'Just a Mom'

I was browsing Mormon.org last week and saw my friend on the homepage. I watched her video and smiled and laughed because oh I miss her so, and they portrayed her fun personality just like I remember her in college.

I began to scroll through other "featured Mormon" profiles to see if I recognized anyone else when I spotted Jane Clayson. I watched her video and teared up.

There are so many details of my life I don't go into in public and one of them is my battle with this. I have never wanted being a mother define me. Long before becoming pregnant I said I didn't want to be "just a mom." Since becoming a mother, when I sign up for something that needs a username I try to avoid using the words "mom" or "mama" in the title (aside from blog-related endeavors obviously). It's silly, but I've fought so that's not what defines me. I love being a mother but I guess that's not the first thing I want people to think of when they hear my name or see me. I've feared ever leaving the workforce because I don't want to be a "former news anchor."

Jane Clayson is a former network news anchor and left the business to take care of her children. This was exactly what I needed to hear right now. I sometimes find it hard to picture myself staying at home and being "just a mom" but I've realized I'm thinking about this the wrong way. What a blessing it would be to devote my time to raising my children. What an honorable career.

Hopefully this video can strike a chord with someone like it has for me.