Today I decided to open the front door for the elephant that’s been in my room for a long time and let it walk on out.

Friendship can be a hard thing sometimes, and even harder once you become a mother. There are those friends that remain your friends through singlehood, engagement, marriage, and then becoming a parent – and those friends don’t need to be in the same “stage” as you at all times. You’re on the same page no matter what. Those friends are the best friends that anyone can have.

I recognize that working mothers exist all over the world so this isn’t a new discovery for me, but I recently spent a week in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, and my appreciation for working mothers increased ten-fold.

10. You're having more tantrums than your three-year-old

9. Your morning routine is so rushed that you send your five-year-old to school with your coffee and open his lunch box on the commuter train

8. Your average off-to-bed look resembles the ensemble of a homeless clown

10. But who's going to take care of the baby? (accompanied by a look of horror)

9. You must feel so guilty having a stranger raise your child

8. Does it make you cry when the kids ask for the nanny in the middle of the night?

7. I just don't think I could be away from my kids for THAT long every day...

6. Do you not like being a mother?

5. I guess some women just aren't wired to be "real moms"

4. Is your husband ok with that?

3. It must be nice to have so much "free time"

2. But how could you love your job more than your kidss

Last week I ended one of the longest lasting relationships of my life. My family is in turmoil. My stomach is in knots. I feel like my world has been turned upside down. I struggle to fall asleep each night, and wake up every morning with a growing sense that nothing will ever be the same ever again.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA

I am in week 35 with pregnancy number 2.  It's been a long haul, but yet - it seems like it has gone very quickly too as I look back.  I ended up in the hospital on Friday night with contractions that were around 2 minutes apart.  I panicked a little, knowing I was NOT ready for baby girl to come out for many different reasons.  I kept telling the nurse, "This is NOT going to happen tonight.  One - she is too early and two - I am NOT ready!"  Luckily after 4 hours of monitoring, I slowed down on the contractions and didn't dilate any more and they let me go hom

...suddenly here I am, I'm flyyyiiinngg...sorry about that. Just channeling the Peter Pan solo I did back in the fifth grade.

I love traveling. I don’t love how mentally tired I feel from standing in security checkpoint lines or airport terminals. I definitely don’t love how physically tired I feel form lugging around my bags from Terminal A to Concourse C to Baggage Claim and Ground Transportation. I don’t love the emotional part of leaving my family and the comforts of home behind.

Take an imperfect person with her own baggage. Mix in nine months of out-of-control hormones, years of sleep deprivation and no formal training. What do you get? Your average mother - and the perfect recipe for years of therapy.

I don't know what's on YOUR list, but here are the top ten things that my kids are likely to say when they hit the therapist's couch years from now:

I have a confession to make. I've been watching Oprah again - and she's making me think about my life. OK, truth be told it didn't all start with Oprah (reflecting on the crazy-town that is my life is the point of this blog, after all). But several poignant moments in last week's Life Class, combined with an incredible sermon at church today have brought The BadAssMama to her most startling revelation to date.