Pre-Holiday Christmas Outfit Photo Shoot

Yesterday we ventured out to do a pre-holiday, Christmas outfit photo shoot. I am amazed that Hope sat still long enough for me to catch any of these shots. Thank goodness for the quick trigger on my camera. Isn't she a vision?!?!

Working Mommy Lesson #5

This lesson is actually for every mommy. Not just the ones deemed "working mommies." We all work hard after all!

{Working} Mommy Lesson #5: Take Time To Get Away {preferably with friends who make you happy!}.






I went to Chicago this weekend with two of my girlfriends. We had a blast shopping, eating, seeing the sites. . .did I mention shopping? What more could a gal ask for? Good deals, good company and good food. . .including the biggest piece of chocolate cake you've ever seen in your life. Now that's a yummy weekend!

Every mommy should do this at least once a year!

Birthday Ponderings

Today I turned 33. I was reminded by many people today that 33 is the age Jesus was when He completed His ministry on earth. That thought of course, left me feeling a bit behind. I'd better get to work on changing the world if I'm ever going to come close to being like Jesus before I leave this earth. I hope you don't find me disrespectful for speaking in jest as it relates to the Savior. I'd like to think He has a good sense of humor about our working so hard to be like Him. I know that is His goal after all - that we would be like Him - but nevertheless, He must find our efforts laughable.

I did a lot of thinking today about the next year. . .the next few years actually. As I sat cuddling Hope after her nap, I thought a lot about who I wanted to become. Even though I was a mom on my birthday last year, it seemed completely different now that Hope was walking and talking and acting like a little person. Her future is so much more tangible to me now that she can say "future" (among a hundred other words). I sat there thinking that I needed to get my head in the game. I use this phrase often, usually referring to work. As a mom I don't always feel like I have my head in the work game. But as a working mom, I don't always feel like I have my head in the mommy game. I know there is a balance. Some days I think I've found it. I just felt so heavily today that I need to be functioning with such precision when it comes to Hope and even more so because I am a working mom.

So as the celebration of my thirty-third year comes to a close, I begin the next year with great ambition to live life with just enough precision to be the mommy Hope needs, the wife Dave needs, and the servant my family, friends, clients and coworkers need. But I also hope to live with enough humility to be dependent only on my Heavenly Father so that He will receive the glory for every good thing I accomplish.

Thanks to all my precious family and friends who have taught me so much about living life this way. Here's to many years of learning this game together. I love you all!

Working Mommy Lesson #4

I'll start this post with a few pics from the pumpkin farm for those of you that visit this blog more for Hope photos and updates then for my ponderings. Isn't she sweet? I sure do think so.

Believe it or not, I already have another working mommy lesson to share with all of you. This one came this morning.

Working Mommy Lesson #4: Don't Apologize That You Are a Mom.

Mondays are one of my days home with Hope. Given the nature of my job, I do work on Mondays and some Mondays I even have to do meetings. This Monday was one of them however I did not have any childcare. My mom or my mother-in-law could have watched Hope but we are going out of town tomorrow (for work) and I make sure to never take advantage of my childcare (another working mommy lesson I'll save for later). So there was no childcare this morning which meant I took Hope with me to pick up my client and we dropped him off at the meeting instead of attending (although we working mommies do keep the world turning, sometimes it just has to spin without us). When my client stuck his head in the back of the car to greet Hope as he climbed in, she immediately began to cry and did not stop until after he was long out of her sight.

I felt horrible and unprofessional and wondered why this client would want such a scattered mommy to be his manager. Thank God he has small children himself and understands how it goes. Yet still. . .I was less than my best on the job this morning.

I felt guilty for about an hour until I was driving home and that working mommy lesson voice spoke very clearly, "Don't apologize that you are a mom." I'm a mom first (especially on Mondays) and everyone I work with and work for knew that going in. I've actually begged my boss to fire me, telling him I just don't cut it in this role as a mom. When I say this - which is about once every three months - he gives me a pep talk and tells me what a good job I'm doing. Perhaps someday he'll realize that a screaming toddler is not the best representation of our company, but until then I am not going to feel bad that sometimes my role as a mom overlaps my role as a manager.

Sure, I might be a little embarrassed when my child acts out in front of my coworkers. And I might be horrified when she cries so loud I can't talk to the client I see in person only three times a year. But I will not apologize that I am a mom or for anything that comes with that. Actually, I'm probably a better manager for it. . .since I know how to deal with high maintenance people that need constant attention.

: )