Introduction

Hi!  Thank you for stopping by my new blog!  This is going to be a work in progress for a while, but I hope that one day, this will grow into a wonderful resource for all parents, especially my fellow mothers who work outside the home.

My name is Jen, and I am the proud mother of two beautiful children, a five-year-old boy and an almost-3-year-old girl.  I am employed full time as a speech and correspondence writer/editor.  I have a wonderful hubby who is supportive, helpful, and very handy at DIY projects around the home.

Two things prompted me to start this blog.  First, the searches I've conducted on the internet for any sites devoted to the concerns of working moms are sparse, and many have not posted in several years.  I know full well that this conspicuous lack of working mom blogs is due to our busy schedules, but I also find it sad that this group of our population is so inadequately represented in the blogosphere.  Let's face it - we can definitely use support groups!  The second thing I noticed is that all of the blogs I love that focus on kids crafts and homemaking are run by stay-at-home or part time work-from-home moms.  I don't think that really represents the amount of time working moms devote to their children...and it sort of left me feeling like working moms can't do all of the fun, crafty things with their kids the way stay-at-home moms can...not true!

To be very upfront, I know that my situation is not as challenging as many working mamas - partly because my job as a writer lends itself to flexibility and partly because I was already well established in my career when I had my first child at 28 (I do believe that makes a difference.  It's much easier to ask for flexible hours and schedules when you have already proven your work ethic and abilities than if you are just starting your career).  My husband lost his job four months before our son was born, and I have been the breadwinner in our family ever since.  I am blessed that my office has allowed me two days of telecommuting per week and has worked with me on my hours so that I leave my house at 4:30 for my morning commute and am able to leave the office at 3 p.m. to get home by about 5 (yes, I work in D.C. and have a monstrous 2 hour commute).  It's still painful at times (a lot of times), but it's the flexibility I need to spend time with my kids, and that makes it well worth it.  And I know that I am very blessed that my hubby is able to stay at home with our children and work (very) part time on nights and weekends.

There's no doubt about it, juggling the demands of motherhood, homemaking, and a career is not easy by any stretch of the imagination.  But I don't want this site to become a place for whining and complaining about my lot in life.  I want to celebrate the many blessings of motherhood, encourage others who are in the same situation, and offer tips that will help other working moms find a delicate balance between family and work.

I hope you enjoy the posts!  God bless!