Hello, all!
If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely already aware that I am a busy working momma, who loves real estate, baking, and my tiny dog, Daisy. 
But did you know that even in the always invigorating world of residential real estate, there are days where I wonder if my little one wouldn’t be better served by a good old fashioned ‘stay at home mom’, rather than a mom who might work from home many a day, but who is so often on a work call that my nine year old could explain a financing contingency better than some agents I’ve worked with!
The irony here is: I used to be a Stay At Home Mom. And I was a good one. I’m talking full time, bake all the things and pack all the lunches, water gun fights and hand made craft centers on a Tuesday afternoon just because I thought it might be fun, Pinterest-before-there-was-Pinterest kind of Stay at Home mom.
And back then, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough, either.
At the end of my fraying rope, I finally reached a conclusion just this very summer. Over the past few months, I’ve opened a small business, sent a child off to Basic Training (Hooah!) and watched as my oldest son suddenly discovered his post college path. It’s been a whirlwind! And you know what?
Those are all good things!
So who am I to steal the joy from my own life?
This summer, I am giving myself permission to work without guilt. My work allows my family the freedom to pay off our debt, provide for our children, and live without fear of the next big disaster. Not to mention the most valuable of all – I passionately enjoy what I do! (And yes, Virginia, that counts for something, too!)
But it’s so much more than that. I’m also giving myself permission to breathe. To remember that my son doesn’t need a hovering, helicopter-prone, anxious ball of “am I doing this good enough”, he just needs the freedom to run, and play, and swim. He needs me to occasionally put down my laptop and play a round of Old Maid or Slap Jack, to watch him beat a level in SpiderMan, and sing along to the Spiderverse Soundtrack at the top of my lungs. (Making snacks for his neighborhood friends helps keep him smiling, too!) But when I keep my eyes open for all those little opportunities to really “be with him”, in a present and focused way, it also means that when I can’t do those things, it doesn’t matter as much. He doesn’t need me every single moment. As long as the moments I give him are 100% his.
That’s how this working Momma is handling Summertime 2019. I think it might be my best summer ever.
The Cozy Home Enthusiast 