On being a mom….

Being a mom.  There’s no job interview, but maybe there should be?

There’s no training or job description?  It wouldn’t hurt to have either of those.

There’s no paid vacation, no sick time, no excuses.

And yet, it is THE most rewarding thing to do with your life, in my humble opinion.  We are the unsung heroes out there everyday, making things happen.  Often, we are behind the scenes, holding everything together with staples and tape, fingers crossed, holding our breath….

People ask me a lot when I’m at work about how I juggle everything.  Well, not very well sometimes, to be honest.

Having four kids and a furry child isn’t a walk in the park.  Being the best mom and wife I can be is difficult, at best.  Having three jobs outside of the home is not easy.  And trying to find time to train for anything is not a task that I would recommend.

Still, I wouldn’t change my life for all of the money in the world. Why? Because, it’s mine.  This is the life that I chose; this is the life that was given to me as a gift.  This is what I was meant to do and be.  And for that, I am extremely thankful.

Is it easy? Nope!  Why would it be?  And why would I want it to be?

The older I get, the more I mellow out.  That’s a good thing, you can bet.  I have definitely become more calm and more methodical with how I approach each day, each challenge, each hiccup or speed bump in the road.  Five or ten years ago, that was not the case.

Being a wife and mother has taught me so many things and given me so many skills, there is no way I would trade it for anything. I can multi-task like it’s my job. When 2 or 3 kids have to be on opposite sides of town doing something completely different, I can figure out the logistics to make it happen.  I can wear any hat imaginable: nurse, counsellor, cheerleader, teacher, chef, taxi driver, housekeeper, calendar maker, note taker, bill payor, problem solver, homework natzi, laundry service, costume department for performances, piano teacher, coach and personal trainer, school volunteer, church volunteer, financial advisor, payroll department (only if you do your chores), birthday planner, meal planner, Christmas and thank you card department….goodness, it goes on and on.

And, out of all of the titles I have had in my life, “MOM” is the one I am most proud of.  You see, anyone can be a physical therapist. Anyone can be a coach.  But, I am their only Mother.  I cannot be replaced.

Run happy. Run long.

#runningtruths

Amy is an ultramarathoner and triathlete, a coach, a mother of four, an Exercise Physiologist and a Physical Therapist. She lives with her husband, Dan (also an ultramarathoner and triathlete), and kids in Ohio.