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At the end of a long workweek, Mary Buscemi is amply paid in kind with hugs and kisses. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mary Buscemi talks about the blessings of being a stay-at-home mom and raising her children in Iqaluit. - Annie Neevee Buscemi/NNSL photo

Born in Iqaluit, the 27-year old mom of three, with one more coming in February, lives with her husband and their 11-year old daughter and six-year-old and three-year-old sons.

While she loves motherhood more than anything, Buscemi didn’t always know that it was her calling. As a teenager, being a mom was the last thing on her mind.

"I never thought I would have children," she said. "But I mean once they’re here, once they’re born, my entire life changed, but for the better. I can’t imagine not having kids. They’re my life."

While Buscemi is a busy stay-at-home mom, there is a sense of effortlessness because of the joy the job brings.

"I don’t like to call it work," she says. "There’s nothing like watching them grow and develop. Being a parent, I find you learn so much. Like I’ve found out so much about myself just from raising them. It’s something natural."

Buscemi and her family moved to Iqaluit in 2005, having previously lived in Ottawa. Being back home is like a breath of fresh air.

"I like the fact that it’s so laid back here because I’m very sensitive to high energy stuff, ironically because of the kids," she said. "The city life is okay, but I couldn’t do it constantly for a long period of time. It’s kind of serene for me, how quiet it is here. No constant buzzing of cars and trucks like that. I like it up here.

It’s home for me – where my heart is."

Whenever she has a spare moment for herself, Buscemi relaxes with a few good flicks.

"I really enjoy movies," she said. "Anything that I’m going to do, like on my spare time, it’s movies. Usually, I guess, romantic comedies, like girl movies, I guess they call them, but I also like just regular comedy or drama."