The professional mother...

I am SO EXCITED for today's Casual Conversation Friday.

Theresa is the beauty and brains behind The Professional Mother, and she is my very first Guest Poster ever. How exciting, huh?

She's my closest Blog World friend and some day I aspire to enjoy a glass of wine with her in person. We met purely by accident- apparently I have a horrible memory and the first time I tried to type in the address of my brand new blog I left out a portion of the title, landed on her blog, and immediately started doing what any other blogger would do....lurked around her blog until I worked up enough courage to introduce myself.

So, here she is in all her glory and armed with her advice for the rest of us....Isn't she beautiful?

Thanks Theresa!



I swear I’m trying to be serious, but it was Champagne Thursday, so chances are slim. For example, I had a little photo session in my sexy pajamas with the loves of my life – wine and my dog Walter. Nah, Walter isn’t the love of my life, it’s really just the wine, but Walter was close, so there.

See the wine and numerous corks in the back and how I’m elegantly displaying our most common reading material at our home?




Me: What piece of advice do you have for working moms?
Her: The advice I have to offer working moms varies with the children’s ages. For example, when my kids were infants (two under two at one point), I was adamant that every working mother should check for spit stains, hand prints, and leaking breasts before entering the office. But the things that apply across all ages of the spectrum are remembering to not compare your child to other children, take off enough time to attend holiday performances, school plays, and birthdays. I promise you that you will hate yourself for missing open house or choir concerts (okay, admittedly, I’ve never had a kid in choir, but it could happen if one of my kids stopped sounding like a screeching coyote when they sing . . . maybe . . . or not). I digress.

And if all else fails, drink wine.

Me: What do you like most about being a working mom? What is the most challenging aspect of having to go to work every day?
Her: It really depends from day to day what I like about being a working mom. Sometimes I don’t like anything about it. But then sometimes I just love that I can say I have a career. I’m a lawyer. I have a J-O-B. I work. I am grown up. I have a salary. I have a 401k. I have a secretary. I have an office with a window – and my own printer (which is apparently a perk as a lawyer). I make a difference . . . somehow . . . I think . . . maybe. Uh, no, yeah, I totally make a difference. I do. (Ignore the hesitation indicated above.) But with all seriousness, I really do think I make a difference. Not only in the lives of my clients, but also as an example for my children. They see that I work hard. I’m committed to a cause. I am a woman and valued for my intelligence (limited though it may be.) I pursued my education and put it to work. I want my children to see that, recognize the value in it, and follow my footsteps to pursue a career that hopefully they will love.

I also love drinking wine at the end of the day.

Me: What is the most challenging aspect of being a working mom?
Her: The most challenging aspect is trying to separate your longing to hold your baby who is maybe feeling anxious about a first day of school, or not feeling well, or worried about a test, when you have to go to work. Mama said there’d be days like this, and she wasn’t lying. There are those days. Those times pass, but they are difficult at the moment. You will forget it. Your kids will forget it. It just may take some time. Splitting your time between motherhood and your career outside the home is almost impossible. You are literally employed at two full-time jobs. Actually, your job as a mother is 24-7-365 (pulling out slang from the 1990s thankyouverymuch). Without a doubt, there are those days when you have to wipe up the puke at 2:00 a.m., comfort your exorcist baby whose head is literally spinning around as she spews vomit and screams like a siren, and then pull yourself out of bed to show up at the office at 8:00 a.m. for a conference at which you are expected to expound on the variances between the Iowa statute of limitations on a claim for tortious interference of contract and the Texas statute of limitations on a claim for tortious interference of contract. (Did you see that? I totally worked in a reference to Iowa – Angie’s home state, a reference to Texas – my home state, and completely b.s.’ed my way through an alleged statute of limitations for a cause of action that may or may not exist in Iowa. I’m totally awesome and not afraid to pat myself on the back). This brings me to the most challenging aspect which is not beating yourself up for being a working mom and not being able to dedicate 200% of your life to raising your child. 110% will have to do.

And then the absolute most challenging part is making sure I get a sufficient intake of wine each evening while juggling soccer practice, homework, and baths. Okay, actually, we avoid baths because the steam fogs up my wine glass, but whatever.

Me: Any last words of wisdom?
Her: Really? I can’t imagine there are any more words to offer (since I’m sure I went over my allotted number of words. Whatever! Angie, fool that she is, forgot to enforce a word limit! Ha! Kidding! My last suggestions are (1) get yourself an amazing husband like my Chuckyluv who supports my every move as a parent and as a lawyer; and (2) to stock up on wine and dose daily . . . you know . . . for medicinal purposes.



How can you NOT love this woman?! She's fabulous!
Thanks Again for sharing with us.

If anyone is interested in being my next guest feel free to let me know (Okay so I need to work out the best way to do that, any suggestions anyone?). Otherwise, I will continue to hunt down more people to interview, or even worse....I'll interview myself again.

Have a great weekend everyone!