in dotinfo. It's on sale so I decided to take the opportunity of making my other blogs in domain for its first year. 

Now my three other blogs' domains are:

• www.comedinein.info
• www.joinmystroll.info
• www.cheekymunchkins.info

All bought in a budget! Hooray!!!

Now, my problem is when renewal date comes. They will be renewed all AT THE SAME TIME! *crazy* Oh well, I'll just make sure to earn much on this first year and save up for the renewal. =)

A few weeks ago, I was just ranting about the negativity I am feeling for the year 2010. I thought of writing “Will 2010 Be My Year?” for me to somehow release the heavy loads I am feeling at the moment. And it really did. With the help of my dear blogger friends, Ate Liz and Ate Eds, I was able to feel the positivity that this year brings.

I focused myself on blogging. I thought of updating my two blogs, Happy Home-Making (which I will soon transform to Happy Home-Working) and Happy Home-Cooking because I want to monetize it soon. Then I thought of updating my profile in oDesk too. I signed up at oDesk September last year  with the help of Mommy Iris and haven’t got serious about it until last week.

I took up some more tests to boost my profile. I applied to different jobs I know I can handle. After only a day, I already received an invitation for an interview for a job I didn't even applied for. It appears that the buyer was the one who initiated the job and after a couple of days, he hired me. I was hired as an administrative officer. But before he finally hires me, I was first hired by another employer as data entry personnel. At that same day, I earned $6.50 and I was really very happy. I know it was not a huge salary to rejoice with, but hey! It's my first ever paid job. Then I started as an administrative officer on Monday and on Wednesday my employer asked me if I wanted to keep the job for long-term and soon for full-time when the business starts to pick-up. From administrative officer, I am now a Team Leader. What a blessing indeed! I was just praying for this job not to end and now I already have that assurance. Since there's no much work yet, I earned $15 for working for 4 hours the whole week. It is a per hour basis meaning - no work, no pay. So I thought of applying to other jobs again to occupy my vacant time.

Then now I am working on 20 articles about scrapbooking for only $30 fixed and to be submitted within 2 weeks. I applied for the job post because I want to build my profile and since I have a passion in scrapbooking, particularly digital and I also know a little bit about traditional scrapbooking, I thought it will not be difficult. Time is not a pressure since I know i can finish them all in less than a week. But when I learned that I am also the one who will think of the topics to be written, oh my! I was puzzled! =) So far, I have finished 10, so 10 more to go. Wish me luck!

I am now focusing on oDesk, but I will soon research on how to monetize my blogs for additional profits.

I always believe that working from home is not for me. But not anymore. I am happy to announce to the world that... I am now a certified Work At Home Mom! To God be the glory, indeed! Thank you LORD!!! I am earning while working from home and I can always be available for my family anytime.

If you are inspired by my story, then go on and click the oDesk badge on this post or on the upper left side of my blog, register and I'll walk you through. I am willing to help you get started. Remember, this marketplace is open wherever you are in the world.

When New Year started, I didn't feel any positivity as most people did. I didn't feel much change on myself and my surroundings. Everything was just as normal as last year. I think I didn't have a right start.

Then I thought of the possibilities that would somehow change the vibes I currently have. I told myself that I have to do something for things to come my way. I spent most of my time searching for part-time jobs online. I even tried applying to full-time jobs and told myself that I will sort the before and after-school clubs for my daughter after I get hired. I was also open to applying my daughter to childminders around to take good care of her after school and pick her up when my work's done (though these options are against my will). What I wanted then, or maybe until now is to just GET HIRED.

I received one call regarding my application as a hotel receptionist and though it was part-time he still wanted me to become flexible on the times of work. That alone made me decide not to go further with the interview as I really can't be much flexible. I can work full-time, but it must be fixed hours like the usual 9-5 jobs. Until now all my applications were not considered and this makes me feel so useless and worthless.

Then I tried focusing on oDesk for fully online jobs which was recommended by a dear friend/mommy/blogger named Mommy Iris of entrepremom.info. I improved my profile and took various tests to get myself ready. One buyer offered me a job and after getting through the interview, he said he wanted me for the position. I was so happy that for the first time I will have a job and this is something I would love to do. It's an admin job and I can work on the comforts of my home. But at this very moment we haven't started yet so the real score is, I'm not yet hired. I've applied to other jobs too, but haven't got my luck still.

I just feel so down and disappointed. I don't know what's wrong with me. I want to think that corporate jobs may not really be for me, but I still don't have answer to my question, "WHY?". Then while waiting for my luck, I thought of considering the suggestion of my UK friends of doing a catering business for Pinoy auditors around since they do host parties often and pay so much for food. I tried researching about it and I already started making my business plan. Then another thing crossed my mind, "what if no one orders?", "what if they don't trust my cooking skills?", "what if I get negative feedbacks?" and so much more what ifs. And I know for myself that I am not good, not even close.

Others say I don't have to feel bad because I'm running a household and that I am taking good care of my daughter, but my daughter goes to school and I'm left alone at home doing nothing. House chores doesn't take the whole day to be done. While my husband and daughter's out, I do nothing. Is that how a good wife and mum should be?

Now, I don't know what am I for. Did I finish my studies and earned a degree for nothing? Why  are opportunities seem so unreachable for me? I feel so bad that I'm not good at anything. All I want is to have a job that will still allow me to be a wife and a mother. I don't want this feeling anymore. Dear God, please make 2010 work for me. Please make this year MY YEAR.