how I survived 9.4 Gs in an F-16 when given the opportunity to fly with the Air Force Thunderbirds. I don’t need for my daughters to think that I am fearless. I want for them to know that I can do anything, even if I’m afraid.
A “Power Mom” is one who does her best to fill all her buckets, and who accepts that none will be totally full at any given time. I’m there for my kids every afternoon, picking them up from school, taking them to practice, tutoring, etc., and I’ve missed almost every weekday morning with them for as long as they’ve been alive, because my workday begins when they’re still asleep. I exercise as often as I can, and sometimes that means settling for a fifteen-minute Peloton class. I love to read, but often can squeeze in only five pages in a day. I prioritize whatever time I can steal with my husband Paul, because weeknights together are sacrificed for a decent night’s sleep. And I have robust and rewarding friendships with women I see at intervals that are too few, and too far between.
I know what I need to feel like me, and it’s okay that I don’t get it all, all at once. Like a nurse, I triage what’s most important at any given time. I learned that from my best friend Geraldean who also has three daughters, runs a successful business, and uprooted her family to Wyoming during the pandemic, for a life that better suited their passions. It’s all of the little things we do for ourselves that add up to a whole lot, over time. I have so much gratitude for all of it.