I’m the mama of 3 little ones – 7-year-old Adam, 4-year-old Jack and 2-year-old Kate. But long before the babies came along, I took a job as a receptionist in the newsroom of the Northwest Arkansas Times in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I was fresh out of college and, after several months of paying my dues typing wedding announcements and school lunch menus, my boss promoted me to reporter and editor of the business section and gave me my own personal column, now known as The Rockwood Files.
After nearly four years at the newspaper, I left for a job with an ad agency, got married and spent a year working in St. Louis. My husband and I moved back to Arkansas in 2000, and I worked as director of marketing for The Bank of Fayetteville – a position I held until our son Adam was born in late 2001.
Well, one baby led to another baby who led to another baby. You know how it goes. Between all the diapering, baby burping and errand running, I’ve kept my newspaper column alive by working part-time from home. I’ve squeezed out a few freelance marketing projects here and there and published a handful of stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. Boy, am I tired.
Then one day Shannon called me with this great idea and, well, another kind of “baby” was born – nwamotherlode.com. Like the other babies, it took a while to get it here. It requires constant feeding, and we’re always trying to help it grow. But just like life with my real kids, it’s an adventure, and it sure is fun.
When I’m not writing, diapering, dropping off, picking up or folding clothes, I love to have dinner out, leave the dirty dishes on the table and go see a movie with my husband and a big box of Raisinets.
Check out Gwen’s blog, The Rockwood Files, or e-mail her by clicking here.
