
Hi, all. I’m Meaghan Williams – an east coast “girl” who became a transplant to south Texas almost 8 years ago.
My first job out of college was a temp assignment. I didn’t know what the firm did when I said yes to a 2-week stint. That stretched into a 21 year career at that firm spanning four cities and countless roles; kind of like the world’s longest temp assignment. I’ve always been a planner. My last move at that firm was from DC to New Jersey. I swore I’d work just one more year there before returning to VA. So much for plans and spreadsheets….I met a cute boy, married him, had two kids and spent 20 years in New Jersey.
The stay-at-home moms in my town used to ask how I could juggle work and family. I’m not sure what I told them, but on the inside I always felt confident that my commuting to NYC for work was much easier than staying home. Parenting is hard. And exhausting. And so worth it.
I liken being a mom to the game “Whack-a-Mole.” You have to be nimble, ready to whack whatever comes up. My kids are older now – 18 and 22 – so “fixing things” is much harder than kissing a boo-boo. I might not get that look of wonder these days from them like I did when they were younger, but a hug or a smile can fuel me for a long time. I’m also mom to three adorable golden retrievers – I can always count on those three to be thrilled to see me when I walk in the door.
My family jokingly calls me “easy breezy” because I’m so not (but I’m always working on it). They’d swear I have a spreadsheet for everything (I kind of do). As I get older, I think I’m making progress on realizing I cannot control a lot. Knowing that – and my search for patience – are two ongoing quests.
And that “cute boy?” He’s still adorable – we just celebrated our 25th anniversary.