A Helping Hand

Making time for new moms

By Meg Tyson


Disheveled, anxious and just a bit overwhelmed, I was preparing to go to a conference in Atlanta for work. I knew I needed to be on point, suits wrinkle-free and the best version of myself possible. Going through my to-do lists I checked through my e-mail.

One e-mail in particular, one about a program called Meals for Moms, made my heart sink.

I heard my husband's squadron was updating its list of people who'd like to volunteer to bring meals for new moms. My first thoughts were: 1. How amazing this squadron was that they had something like this in place? 2. I really wanted to do this. 3. Would take-out work for this as well, because I'm not so sure a new mom would want to eat a meal that I cooked.

Despite my hesitations about my own cooking abilities, I sent in my name and my information and figured I'd get a call whenever I was needed.

Well, the e-mail in my inbox was my big call.

I sat there staring at my screen and I immediately thought about my friends who have children or are about to have children and are married to military service members. I thought of Maggie. Married to an Army soldier, Maggie currently is raising a beautiful boy, is going to graduate classes and juggling it all with grace as her husband is on an unaccompanied tour in Korea. Although it breaks my heart when I see her Facebook status change to “Wishing my husband was here,” it’s amazing to know the support out there for new mothers.

Here I was going through my day, feeling stressed, worried and overwhelmed, but the fact is that my husband is here and right now my world is not even in the same realm as Maggie’s. The word deployment is something I keep pushing aside, but I do know when the time comes that I'm going to need help. As stubborn as I am, I know I'm not invincible.    
 
There are people who may not know you who have just signed up on a list, but they’re still there to help. Even if it's just a pot of pasta for a mom pulling her hair out because her baby can't sleep, I want to take the time to help.

Not only because I want to help out one of my peers, but because I know the day is going to come when I’m going to be feeling every hormone under the sun, trying to make things work for the family I hope to have and just to know there is going to be someone there for me is amazing – especially if they bring chocolate cake.

It's crazy how something so little can make you realize so much. For women like Maggie, who are making their lives work for the ones they love I want to say thank you. Thank you for being the kind of woman I hope to be someday.