When I first found out that my husband was going to be gone every week for three weeks in a row, I freaked. I mean, on the inside.

Outwardly I smiled, told him I was so excited for him because he was going to get to fly to new places and stay in nice hotel rooms. But in my mind I was thinking “OMG … how am I going to make it with the Toddler all by myself?!”

I have to say, I have really enjoyed every moment I’ve had with my son over the past few weeks. I thought it was going to be stressful to do the single mom thing, trying to juggle it all. But strangely enough, it was the opposite of stressful. I noticed during Week 2 when Husband was in Atlanta that I felt calmer and more like myself than I have in a long time, so I started mulling it over.

I have realized that I feel happy because am good at being a mother. It’s what I enjoy more than anything else. I love to cook, I love to clean, I love being a wife, and I REVEL in motherhood. While my husband has been out of town I’ve gotten a chance to really connect with my son. It’s been a really special time.

It made me wonder what is different when Husband is here. I mulled that over. I have concluded that since I’m a working mother, I always approach our life with an attitude of “everything needs to be equal.” So when I have rushed home from work, cooked dinner, and am in the middle of folding clothes, I will often ask my husband to give Toddler a bath/put him to bed/feed him a snack.

I’ve noticed that I ask him to do this stuff because I feel busy and overwhelmed with household tasks, but then I always wish I was taking care of Toddler instead. I always end up feeling guilty. This experience has made me realize that I would be better off stopping whatever I’m doing and taking care of my child. The laundry can wait. My husband can learn to cook SOMETHING. The house can stay messy. Or, we can hire someone to clean it.

A woman’s work really is never done. And in trying to be everything to everyone, I often forget that my main purpose on this Earth is to nurture my family.