Author Archives: amakice

This blog is written by Connie Nelson-Laird, co-facilitator of the upcoming group, The Weave of Motherhood, as well as our weekly developmental groups and parenting workshops.

I am not sure my sister knew the definition of “cocktail waitress” when at age 5 that was the answer she gave her teacher to the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer was “a mom.” Maybe in kindergarten I actually said “a nurse” but I always loved babies and looked forward to the time when I could have my own. In fact, as I approached the end of graduate school, when my career counselors, professors and friends asked me what my plans were for my future, my primary goal was not to be what I had spent years in school to become, but instead my answer was to become a mom. Little did I know what all being a mom entailed. Just like my sister, maybe I didn’t know the definition or job description of my future dream job either!

I am a mother now. I have not tried to define it, but I do know it is full time work with lots of overtime. I am just what I wanted to be and yet I am also a friend, a swimmer, a sister, a daughter, a lover, an artist… so many fibers make up who I am. I thought all those fibers of my life were a given, ever present parts of me. I did not realize the struggle it would be at times to continue to give each of those parts of me the attention I’d like to give them.

Art, playing with clay in my case, is often the piece that I feel passionate about but yet is often the first thing I drop. Even though I feel more whole as I create, I don’t give art much space and time in my life. How do I create balance that helps me give this piece of me the time it needs? How do I role model for my children the importance of following their dreams and passions, when I struggle with finding a way to create space for my own? Finding balance in color and weight and design as I weave the fibers of my life together is a goal I have for myself.

Consider joining Amy and I in our upcoming group, The Weave of Motherhood, as we explore the pulls we feel from our passions as we live this journey of motherhood. We will look to the past, at the present and towards the future in our dreams for ourselves as women and mothers and use various forms of art to express ourselves throughout this process together.

The Motherhood Weave group will start January 10 and run for nine weeks, Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:00. Please call the BABS front desk to register or for more information.

By the way, I don’t think my sister ever did work as a cocktail waitress. In fact, she is now a missionary pastor in Peru, and a mom.