Mo' Money, Mo' Problems?

I resigned from my job in June when my maternity leave ended.  I don't regret the decision because I get to wake up to these two faces every morning:

One inevitable side-effect of me staying at home has been a big reduction in our monthly income.  Going from two incomes to one has definitely been tricky, and frankly it doesn't get much easier as time goes on.  Here's a little background:  We shop only for things we really need, like food, to date I have not purchased our daughter a single toy or item of clothing (think: hand-me-downs, swap-shops, generous gifts from others, etc.), Tim and I don't typically carry debt on our credit card, we have no car payments, we have nearly perfect credit, and we've never missed a payment on our house, Tim's college loan, or any of our utilities in our entire marriage of five years; needless to say, we're pretty darn frugal and yet we find ourselves struggling now to make ends meet.

There are a few things that keep me going when I start to feel anxious about our financial situation.  My faith in God is the most important thing.  We have so many friends who have faced a similar financial burden at one time or another (many bc one parent decided to stay at home); I can't even begin to write down the number of stories of God's provision for people who are following what they believe He has called them to do.  Every person has a unique calling; I believe God has called me to stay at home with Stella, and because of that we're trusting in His provision.  

Here are two quotes that are especially encouraging to me in this time of waiting on God:

"It is true that many "perfect jobs" may come and go during the childrearing years, but only one will absolutely never come along again - the job of rearing your own children and allowing them the increasingly rare opportunity to grow up at home." - Dorothy Patterson.

"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?...But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6: 25-27, 33-34.