Success

A Balancing Act

Categories Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Goal setting, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Opportunities, Success, Uncategorized, WorkLeave a Comment on A Balancing Act

Dr. Seuss put it best with, “So be sure you step, step with great care and tact. And remember that life’s a great balancing act.” (excerpt from Oh the Places You’ll Go). These simple yet poignant words encompass all the hats we Mama Bears wear as wives, mothers, professionals, and dreamers. Finding time to give your spouse the support and love he deserves, showering your children with positive affirmations and hugs, fulfilling your professional obligations with fidelity, and squeezing in tidbits of time for self care prove day in and day out to require incredible time management skills and an uncanny ability to multi task.

In the course of day, what we set out to do is nothing short of superhuman. Getting up before the sun rises, getting ourselves and our children dressed, packing lunches and backpacks, inhaling breakfast and downing coffee, dropping the kiddos off at daycare, and zipping off to work and it’s only 7:00 a.m.

The work day kicks off to a running start at 7:30 a.m., and it’s parent meetings, guidance lessons, individual student counseling sessions, lunch duty, academic team meetings, 8th grade tours, college rep visits, and a slew of emails and phone calls are all in a days work. Somewhere in the midst of all of this I manage to pump twice, usually while I’m returning phone calls or emails as I also try to eat lunch.

When 4:00 rolls around, I’m out the door and making a bee line to daycare to pick up the baby bears who I absolutely cannot wait to see. It’s hugs, homework, sharing the best parts of our day, and some playtime all before dinner. During the week, it’s leftovers or low key dinners that simplify life. Then it’s bath time, which is one of my favorite parts of the day because it’s relaxed, there’s lot of laughing, and the splashing and smiles are perfect too.

Then it’s books and bedtime for the boys, and it’s time for a role reversal. I change hats from a mama bear to a runner and head out the door for some sweat, solitude, and reflection. After pounding out a few miles, the hat changes again, and I step into my role as a wife. Sometimes we catch up over a glass of wine or enjoy one of our favorite shows. By this time in the evening, it’s been an incredibly long day for us. Papa Bears, after all,  walk their own tight rope every day too.

Through it all, their love keeps me pushing forward. Making the best of every moment, even the less ideal ones. This week, for example, sweet Atticus is contending with a sinus infection and has been feverish. I’ve had to leave work early for the last two days to give him a little extra TLC. Such is the life of a Mama Bear though, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

To all of you Mama Bears out there, balancing your load with beauty and grace, pat yourselves on the back for all of the things you accomplish daily in life. You are a force to be reckoned with. You are a doer, a lover, a mother, and so much more. Take it one day at a time, life each day to the fullest, and remember the words of dear old Dr. Seuss, “life’s a great balancing act.”

Running is a Gift

Categories Family, Running, Special People, Success, UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Running is a Gift

meg

I first met Meg, the summer before I started my junior year at The University of Texas. I was recruited by a former teacher to run as the anchor leg for The South Padre Island Beach Mamas at the Beach to Bay Relay in Corpus Christi. I was the only runner on the team who wasn’t a mother but perhaps because of my hometown roots, they made an exception. I remember immediately being in awe of her athletic abilities and her incredible abs. I hoped that one day, I too would exude a similar running prowess.

Fast forward five years, to my first year teaching. I spent the fall training solo for the Houston marathon, driving to the beach on the weekends to complete my long runs with Norma and Karen. After the marathon, as my mom and I waited to board the plane, Dayna approached me about running with her group. I was eager to train with others as running in the quiet, dark early morning hours had proved to be rather lonely, so I agreed to join them the following week for a run.

For the next two and half years, Meg, Dayna, Michael, Scott, David, Mark, and I met multiple times a week for training runs. We gutted it out around the Marine Military Academy track for morning speed work sessions, ran up and down the McElvy Trail hills over twenty times a run in hopes of preparing for hillier marathon courses outside the Valley, and ran so many loops around the Harlingen Country Club, it’s a wonder we didn’t get dizzy. We charted out long run through the streets of Harlingen and parts of San Benito, always finding our second wind on the last stretch sprinting towards the Heart Clinic.

