Working Mom.

I've been a daughter and a sister since the day I was born.
A friend since I met my first best friend, Tiffany, when I was just 5 years old.
Been an employee since I filled out my first W2 when I started at "Sunrise Sunset Daycare" at the ripe old age of 14.
I've been a happily married wife since 2002.
Have loved being an aunt since Brooke came into this world just 5 years ago.

Been honored to be a Mom since November 2, 2011.

I've realized you rarely give up something to become something else. 
If you want a full life, you add to it.....with another role, another opportunity to make your life richer, fuller, more full of life.

Your "Life Resume" expands. 

Your experience grows....and you grow.
You don't stop being a daughter in order to be a friend.  You add this new role to become a better, stronger, more engaging human being.

This week, I added "Working Mom" to my experience.

Everyone said I'd cry on that first day. 

Many friends encouraged me to have Dan do "drop-off" on her first day of daycare.  (His response, "Nice.  So, you're going to make me do it by myself instead?  How about if we do it together?".....someone has become skilled at compromising.)

I was determined not to cry.

But, I couldn't even manage to get of the garage. 
No, not because I was crying.

Because I ran into the garage.

I couldn't even get out of the garage before my first official day as a "Working Mom" started.
I really did think I was going to cry as I looked at the dented garage door that Dan had to manually shut and as I took a peek at my bruised rooftop of my car. 
All I could think to do was laugh. 

I laughed....hard. 
And then I went to Caribou Coffee. 
Nothing cures a little jolt to your day like a skinny latte.

Life is all about moving, evolving, learning and growing and I was up to bat with a new role, a new perspective, a new life experience. 

I'm more than just a mom or an employee or a daughter or a sister.  I can't give up one role in order to start another.  Life is about finding ways to give, learn, share and grow with all of those roles intertwined together, in a beautiful, crazy, fun and oftentimes funny web. 

One week down.
I'll get better at this working-mom stuff.  I'll learn, grow and change.  In the meantime, we're grateful for my Dad's skill.  Thanks, Dad, for lending us your handyman work this weekend. 
Our garage is grateful too.