Right now, I’m clocking about 30 to 40 hours a week at night writing books. On top of that, I’m putting in anywhere from 30 to 60 hours on my company, depending on the week. That’s two full-time jobs, and neither one of them has “Mom” in the title.

But then there’s homeschooling. The house. The HOA. The carpool. The endless meals. Justin’s senior year (which might as well be a full-time job on its own with how many forms, fees, and “last this” and “last that” moments it comes with). Hailey’s color guard schedule which has five to six days a week of practices, performances, and extra “can you bring snacks?” requests. And soon, the little girls are starting dance.

It’s a circus, and I’m the one juggling fire while balancing on the high wire.

The Things That Don’t Make the Schedule

The wild thing about being a mom is how often we pile things on without even realizing it.

One thing feels small ~ I can handle that. Another gets added ~ Sure, why not? Then suddenly you’re staring down a calendar that looks like a game of Tetris played by someone who’s out to destroy you.

And the craziest part? We don’t even count the jobs that don’t come with paychecks. Grocery shopping. Doctor appointments. Remembering which kid’s uniform has to be clean on which day. Keeping track of permission slips, snack rotations, and the exact shade of tights needed for the next performance. Those jobs don’t go on the résumé, but they sure take hours out of our lives.

Why We Think It’s Normal

Somehow, we’ve been trained to act like this is just how it is. Moms carry the weight of everyone’s schedules, emotions, and laundry loads and then feel guilty when we can’t do it perfectly. The mental load takes more out of us than the physical work. 

But here’s the truth: this isn’t normal. It’s survival. And survival mode has a cost.

The Reminder I Needed (and Maybe You Do Too)

This week I had to stop and remind myself:

I am already doing two full-time jobs. Plus motherhood and life.

If you’re reading this and feeling like you’re drowning in your own schedule PLEASE hear me: you’re not failing. You’re not behind. You’re not lazy.

You’re already doing more than most people even see.

Grace for the Week Ahead

So here’s my Sunday grace: if I need to let something slide this week, I will. And I won’t call it failure I’ll just call it balance.

And if you need the same? Give yourself that permission slip. (Heaven knows you’ve signed enough of them for everyone else.)

Because moms? We don’t need to carry all of it to prove we’re strong. We already are.

Don’t forget to head to the recipe page and get this Sundays dish.