Mom Life/Writer Life

ByBecky Wade
16 Comments

Are you familiar with the hashtags #MomLife and #WriterLife that people sometimes attach to their social media posts?

Well, there are times when my #WriterLife comes to the forefront, like when I attend a conference or I have a new book releasing. And there are many other times when #MomLife comes to the forefront, like now because it’s summertime at the Wade house and my college boy and high school girl are home with me. In fact, I’m going to take this opportunity to share a quick “proud mom” update on all three of my kids…

Our oldest daughter is 23 and working as a medical assistant in an orthopedic surgeon’s office in San Diego. She took the MCAT this past January, received an awesome score, and is now in the process of applying to medical school.
Our son is 20 and just completed his sophomore year at Hendrix College where he’s majoring in film and also plays basketball. In mid-March he had surgery on his right hip to correct an “impingement” issue (because his hip bones grew in such a way that they didn’t fit together properly). May 31st, he had the same surgery on the left hip. So he’s currently in rehabilitation mode.
Our youngest daughter is 15 and loves musical theatre. She just finished her freshman year at Booker T Washington High School for the Performing Arts in downtown Dallas. She’s in the theatre conservatory there, which means 3 of her 8 classes each semester are theatre classes.

I’ve always prioritized #MomLife and never regretted that. In fact, one of the things that I’ve enjoyed most about my writing job is that I work from home and have complete flexibility with my calendar. That’s been wonderful for me as a mom. Putting my family first has been the best and right choice for me. However, if I want to publish another book, then writing work still has to get done at some point. And there’s only me to do it.

So the challenge becomes 1) prioritizing family while 2) not letting the stress from the mounting pile of writing work creep over and sabotage the other areas of my life. To be honest, that’s not always easy. I’ve been struggling lately to concentrate on my current writing task (rewriting the third and final Sons of Scandal book). It’s been hard to find a rhythm or a productive pace. My motivation is low. I’m remembering why it would have best had I finished this rewriting phase on June 1 so that I could have sent it to my editor and had the summer off along with my kids. That’s always been my preference, but it didn’t happen this year. Which means I’ll be rewriting around upcoming trips, children, and 100+ degree Texas temperatures this summer.

Here’s me, at my desk with my computer on my lap
Here’s my current hero, who keeps giving me this expression while waiting for me to focus on his book. 😉

I’m going to do what I’ve learned to do over my twenty years of writing.

Keep calm and carry on.

I’m preaching to myself with the following verses but decided to share them here in case they bless you, too.

Trust. “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 God has enabled me to complete every Christian romance I’ve begun. He will enable me to complete this one, too.

Persevere. “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:4 Even distracted and bumpy writing sessions add up over time!

Choose joy. “Rejoice in hope” Romans 12:12 The truest truth of my #MomLife and my #WritingLife is that I’m very, very thankful for both.

Can you relate to the challenges of juggling work and family? And/or please share a proud mom (or auntie or grandma) update about the young people in your life!

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Becky makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children. She absolutely loves writing funny, heartwarming, and inspirational contemporary Christian romance.

16 Comments

  1. I feel for you, Becky, and well remember how it felt when all our kids were home and my best efforts to not have to write during the summer were thwarted by a changed deadline, or a late edit, or some other unforeseen change of plans.

    That said, one of my favorite book ideas came while I’d hidden out in a bed-and-breakfast (this was in the day before Airbnbs!) to write away from the chaos of all the kids home for summer. So I hope you’re able to concentrate and find solutions despite the frustrations of juggling work and the far-more-precious job of #MomLife!

    1. I love that memory of when you were hidden away at a B&B! I can well imagine at that time in your life/career what a luxury that was to escape to a writing getaway. As soon as we clear space in our minds for creativity, ideas come!

  2. I relate to your struggles! Not for quite the same reasons because all my kids are grown and gone, but I’m working on a story that refuses to come together while trying to harvest hay for our cattle and manage the housework, meals, laundry, etc. This is normal summer activity, but I have more writing to do than normal and it is not cooperating.

