Carry on

Yesterday I was recognized for my 10 years with Openlands at our board meeting. The same board member who called this to the board's attention, also spoke with me before the meeting. He told me how sincerely proud he was of me and my accomplishments. I am never good at thinking on my feet, so I simply said thank you with a tiny tear in my eye - when I could have said so more.

A week ago, I told a friend I wasn't sure what to make of being with one organization for so long, but I concluded with "well, I'm happy, and that means something right?"

It's the people who go beyond being my coworkers and my board volunteers. It's their passion for our work and their compassion for one another. Even after a particularly stressful week, I still feel blessed of where I am. My salary helps our family, to be sure, but beyond that, I've made a conscience decision of where to work. It is a place that remembers that family comes first and fits with my lifestyle. And, truth be told, it feels good to knock things off of my to-do list at work when home can be so...messy.

As I was leaving work, headed for the elevator, I told a co-worker with a tired smile, "All I want to do is go home and climb under the covers."

"But, instead, you have to go home to care for two little people," she said, reading my mind.

Yet then she went on, past my own thoughts.

"Two people whose favorite person in the whole world is you."

And so I am carried on. Work is hard and work is rewarding but motherhood is still the greatest job for me.

I was immediately put to the test - Jack was a grump. With our strategic planning process at work, we're learning a lot about the "presenting issue" - the real issue behind the issue. This can be applied to parenting.

Jack was upset about Maria leaving with his second booster seat but I know underneath it all, he was just tired and needed his mama's cuddles. And again, I carry on, as I held him, hoping and praying I'm making the best choices by working full-time and still trying to be the best hands-on mama I can be for my kids.

That's all the best we can hope for, right? That we are making the best choices for ourselves and for our families. And that everything evens out in the long run.

Happy Friday, gentle readers.