I have created Powered by Authenticity for a reason …to share the real moments behind being a mom, a wife, a tech executive and all of the wild events that occur when you mix that recipe with our current state of the world.

Truth is, I’ve written, deleted and really hesitated with putting this into the universe, but the reality of the past few days really makes me want to just start this series. There’s never a perfect time. This blog won’t be perfect and instead of waiting any longer, it’s time to rip the band aide off!

A quick intro to me. I was born, raised and still live in Batavia, NY. A small population and community, I can’t really see myself leaving any time soon. While I have definitely toyed with the idea (including taking a job in the early 2000’s that would’ve mandated it), we ultimately stayed.

I married my beloved ‘hubsters’ 31 years ago, became a mom of the world’s best son (a/k/a itty bitty) shortly thereafter and, 12 years later, welcomed my beautiful daughter (a/k/a Princess) into the world. A happy little family of four until 2018 when we added my sweet DIL to the family …oh, and two puppies.

So, now that you know about me, let me fill you on why today was the time to push the ‘publish’ button on this blog. I’m a huge advocate for equity in technology. The numbers continue to not be a balanced field and women have been leaving the sector at rapid rates; especially since COVID began. Women have had to make the decision to care for their families and make the decision to put their personal lives to the forefront. Add that on to the massive tech layoffs and you have an exhausting daily life.

I’m no different and have, now, been impacted twice in seven months by the reduction of force in the tech sector. I’m at a crossroads of …keep working full time or take care of family and go after my passion of supporting other women. And, with every passing day it gets a bit harder especially when your bills do not stop just because you are having a difficult time. So, while I sit in a coffee shop this morning writing my random thoughts, let me share my last 24-hours with you to wrap up the introduction to my life.

Hubsters has been down and out with gout. Princess had some sort of strep / bug that has been going around. The two of them have been out of sorts and grumpy since last Wednesday. I can count on two hands the number of hours I’ve slept since then and, quite frankly, we are all exhausted. Now, fast forward to Monday morning where in the midst of the continued sickness, I am told that I will no longer be a 40-hour a week team member. Fudge. I just went through something similar in August.

Now, let’s fast forward another few hours after mentally being exhausted, but hitting the gym for a workout, returning home to immediately do dishes and then make the sickies dinner…princess deems her stomach is upset and doesn’t want food. I should’ve known at this point; the night was just going to get that much worse. After cleaning up dinner and finally putting on my comfy pj’s, princess runs through the kitchen hallway to only vomit uncontrollably all over the floor. After cleaning her up, I head back to the kitchen to clean-up the chaos…only, instead of cleaning, I just start sobbing. Here I am, in my pj’s, surrounded by vomit and I can’t do anything but just cry.

I hear princess say to hubsters ‘mom’s crying’ and him explaining that the two of them have been a handful and she’s tired. I yell, and the job stuff. To which he replies…out of all of this, your job situation does not worry me at all. To which, I still cried, but was able to pull myself together and get everything disinfected and head back to the sickies on the couch.

Today, I’m powered by those moments. I’m powered by showing my daughter that it’s okay to be so tired emotionally, physically and mentally that you can cry. That, it’s okay to need to hear the words of support from others to help fuel you for the next day.

This morning, everyone is still not feeling 100% …but, hubsters hobbled his way off the couch…princess is relaxing with a coffee. I filled up their stomachs with a breakfast (light in quantity for princess!) and ran away from home for a little break. They are fine and, quite frankly, I need to focus on what the next steps for my career look like.

Thanks for allowing me to share my recent life events with you. I hope you will follow me on the journey that is about to embark. While I stumble my way through being that female tech executive maneuvering life all while sitting on my kitchen floor balancing my duties as wife and mom…sometimes crying, but always, always knowing I am loved and blessed.