A few years ago I was in a local gift store shopping with my mom when we came across a plain wooden sign that read “Good Moms Have Dust Bunnies and Loads of Dirty Laundry”.  My mom snatched the sign up and later gave it to my sister, a mother of three small children, as a mother’s day gift.  At that time I thought dust bunnies and dirty laundry were gross and did not get how that sign made a good gift.

Back then I was a single, early- thirty something that spent weekends doing whatever I wanted to do.  My career was fulfilling and I had just bought my first home. My friends (most of who were moms) loved coming over to my “clean and organized” house so I could try out new recipes for them. I had check lists at work and at home to help me stay “clean and organized” because that just seemed to be the “right” way to live my life.

These days my life looks very different than it did when my mom and I were shopping at that gift store.  I am now a married, working mom to a 10 week old baby.  My new idea of weekend travel is loading up the baby to go to Target.  Trying out new recipes is now finding places with great take out food. 

This week marked my first week back at work and it has been full of challenges, ups and downs.  After shutting down my work computer last night, I returned home with one of my check lists.  I had laundry to do, dinners to plan and bathrooms to clean.  I walked in the door trying to figure out how to make everything “clean and organized” but then something new happened.  I saw my baby’s face. All of a sudden, “clean and organized” did not seem “right”.  What felt “right” was slowing my day down so I could hold my baby and watch her smile with her pudgy dimpled cheeks.  I was happy that my check list faded away as I took in her awesome new baby smell.

I am not sure what made me think of it but that wooden sign popped into my mind.  Although I have only been a mom for 10 whole weeks, I am already realizing that motherhood is a juggling act.  I am also realizing that there will be times when one of the balls I am juggling will drop.  This does not mean that I am a failure.  After all, “Good Moms Have Dust Bunnies and Loads of Dirty Laundry”.

KC received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia and a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.  KC is responsible for Behavioral Health and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) account management activities associated with Anthem’s National and Local customers.   KC has over a decade of experience in the Behavioral Health field. In 2003 KC received her Master’s degree in Professional Counseling and began providing behavioral health and substance abuse treatment helping clients cope with trauma and chronic medical conditions. Before joining the EAP Account Management team at Wellpoint in 2012, KC supervised a team of clinicians working in the Emergency Department and Outpatient Behavioral Health Center of a metro Atlanta hospital.  She enjoys hiking with her German Shepards, yoga and cheering on the Chicago Blackhawks.