I Have A Mom Purse
As a working mom, I have to look relatively professional in the morning when I head off to work. Pants that aren't jeans or meant for a workout, a nice top of some sort, and shoes with heels. My briefcase may be a bit overstuffed and full of papers that I shuttle to and from work night after night without reading, but it's red and leather and looks OK.
Unfortunately, of late there has been a weak link in the work wardrobe: my purse.
When my twins were babies, I kept all the baby stuff in a diaper bag, separate from my purse. I never combined them the way many moms do, mostly because there were lots of times that I was out without the girls and needed a separate purse. And I liked it that way - my purse was sort of the last vestige of my child-free life and made me feel more like myself. But my girls are five now and I don't carry a diaper bag anymore, as they don't need sippy cups and diapers and wipes and little plastic containers of cheerios.
But there are definitely times when they get hungry or bored, and I need a quick snack or entertainment or some gum to placate the back seat or the waiting room or wherever we are. And since I don't carry a diaper bag anymore, it all goes in my purse. As a result, I've sat in business meetings and tried to find a pen or business card, only to have to dig and claw my way thorough the crumbs (thanks, non-resealable Goldfish containers), dirty pieces of gum, and broken crayons that have accumulated at the bottom of my purse. It's a mess in there.
Even the "professional" items in there have been transformed. The pad I keep to jot down lists, leave notes, etc.? It comes from PBS Kids and says "Sid the Science Kid" on it.
Honestly, I don't mind. The jumbled mom mess in my purse is a sweet reminder of my girls when I am off being the professional me. I roll my eyes as I dig and dig past Purell and bandaids trying to find my car key, but I secretly love it, because I love that half of my life, even when I am living the other half. Just don't ask me if you can borrow a pen.
Original D.C. Metro Moms post. Gayle also writes about books at Everyday I Write The Book.
