About Donielle
You landed here to learn a bit more about me. What the heck is WifeMotherLeader? Why should I listen to Donielle?
First, some unsolicited advice (or maybe it’s solicited since you’re here looking around). Read these and pick one that is relevant for you. If none are, use them as inspiration to do something that’s already been on your mind that you’ve been putting off.
This style and approach to building a career and family life that work is what you’ll find at WifeMotherLeader:
- If you’re married, find a way to connect with your husband in the next week. It could be an evening out, a walk after work, going to the gym together, or a date night in after the kids go to bed. Do that first. Then, come back to this website.
- If you’re pregnant with your first child, talk to 5 women about their birth and post-partum experience. Every birth story is unique, but it helps to hear the range of how things can go. Reach out to them and ask them to share their story with you.
- If you have kids already, find 2 hours this week to get a break from them. Ask your husband to watch them or hire a sitter. In those 2 hours, you are allowed to do anything you want, EXCEPT for household chores (cooking, cleaning, laundry, making appointments, etc.).
- Write down a goal that you have for work in the next 12 months. Are you looking to get promoted? Is there a project that you want to lead? A new skill that could help you in the long term? You don’t have to start it yet, but write it down and then give yourself 48 hours to decide if you are ready to commit to it (including prioritizing it and letting your husband and kids know about it).
Ok, you’re back (or maybe you skipped the exercise above. Please go back and do it. I am so grateful you are here and want you to keep reading, but YOU are my priority, not this blog).
So, you listened to me. Thanks! But, you shouldn’t just listen to me.
You should listen to YOU.
You should listen to your sister, friends and *maybe* your mother. My journey into marriage and motherhood had plenty of advice but was also lonely. I was the first of my peer group to get married. I didn’t have an older sister. My mom is amazing and gave me great, timeless advice. But, I also had more opportunities than she ever dreamed, and, ironically I often felt paralyzed and fearful that I wasn’t living up to my potential.
When I had my first kid, I was the first in my peer group as well. I knew I wanted to take time off but didn’t know how to do that and then go back to work. I even had passing thoughts about possibly staying home in the future. That idea screamed much more loudly when I was on maternity leave with my second son (after having just got a promotion) and he was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease. Things changed forever. I left my job and stayed home with him for four years (and had a 3rd kid, a daughter).
I’ve been a stay-at-home mom and a working-outside-the-home mom. I’ve struggled at work trying to balance and I’ve thrived and been a “role-model” for working moms. I’ve worked in an office and remotely.
My husband and I have built an amazing marriage over the past 12 years. We are two flawed people, but with the help of Christ, we have created a relationship that is beautiful, thriving, fun and nurturing for each other and our children. We have regular date nights. We have great sex. We love our kids and have created a peaceful and stable home life for them.
We’ve also dealt with real challenges, including the unexpected loss of a sibling (my sister-in-law), a child with a genetic disease, going from dual income to single income and now back to dual. We have 3 kids and are considering a 4th. Our parents are getting older and are facing their own challenges.
So, I am living this journey and sharing what I’ve learned along with way. More importantly, I’ll be inviting other women to share their journeys so that we can all learn together.
Thanks!
Donielle
