More Advice Solicitation

Okay, I have a need for more advice. I don't know if it's because I am getting married,or because everyone around me seems to be preganated ( as my friend calls it) but I have the baby itch...... I will admit, I know nothing at all about planning for a baby as I didn't plan to have either one of mine. And I don't really know how I feel about the topic of birth control. I know I don't believe in contraceptives of any kind, but I don't know how I feel about natural method, AND right not that's not what I am soliciting. My FDH wants a nice size family ( an old testament family as he so jokingly calls it) and of course I do to.

My dilemma that with my girls I worked so much that I missed out on so many milestones. I had great support from my parents, but honestly they raised my babies and not me. I was that mother that had to send them to daycare at 3 months and one at 5 wks, because I had to work and sometimes my work included traveling and or living away from my children ( military). My oldest was born the summer of my last semester of undergrad so I was able to stay with her a little longer, but then once the semester started I had to go away, and my littlest, well I took off so much due to complications, that I didn't have much leave time and I had to leave her at 5 wks. Shortly after she was born, I was called to active duty and had to leave them both for almost a year, that's not to mention how many other times I have had to leave them due to a demanding job. But that is the reality for many single women. You HAVE to work, sometimes you have to make a trade and its not easy. It's not easy when your baby looks to your parents when they are hurting, or sick, just plain old would rather be with them than you. It's not that they don't love you, they just aren't used to your 100% of time and nurturing. I could go on and on, but I wont. It's too painful, and it's the past.

Needless to say, I don't desire to do this again. EVER again. So I am soliciting advice for all those women who left the workforce to come home. I know I want to come home, and we are praying for the right time, but how did you do it? I would love to hear the stories and the encouragement. And being that we had such an explosive post going around last week about the values of being a keeper at home, especially within my race I would love to sop up all the teaching I can.