Hello!

As you may have noticed, I took a little bit of a break from social media and blogging. A reset of sorts. I needed this break from my online life while I worked on getting my real life sorted.

I was faced with a serious road block in my life. Something that shook me to my core.

I was prepared for the good. But I wasn't prepared for the bad. When something bad happens in your life, marriage, job - What do you do? Do you stay? Do you leave? What is your line in the sand? What is worth fighting for?




While sparing you the details, I wanted to share some of the lessons that I learned from this stormy season.

Perspective

Investment

Predetermined

Forgiveness

Growth

Lastly, I want to say that we ALL go through our stormy seasons. But I challenge you to think about how you choose to weather your storm. Do you let it get the best of you? or do you use it, learn from it and flourish?


Talk soon,

I used to always find myself referring to motherhood as "my second full time job". To me, that was a perfect way to describe to others the level of intensity and dedication that motherhood demanded of me.

And then I read Shonda Rhimes' Book, 'Year of Yes'.



and in a few sentences, she turns on a lightbulb in my brain by saying...

"Being a mother is not a job. I find it offensive to motherhood to call being a mother a job. Being a mother isn't a job - it's who someone is. It's who I am. You can quit a job. I can't quit being a mother. I'm a mother forever. Mothers are never off the clock. Mothers are never on vacation. Being a mother redefines us. Reinvents us. Destroys and rebuilds us. Being a mother brings us face-to-face with ourselves as children. With our mothers as human beings. With our darkest fears of who we really are. Being a mother requires us to get it together or risk messing up another person forever... If all of that happened at work, I'd have quit 50 times already... Being a mother is incredibly important - do not diminish it by calling it a job."

Amen sister.

I just got back from a fun 3-day trip to Las Vegas! Personally, I love Vegas - so many great shows, resorts, restaurants and shopping. There is always so much to do and so little time to do it. Luckily for me, this trip was equal parts work and play.




I stayed (for the first time) at Caesars Palace and it was so nice! This hotel is HUGE and has waaaaay more things to do than I can wrap my mind around. Literally, this is what walking to the convention center looks like ...







After a terrible day of travel on Monday ... think 4-hour flight delays, 2 airplanes, 2 gates, and a puking passenger in front of me .... I finally made it to Vegas around 6:00pm. After checking into the hotel and relaxing a bit, I ventured out to stretch my legs, get some fresh air and go explore. I walked from Caesars, through the Bellagio and ended at the Cosmopolitan for dinner at Holsteins.





Tuesday was a busy work day but ended with a dream come true. I got to see Celine Dion live in concert at Caesars Palace and it. was. incredible.











After the concert, I somehow got roped into going out with some co-workers. It was a lot of fun and we ended our night at Omnia Nightclub.



Wednesday morning felt like it came way too quickly after our night of drinking, but I was up and ready for my last day in Vegas. After breakfast and working, I was headed to the airport around 12pm.

This trip was short and sweet and I can't wait to get back to Vegas again soon!

I like to consider myself to be pretty confident in all aspects of my life - as a wife, as a working professional, in my friendships, etc... But ever since I became a mom, the confidence is little shakier as I juggle 500 things while trying to keep a small human alive.





Anything can turn into a case of mommy guilt:

I am off work early, I should go get Carter.

But then I won't be able to run my errands peacefully.

Will he notice if I get him at 5:30pm, versus 5:00pm?

(picks up Carter, who had a poopy diaper at school and is wearing only a t-shit, diaper, and tennis shoes)

I should have gone before I picked him up.

Some days, I feel like I am killing it at this "mom" thing - multitasking like you've never seen. Running to HEB (for the 4th time this week) before the sun comes up, juggling oil changes with diaper changes, rushing out of work to make it to swim lessons or doctors appointments, or juggling work deadlines with date nights. It can be a lot.

So with all of these things going on, I can find myself being hard on myself or feeling the mommy guilt. Now, don't get me wrong. I LOVE going to work during the day. I love that we have the option for Carter to go to school/daycare all day and for me to go to work. I love getting to go away with Terrance for the weekend or have my times to myself.

But everyone once in a while, the mommy guilt creeps up and makes me feel bad ... like I shouldn't be spending that time on myself, or taking that work trip, or whatever the case may be.

So, when those evil mommy guilt thoughts come into my mind, I always remind myself of these 3 things:

1) I have mommy guilt because I care. A lot. And that isn't a bad thing, right?

2) I have to let some things go and/or delegate. Either the house will remain dirty, or I will hire a housekeeper, because I can no longer manage to clean it myself!

3) I do not, I repeat, DO NOT compare myself to other moms. My version of "normal" may be totally different than theirs.

Any other tips for dealing with mommy guilt?