    Thanks for sharing the verses. They blessed me today. Thanks also for reminding me that all writing, no matter how few the words or rough the sentences, will add up in the end to a finished MS.

    1. It’s so true!! Even a small amount of writing adds up over time. That’s been my writing strategy all along. Consistency.

      “I’m working on a story that refuses to come together” I sympathize! It’s one thing to handle everything that needs handling when a story is cooperating. Quite another to handle everything AND a story that won’t cooperate. 🙂

  3. 40-50 hrs away from home each week and still all the home stuff and our business related stuff to do at home. Yes, I can relate and juggling everything is hard! Our 1st grandchild is due any day and I would dearly love to focus on that and let the outside job go. Praying and looking for other options. Any prayers would be appreciated as my daughter came down with a nasty stomach bug and ended up at the hospital yesterday — all day — getting fluids and her due date is next week. Makes this momma’s heart ache!

  4. Sharing proud grandma moments:
    My grandson in CA is 15 and just completed his first year of high school. He has been blessed to belong to a youth group that focuses on faith, patriotism, and service where he has experienced good friendships and activities, one of which was helping to decorate the Shriners’float for the Rose Bowl Parade. He has also advanced in his study of Taekwondo.
    My granddaughter in VA is 16 and just completed 11th grade with an A average. She has been looking into colleges and will be sending out applications soon. She also is a member of a volley ball team which keeps her very busy and is learning to drive. She is a great driver and will be testing for her license soon.

    I have been retired from teaching since 2014, so no job commitments, thank goodness. However, life and health challenges over the past three years have left me with much to do in my home. Just finished getting my yard and gardens ready for the summer and will focus on the house. I enjoy spending time with both grandchildren and am planning future trips to CA to visit my daughter and family there.

    Your verses were a blessing to me today as I focus on using my time wisely. May you work out your writing commitments and enjoy time with your wonderful family.

  5. It’s always been a struggle for me to balance people (family especially) and writing. But the Lord has always been faithful to give me time to write when I prioritized my kids. I think it actually gets harder as they get older because you know your window of time with them is shrinking. Hang in there! You’re doing a great job in your #momlife and #writerlife. 🙂

    1. “the Lord has always been faithful to give me time to write when I prioritized my kids” YES. Thanks to Him and His sufficiency, the books do eventually get written. It can feel like that’s not going to happen with the current one. But then it always does.

  6. I always enjoy hearing about your family, and seeing them grow up over the years! My kids are grown and I retired last year, but I had a lot to juggle after my husband passed away when they were in high school. They have grown into wonderful young adults: my son works for Google and he and his wife have three beautiful kids, and my daughter is the orchid floriculturist for the Chicago Botanic Garden. I am happy to visit them anytime!I know that God will provide what you need for this next book – He always does.

    1. Your comment is such an encouragement. Exactly as you said–God will provide. He always does.

      Your children (and grandchildren) sound wonderful!

  7. Balancing writing and family is a little easier now, since we only have one at home, and he’s gone for the summer. But back in the day, I would write whenever I found time, and that was often at hockey practice!
    Although, it got a little cold on the hands.

  8. I love the update on your kids. They are amazing. What beautiful blessings!

    I can totally relate! I am a full-time mom #MomLife x6, I run an online craft store #mamaboss, and I am a writer #WriterLife. In the summer, I pretty much shut down the writing so that I can enjoy my kiddos. These years are fleeting and they are my best job!

    This summer I have all of them under my roof, including my grown and independent oldest who is a High School English teacher in a school 4 hours from us. She just finished her first year of teaching and is “recovering” at home with us. 🙂 My others just started their summer today: A college senior studying Computer Science, an HS junior headed to college through Running Start next fall, an HS sophomore whose first love is basketball, an 8th grader who crushes all the things because she is full of tenacity and perseverance, and my sweet baby, a 5th grader, who is not a baby at all. So proud of them all!

  9. I love this blog! I’ve followed your journey for years. With a toddler and two “big” kids, the balancing to write and be present is so hard, but I love the example you set! Such an encouragement!

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