I Don't Know How She Does It

Have any of you seen that movie?  The one starring the famous Sarah Jessica Parker, or as we all know her, “Carrie Bradshaw”?  I recently saw this movie a while back and I loved it.   “I Don’t Know How She Does It”, is a movie about a working mom trying to balance work, kids, her spouse, and herself.  Lately – well actually the beginning of this school year has been such a juggling act and its sad because it literally just started a few weeks ago.  It’s been a bigger adjustment this year and I don’t know why I don’t have myself together yet.  Our week consists of dance, football practice, church, football games and if we’re lucky, we actually will get one day during the week where we actually eat all together as a family.  My days of running during the week are gone.  Nooooo!  I’m not use to this and I will have to say, I went a little cray, cray from the feeling of “not having it all together”.   I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining, but I guess I just wanted to vent.  This mom had a moment, but then again, haven’t we all? (Please say yes. I don't want to be the only one.)

I’m 29 years old and I have a 14 year old stepson and a 5 year old daughter.  Before I gave birth to my daughter, I was already on the mom discovery process because I now had a stepson.  At 23 years old, becoming a mom to an 8 year old was honestly kind of weird and I had no idea what to do, how to act or what to say.  People say that when you give birth, you immediately just know what to do and things come naturally.  I’d like to say that is mostly true, but it doesn’t apply when you become a step-parent.  The road I must admit has come with highs and lows, bumps and stars.  Luckily, I was accepted with arms wide open into this little boy’s heart.  The older I’ve gotten the more experienced and assured I feel as a mother to not only him, but my daughter as well.  My hands are pretty full with the both of them.  The stages of life they are both in are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.  I have a daughter who is into Justin Bieber, coloring and everything sparkly.  She depends on me in many levels.  My stepson on the other hand is going through puberty, liking girls and becoming a young man.  He is starting to get embarrassed by things I use to get embarrassed about with my parents.  I just stop and say, “Hey, you have young parents.  What could you possibly be embarrassed about?”   But I guess parents are parents and yes, we, I mean they can be embarrassing, when you’re that age. 

Most women in my generation are working moms.  Speaking for myself, I love being a working mom.  I love that I have my own career, my own identity aside from motherhood.  I love being a mom and I am my kids biggest fan, always there to support them and provide them with all that I can, but I do love that I get the best of both worlds. BUT and yes that’s a big but – it is nowhere near easy and at times I feel I could use an assistant (especially here recently), but realistically, we all know that’s not possible.  So I’m like an clown juggling ten balls in the air, trying my hardest not to drop one. 

So how do I do it?  How do I balance work, kids, my husband and myself?  Well the answer is there is no answer.  I just do it.  Sometimes I fail, but most times I succeed.  I’m a multitasker at heart, so when one ball drops I freak out.  I like order and when things don’t go as ideal as I dream them up in my head to be, I can lose myself in the process.  So I was M.I.A from my blog for a few weeks trying to focus my time and attention on the kids, but I have regrouped, put my big girl panties on and decided to stop worrying when things are getting hectic.  (or at least try to) 

I enjoyed a weekend getaway with my husband last week for our 5 year wedding anniversary and I collected my thoughts during my church’s sisterhood group meeting this Wednesday.  How good it feels to have women around you to lift you up!  

So I know I’m not alone with the juggling act of life.  How do you do it?

Oh and if you haven’t see the movie, check out the trailer here.  I’m sure you’ll love it.  It’s so relatable.