Each of these runs was special in its own right. Meg and Michael, the oil and water of our group, were always at each others throats. We often joked they bickered like an old married couple even though we all knew Meg’s heart forever belonged to Bill. Their opinionated banter often had us roaring in laughter. Sometimes just Meg, Dayna, and I ran delving into more serious topics of conversation about our lives, families, hopes, and hardships. Meg was always such a source of strength and support. She had a way of making even the most difficult of times seem managable.

When I moved to Houston seven years ago, leaving those friendships behind was so difficult. Who would I train with in a new city? Who could match their personalities and the dynamic we all shared? It seemed like such a daunting thought thinking about starting all over again.

Every holiday or visit I made to the Valley up until pregnancy included a run with my Harlingen running crew. Each time, it was as though I had never left. We picked up where we left off, filled each other in on what we’d missed, and always talked about our next big race and the training it would require.

Yesterday we lost an incredible gift. Meg, you will be missed by so many. Thank you for the privilege of being a part of your inner circle while I lived in Harlingen. You inspired me, encouraged me, and supported me in so many ways. You taught me the importance of balancing a career, a family, and a passion for running. Your beautiful smile and strong opinions were truly my most favorite things about you.

Last night searching through email archives I found a note she sent me when I first moved to Houston. It truly encompasses the kind of friend she was.

 Hey Sweetie,

My best wishes to you for the SF marathon. I bet you will do a great job & exceed your expectations. I hope so anyway! Please post your time on Facebook when it’s all over so we can see.

I am running again, trying to get back into shape during the season I hate most in South Texas! It doesn’t seem fair that someone can train for over 20 years of their life and be dedicated and committed to a sport, and get “out of VO2 Xchange shape in a matter of Weeks!! I am stubborn. I will get back into shape for Philadelphia my birthday weekend – Nov 20. Dayna is doing it with me!

Should be cold in Phili in Nov. I hope so anyway!

Hope you are doing well & happy at your new home. We get to Houston  a few times a  year. I will try to track you down.  Wish you the best for the race & your new job/ studies.

All my love,

meg

Running is a gift not because of the physical and mental benefits it provides but because of the amazing training partners you share the road with. When you look past the miles, sweat, and body odor, there is a vulnerability that comes from laying it all on the line when you lace up your running shoes. There’s something that happens in a long run when you let your walls down and pour your heart out.  A running friendship is truly an exceptional gift with exponential payouts.

Meg, you will forever have a special place in my heart. May you find eternal rest in Heaven. Godspeed!

The First of Many

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For parents, the first day of kindergarten is undoubtedly a monumental day; a day that signifies your little one really isn’t so little anymore. Monday marked Liam’s first day of kindergarten. Because of Hurricane Harvey, the start date was delayed by almost two weeks. When the big day finally came, he was absolutely ecstatic.

The night before his clothes were picked. He was eager to wear his new Star Wars tee and blue laceless sneakers. His lunchbox was prepped with Cheez Its, a ham and turkey sub, a yogurt pouch, and a Rice Krispie treat; all compliments of Lunchables. I don’t usually encourage Lunchables but was more than happy to appease his first day lunch request this time around. He set his alarm and went to bed full of excitement.

In the morning, the smiles and excitement continued. He posed for the obligatory first day pictures, even requesting the opportunity to take a photo with his little brother. We dropped Atticus off at daycare and headed to Shipley’s for a special first day breakfast of donuts and strawberry milk. On our drive to school, he chatted about the things he was looking forward to most- recess and riding the school bus back to daycare.

We arrived a little before 8:30 and stood alongside other families eager to walk their children in on their first day. At 8:30 several very excited teachers ran out of the building yelling, “It’s the first day of school!” This signaled the beginning of his first day. Together we walked hand-in-hand down the hall towards his classroom. It was a sea of backpacks, lunchboxes, and children. I could see a few nerves creeping in slowly across his face. I leaned down and whispered to him that it was ok to feel nervous. I always felt nervous on the first day too.

When we walked into the classroom, his teacher greeted him with a hug. He found his seat, gave us both incredible bear hugs, and looked longingly at us as we waved goodbye and walked out. Leaving him behind was bittersweet. I knew he was more than ready academically and socially for this new chapter, but leaving him behind was difficult, nonetheless.

