I'm going to toot my own horn!
Almost 5 years ago when my daughter was born I quit my job with the US State Department to be a stay at home mom. I didn't plan to do this, but I got horrible postpartum anxiety (the start of my anxiety...) and couldn't fathom commuting 1.5 hours each way from my apartment to DC and being gone from her for 12 hours at a time.
This was a huge change in my life and really hard to deal with. I'd worked really hard for my career. I'd been there for 6 years and was on my way to promotions and supervisory roles and the big bucks.
Since then I've struggled with what to do next. My daughter starts kindergarten in the fall. I've started a pretty successful freelance research and writing side gig, but it's not very personally fulfilling. Then, I got the idea of going to law school to become an immigration lawyer (definitely in demand these days!). I am 35, haven't been in school since 2007, and have been a full time mom for 5 years.
But, I decided to go for it. I studied for an nailed the LSAT this past fall, got great recommendation letters from a former professor and former boss, wrote a kickass personal statement, and applied to the law school that's close to my home.
And, last week I got in!! PLUS they offered me $10,000 a year in scholarships. I've struggled so much with anxiety over the last several years, motherhood has been so challenging, I've felt really lost at times, had no clue who I was anymore, etc... and the fact that I was able to accomplish this goal is just so incredible! I feel like I'm starting to become a real person again. Motherhood has often made me feel a bit invisible. But, I'm coming back into focus with my own path and my own goals outside of being a mom. I'm just so excited and proud of myself!
