Safe

I have been given a lot of flack these past few weeks.  90% of the revenue from my business comes from photo shoots.  And that isn't deemed essential.   So.  I got an extended maternity leave, if you will.  Had a client call me selfish since her schedule is incredibly hard to juggle.  Said this was the perfect time to do family portraits.  It was literally my job, and I needed to do it.

Not anymore.  It's hard being a Mom and trying to run a business.  It's hard being a Mom, period.  I wear a lot of hats.  My job is to raise this incredible human.  My JOB is to keep him safe.  It is literally my calling to be this boy's mother.  My career is another story.

Safe.  That's a tough one.  You want to let them experience life.  Spread their wings.  Yes, even at 3 months old.  As I have said before, we should be going on weekly zoo trips.  But, instead we're having living room dance parties, and doing endless tummy time that he can't decide if he likes.

Jason took his two-week paternity leave right when this pandemic went nuts.  It was one of those God moments as this was planned back in December.
 
When it was time for him to go back, it created a new breed of stress for each of us.  Plans were put in place in our home.  

As the company is planning to get the entire staff back in the building over the next few weeks, it brought a new twinge of anxiety.  My husband is considered “essential,” so working from home has not been an option. 
 
Then I hear of these plans.  Disposable masks to be kept at every entrance.   Touchless hand sanitizer spread throughout the building.  Just to name a few.  Then I get a text with the picture of the washable company branded mask dropped off at my husband’s desk.  All employees will eventually have two.  No, it’s not perfect.  I’m not sure they could come up with a perfect plan.
 
Since moving to STL, Jason has had his share of HORRIBLE bosses.  That happened to be employed by even worse companies.  Yesterday his boss asked how we were doing since my business is deemed “unessential.”  What a breath of fresh air.
 
I’m so incredibly grateful my son gets to witness the best of both worlds.  Seeing success on the entrepreneur and corporate side of things. And, in turn, witness a company who takes care of him, while taking care of his fantastic, hard working Daddy.  And a Mom who balances, the best she can, a career and her #1 job.

Jase will witness responsible parents who have made sure these masks are just as fun as we are.  He might not remember.  But, there will be stories.  And a picture of these masks by our keys.