To the Working Mommas

When we found out we were expecting our first little love six years ago, Justin and I talked about what we were going to do about my career. Realistically we knew that I would need to continue working in order to have some financial stability, but we also knew that a huge desire was for me to be with our kiddos as much as possible. For us, my commitment to working part time for the past six years has worked well. I get to continue in a career that I love and take pride in, while still having four out of seven days at home with my babies.

It has worked well. And I am thankful for the setup that we have with grandparents to watch our littles on the days that I head off to work.

It has worked well. But it is not easy.

It has worked well. But it leaves me feeling stretched in so many directions.

It has worked well. But I sometimes wish for more time to finish that project at work.

It has worked well. But I daily wish I could stay home and love on my babies.

I was recently talking to a good friend who works a full time job and has a baby and a toddler at home. She was telling me that she longed to be able to stay home with her babies while they are in this stage. In almost the same breath she teared up and confessed that she also feels guilty that sometimes it feels good to escape the diapers and crying and chaos for a few hours of quiet in her office. And I have never understood anything or related to anything more in that moment.

I think staying at home with your children is wonderful. I think a momma's love is like no other and those that have the opportunity to physically be with their babies on a daily basis are doing such important work.

I think that having a career while you have young children is wonderful. I think it shows your children how to be hardworking, driven, and passionate.

But for today, here's to the working mommas. I see you.

I see you waking your babies from sweet sleep in order to get them dressed and take their vitamins and force down their antibiotics and scarf down some breakfast and find the missing shoe in order to get out of the house in time.

I see you going on day four of unwashed momma hair and spraying dry shampoo like a boss, and adding some makeup so your coworkers don't notice that you haven't slept.

I see you cleaning up pukey beds and washing sore bodies through the night, and showing up to work and doing your job as well as you can.

I see you smiling politely when a coworker complains about the fact that the neighbor's dog woke them up twenty minutes early.

I see you chugging that coffee ALL DAY LONG.

I see you snapping at your husband because you are feeling the stress of both worlds and he is an easy target.

I see you dropping off a sniffly baby and wishing you could be the one to wipe her nose that day.

I see you peeling off a crying toddler and explaining that you need to leave for work.

I see you crying in the car on the way to the office because you didn't have enough time to calm his little heart.

I see you praying that they are o.k. and pleading that they know that you love them more than anything in the world.

I see you rushing out of work to pick them up and drive them home to make dinner and do homework and fill their love tanks and get them to bed on time.

I see you wishing there was more time in the day.

I see you cleaning up the house after the babies are sleeping.

I see you trying to prioritize sending those last emails, or watching your show, or spending time with your husband, or going to bed.

I see you not washing your hair again.

I see you feeling guilty when you long for some 'me time' after you have already been away from your babies all week.

I see you feeling guilty when your sweet babes frustrate you and you want to pull your hair out -- because isn't this what you are longing for?

I see you wishing it was different.

I see you thankful that it's not.

I see you working HARD.

I see you loving those babies with all of your heart.

I see you doing what is best for your precious family.

I see you.