On Being a Working Mom

I grew up in a household where both parents worked, albeit separate shifts until my sister and I were both in school. Mom worked nights and dad worked days - we would all meet in the parking lot of mom's work to switch cars and parents. From the outside looking in the setup may have appeared a bit strange, but it worked for us and this is how our parents choose the logistics in order to avoid daycare.

Now that I am back at work I have struggled with the reality of leaving my child with someone else everyday. It's not that I don't trust the caregivers, heck, they are family for goodness sake, its just the fact that I am not the one taking care of her. I miss our experiences together.

I keep coming back to something Karen Nyberg said before launching to the International Space Station in 2013, "But after going through it in my head for a long time, this is a dream I had since I was a young child myself. I don't think I would be setting a very good example for my son if I were to give up on my dream."

This is exactly how I feel about being Zara's mom. I want her to dream big. I want to help straighten paths towards her goals. I want her to know that she can do anything - that she can make a difference in the world. And I want to be her role model. I'm not saying being a working mom is the right choice for everyone, but it is for me - I have wanted to work at NASA since I was 6 years old, and now I do! I like to think that our relationship is mutually beneficial -

She is my anchor and I am working to be her wings!

Spread those arms baby, I can't wait to watch you fly!