At the end of the day, Sean and I picked up both boys together at daycare. This is a rarity but one of the cars was in the shop so we carpooled to work that day. Liam greeted us with a giant smile and raved about his first day. He proudly marched out of daycare with a hat made out of construction paper and sentence strips that said, “I  rocked my first day of kindergarten.” His enthusiasm and praise were music to his parents’ ears, no doubt!

Now halfway through the first week, our kindergartner is still eager to get to school in the morning and comes home with positive things to say. I couldn’t be more grateful he’s off to a great start! Here’s to an incredible school year!

New Beginnings

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My career as a school counselor began three years ago at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic School, a small inner city Catholic school in the heart of the Fifth Ward in Houston. It was here that I developed a comprehensive guidance program and built a rapport with my students and their families. I could have never prepared myself for the joy that came from helping others academically, socially, and emotionally. It was a difficult school to walk away from; but when a new opportunity knocked, I answered.

Two years ago, prayerful intentions led me to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School where I continued to grow as a school counselor. With an open heart and an open mind, I found my work incredibly rewarding and very quickly grew to love the faculty, students, and families. My days were brighter because of elementary students’ bright smiles and hugs. My heart was happier because of the joy that came from coaching cheer and track; a position I took very seriously as I suited out for practice just like my athletes and led them in workouts around the track. I challenged myself in many ways professionally- leading accommodations meetings, advocating for students with learning difficulties, and meeting the social and emotional needs of many, including faculty and staff. Professionally, I was happy, fulfilled, and content.

Then on the Friday of my first week back at work, I received a phone call from the Director of Admissions at St. John XXIII College Prepatory High School. They had a school counseling vacancy and expressed interest in having me come by for an interview. I found myself immediately torn. I loved the work I was doing at St. Elizabeth but recognized the tremendous opportunities for growth the new position offered. Despite the conflict I felt, I knew I at least needed to interview for the position because I didn’t want to leave myself carrying around any “what ifs?”. My first interview went well, which led to a callback from the principal, and second interview with him. By midweek, I was offered the position, and knew I had a significant amount of soul searching to do.

After prayerful consideration and several heart-to-heart conversations with my closest family and friends, I decided that this opporunity was too good to pass up. The timing was far from ideal; leaving my current position less than a month into the new year and taking on a new role in a new school later in the game. Nevertheless, I’m eager to embark on this new journey and challenge myself professionally in new ways.

A few weeks ago, my post focused on the adage, “everything happens for a reason.” God put this new opporunity in my lap for a reason. This did not happend by accident. My principal notified the faculty and parents about my new position this afternoon. I’m incredibly grateful for his support and look forward to what the future holds. My last day at St. Elizabeth is this Friday. I will take the next few days to say my goodbyes and prepare for this next phase in my professional life.

So here’s to new beginnings, moving forward, and embracing the adventure that lies ahead. Thank you St. Elizabeth Ann Seton for the tremendous opportunities. You will forever have a place in my heart!

Baby Steps

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It feels like it happened overnight, but this long weekend has proven to be a busy one when you have a 10 month old that is literally into everything. Like The Flash, he’s dashing across the floor on all fours zeroing in on the next chair, door, wall, or pair of legs to pull up on. As our baby bear is on the move, the rest of the den are hot on his tail making sure he’s not crawling into a dangerous situation.

Yesterday morning the amount of crawling and pulling up was at an all time high. Sean and I decided it was time to try containing him, at least for a while, so we could knock out some of our usual Sunday to do’s. Inevitably it was time for us to set up the playpen. Sean assembled it behind the couch and lowered Atticus in with a handful of toys. Curiosity kicked in and before we knew it, he was happy as a clam exploring his new space. Before long crawling turned into pulling up and then…

Almost immediately my anxious mom tendencies kicked into high gear as I envisioned my sweet baby boy face planting on our hardwood floor. Very quickly his playpen was moved into the living room and placed on softer ground- the carpet.

His strength, resilience, and inherent curiosity are qualities I deeply admire. I want him to feel empowered in his physical abilities as he takes risks, experiences failures, and ultimately conquers his next challenge- learning to walk. In life, we have to take it one step at a time, and sometimes those steps work best when they are calculated and slow. Here’s to the baby steps that propel all of us forward!

