"I will never become an internet blogger", my 18 year old self said as someone said news was moving to the wide web. That thought was actually part of why I didn't pursue journalism.

I also thought I would NEVER be a stay at home mom.

Yet children have a funny way of turning everything we think we know upside down on it's head.

And I found myself with a newborn and a husband more than supportive at the thought of me becoming a stay at home parent. So with no plan other than, "this is what is best for our little family right now", I dove into the stay at home mom life head first.

While parenting is literally the best thing I have ever experienced, I found myself fading away bit by bit. Some days it was my fear of the latest flu that kept us from that story time at the library. Sometimes it was turning down friend time because well, I didn't know how to be both a mom and a devoted friend anymore. Some days it wasn't reading a book I wanted to because I was too tired to keep my eyes open.

Don't get me wrong. I would make these sacrifices a thousand times over and then some. But looking back it was a lot of little things that added up to my complete identify becoming mom/wife.

Luckily a passion of mine I've had for a while, did intertwine with my "new" life. Health. And with a child of my own, children's health and nutrition become and even bigger passion than I could have ever dreamed.

So I decided (with much love and support from the spouse) that I would just start "writing down" a few ideas I had on ways families can stay healthy. I also started doing classes online and became a youth fitness specialist.

Now over a year later nothing gives me much more professional joy than spending time tweaking my website and seeing my vision come to life. The best part is that while I try to stay consistent for my readers, I am able to put in as little or as much effort into my website as my life allows. And that freedom is ultimately what lead to my confidence in the possibility of finding that balance of being a mom and pursing things I care about.

So to any future mamas out there right now, or any current moms finding themselves in a boat similar to the one I've been battling, I would love to encourage you. Your

family loves you. You are doing great. And you are not selfish taking some time to do things you love. Keep filling your cups mamas, and you will always have enough to pour into your families.