Wait what?

What in the world am I doing? You guys, seriously? I keep asking myself this question, over and over.

Like every other mom, I’m busy. First, once you have your first child, you’re never the same again. You worry about things you never even knew you could worry about: developmental milestones, weird rashes, heart rate, bad dreams, what they’re eating, what they’re not eating, bedwetting, class party supplies, teacher gifts, lost library books, cafeteria accounts, grades, friends, the wrong kind of friends, driving, college, paying for college—as far as I can tell, this list is endless. Then you add in volunteering at church, school, other important causes, and organizations. Then don’t forget to exercise: go for a walk, play tennis, yoga class, boot camp, train for and run a marathon…

Really, it’s a lot to take on. Whether we work outside the home or not, we still have a house to run, groceries to shop for, laundry to fold, homes to clean, and more. I have a husband who travels—a lot—for work. As moms, each and every one of us is strapped for time and energy, and I know this is part of life and I’m okay with it all. (Well, I’m okay with most of it—I really dislike laundry!) But why in the world am I adding “one more thing” to this crazy life? In my case, and I’m sure I’m not alone, I needed something that was just mine!

In The Print Shop has been a dream of mine for several years, but it took one sentence from my sweet 10-year-old daughter, Kennedy—who truly is the kindest soul I know—to finally get my butt in gear. During a conversation with my husband, I was having a bit of insecurity about what I actually contribute to my family and the world in general. (Please tell me you all do this too occasionally!) That’s when Kennedy perked up and said, “Mom, you are so good at cooking, and laundry, and keeping the house clean.”

Even though she sincerely meant it, it hit me hard. I am somewhat limited in what I can actually do right now—my children are online students and home all the time, while my husband is frequently not—but I sure did wrestle with that statement for a while. Yes, I certainly take pride in caring for my family well, but I want to be more than that. I want my children to see that I can do this, too! Hopefully someday they will realize they too can give a little more of themselves if it means accomplishing a dream. So, this little lingering dream and that innocent comment seemed to me to be divine intervention.

I am beyond excited to launch this site. I know I’ll make mistakes and it won’t all be perfect, but I do hope that in some way you can feel the excitement, too. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!