Celebrating our Everyday Successes

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I recently came across an article on The Zoe Report about the nine things all successful women do on Sundays (http://thezoereport.com/living/work/8-things-successful-women-sunday/#slide-6). The article piqued my curiosity as I scrolled down the page trying to see how I measured up. Up until I stumbled across this piece, I’d always considered myself a success story, but would my world be turned upside down by the end of the article?

Thankfully my world is still in tact, and I feel like my success rate is still well above average. Here’s the lowdown on where I fall on their success scale. My overall score wasn’t 100%, but hey we all have room for improvement, right!

  • Clean- Laundry and straightening is a customary part of most Sundays. Between the boys and my athletic gear, I usually feel like I fold a mountain of socks, sports bras, onsies, undies, and tee shirts. Thank goodness for multi-tasking. I usually knock this chore out when the boys are napping or in quiet time, and I can steal some screen time and catch up on a show.
  • Sober up- Because I drink so little to begin with, I never need a Sunday to sober up. A nice glass of wine on a Sunday afternoon or in the evening with dinner is a nice way to close out the weekend without wishing I had a “Hair of the Dog” to start my Monday off on the right foot.
  • Map out the week- I am an habitual planner; sometimes to a fault. I pull out my Google calendar and review what I have on my plate. I’m typically good at remembering what’s on my schedule, but I always want to be ready for the unexpected wild cards like a doctor’s appointment or an evening event at work.
  • Prep food and wardrobe- Because I do most of my cooking on the weekend, Liam and I survive off of leftovers for the remainder of the week. I usually snag some of these leftovers for lunch too, so I don’t have to sweat the small stuff in the morning when it’s time to zip out the door. I always prep my snacks and lunch the night before too. This also takes a load of pressure off of my morning To Do’s. Prepping my wardrobe was a new one for me. I decided that I would give this one a trial run this last week, and let me just say it was absolutely liberating. I planned my workweek outfits down to the shoes and jewelry, and it made getting ready in the morning a cake walk.
  • Set goals- Goal setting is my middle name. I love the initial chase, and then delight in the victory dance when I’ve straddled the hurdle. This week, my goal was to run five days in a row. I’m an avid runner, so you might be questioning how this is a fair goal on my part. This was my first week back at school with students. I knew every day would bring numerous unexpected surprises that would keep me on my toes all day long. My predictions were more than accurate as I killed my activity goals on my Nike watch every day before I even left the school. I also knew that by the time I got home, I’d be exhausted and would be content just laying in bed watching tv after the boys were fast asleep. This is why I set my goal in the first place, so that I couldn’t use any of that as an excuse. Tonight marks the first night I haven’t run since Sunday. I’m glad I laced up my shoes and forced myself out of the door. Running every night helped me reflect on my day, let go of the stresses I didn’t need to carry over into the next day, and enjoy some beautiful sunsets.
  • Unplug- This is one I could definitely improve on. Admittedly I do enjoy scrolling through Facebook or reading a riveting crime novel on my Kindle app. I do think I try to find balance in my life when it comes to screen time. But in today’s day and age, it’s hard to completely unplug.
  • Get rest- Hmm, whoever wrote this post must not be a mama bear with young children. Rest is hard to come by when they wake up at the crack of dawn and you try to knock out all of your to do’s while they nap. That doesn’t leave a lot of downtime for resting. Maybe I’ll get around to this one when they’re teenagers. A girl can dream, right!
  • Do something unproductive- I’m fairly certain that playing with toys as an adult counts as doing something unproductive. Coloring, stacking blocks, climbing on the playground, and playing with Transformers fit the bill!
  • Bathe- A hot bath, a glass of wine, and a good book are a few of my favorite things. I don’t have the luxury of enjoying these pleasantries every Sunday, but when the opportunity presents itself, I gladly indulge.

your life

Because success is not quantifiable, we don’t always see how productive we are as women, wives, mothers, and professionals. We are all successful in our own right for the countless things we do every day for the people in our lives who rely on us. Keep your head up, keep reaching for the stars, and celebrate your everyday successes. You, Mama Bear, got this!