Instant Family

Greetings. My name is Joanna Brody. One year ago I could not imagine writing a blog (what do I have to say?) let alone on a site for "later in life" mothers. Yet here I am today, 44, the mother of two, sharing my life and thoughts, tribulations and triumphs, with a group of women whom I can now call my sisters.

I have two children, Joey, exactly 10 months old today, and Lyra, who turned four months old last week. Yes, two children under the age of one- and no, not twins, and no, not fertility. One achieved through the miracle of adoption and one achieved through some miracle beyond medical science. My son's birthmother is half Filipina, which is what my husband it. And my daughter was conceived quite unexpectedly, and even more unexpectedly, carried to term after I had four miscarriages in the four years prior. So two beautiful one quarter Filipino children, both of whom I am now convinced were destined to be with us and vice versa. All of this after I decided, and convinced my husband, that I was quite content to be child free. Hah!

In addition to our children, we have two gigantic, magnificent French sheepdogs, Hobbes & Kali (a puppy to add to the mix), who truly are fur children to us. Plus we just finished building and moved into a new home (my son has lived in four places since he was born - the place we lived in while we built our house, my parents' house, the rental unit on our new property, and finally, our new home). It's been quite a year.

I have now returned to work as a public relations consultant, so am doing the working mom thing. Working is easy, motherhood is hard, being a working mom (especially after pregnancy brain) is a heroic endeavor. But I know millions of women do it selflessly with grace and modesty every day, and I am proud to be just one in a million plus. By the way, has anyone ever thought that the advice "sleep when they sleep" is the lamest advice ever - especially for a working mom?!?!