I Am a Mom First

Posted October 12, 2018 by Prairie Wife -

The other day my girl Sabrina Spears shared a post about working from home.

Her hastag was #IAmAMomFirst

And OH HOW I LOVED IT.

It resonated so much with me and where I am in my life right now…

Tiptoeing back into the work force, and trying to figure out WTF  how to achieve a work/mom/wife/friend/me time balance.

I LOVE (with all caps and bold font) my job.

Even two years ago, I would have never thought of myself as a media personality, and yet it fits perfectly.

Being on air every day on MyCountry 95.5 and having a chance to spread my message of Grit and Grace with a weekly talk show on K2 Radio…it’s the stuff of my dreams! When you add to that regular appearances on K2 TV talking about anything and everything under the sun…well, what is the next level after stuff of my dreams? Cause I’m there!

After our Poise, Purpose, Passion event I realized that I want to do more speaking engagements.

I love being with a group of like minded women teaching and inspiring them…and walking away with new thoughts, perspectives, ideas and connections.

Yet always, always, always I have that tug.

Thoughts of what my kids are doing, where they need to go next, what I need to do for them as soon as I am home.

All the joy I get from my job, is still nothing compared the feeling of snuggling with a Cowkid in my beat up old green chair, eating cookies we made together, and watching a Disney movie.

I am a mom first.

In the last two years I had a few opportunities come up that were pretty awesome.

A few of them I accepted and then eventually after lots of stress and angst I finally realized I had to walk away.

Note: Those of you that saw this from the outside looking in and hung in there with me, THANK YOU!

What I learned from those experiences was valuable.

It allowed me to come to the negotiating table with a firm list of what I wanted and needed.

The first thing I said was,  “I had five kids and they are my priority.”

I am a mom first.

Inside I was quaking, thinking that for sure this was a deal breaker, but totally 100% OK with whatever the result would be.

Luckily they said they understood and have 150% backed up their words with actions.

Yet still, I feel that tug tug.

The Cowboy has gone to the grocery store for me twice in the last month and currently the Cowkids are downstairs playing and being completely ignored by me as I type this.

AM I being a mom first right now?

Curse you mom guilt…curse that tug tug.

This is where I have to take a deep breath, and I remind myself to look at the bigger picture. 

Not the little moment happening right now.

I woke up and made breakfast burritos for the Cowkids, they got dressed (in the clothes I washed) did animal chores and played outside (in the snow clothes I dried yesterday) and then we went to the store and bought all of their Halloween costumes, we ran a few other errands and then came home and I made lunch for them.

That’s a lot of mom time.

And as soon as this post is up I’ll be closing my computer and focusing on them (and making dinner) and deciding whether it will be a family movie night or puzzle night….

More mom time.

So yes, even though there are moments where I am a wife/blogger/media personality/friend…

I am a mom first.

And even though I plan to keep building my brand of PrairieWifeInHeels.com I will be looking at the opportunities that come my way and saying in a loud clear voice, with nothing but pride…

I am a mom first.

Photo Credit: The Always Amazing Erin Potter of Erin Potter Photography

Categories: Life As It Happens, Parenting

Tags: , I am a mom, mom, mom guilt, Stress, support, Working mom