The accounting of a mother
We recently celebrated my daughter’s birthday.
A special one! She turned "double-digits" and wants the whole world to know about it. I am proud and pensive; I have been a mom for over ten years. I have survived so far in the motherland, despite the mistakes, the forgotten doctor's appointments, despite COVID, despite the guilt. I am overwhelmed... we are celebrating, but I also need this audit to be released today.
We are cutting a cake for her with the in-laws, the cousins who live close by, and her friends in the neighborhood. She will have her dream celebration at the trampoline park with 25 of her close friends on the weekend.
I have asked the auditors to release the audit by 5 p.m. today. That should give me enough time to re-clean my house before the in-laws arrive.
It's 5:30 pm; my husband is home with the cake and the food.
My team has tried to rewrite some note disclosures, to support the 401K expense numbers, and to update our subsequent event notes. But we have not released yet.
As I sit here, surrounded by the joyous chaos of my daughter's celebration, I can't help but feel the weight of another responsibility pressing down on me. Today isn't just about balloons and cake but deadlines and duties.
My laptop is on the kitchen counter, and I am vigilantly watching all the Slack messages while setting up the table. The in-laws arrive at 6:30 pm, the cousins at 7 pm, and the neighborhood friends start piling up in the house. It is chaos...
Eight excited toddlers are running all over the house. I am trying to maintain a conversation with the in-laws, keep my husband on track, and monitor the discussion with the auditors. There's a number in the equity schedule that doesn’t tie. The auditor needs another adjustment. My husband cannot find the birthday candles. And Daisy, our dog, escapes and wants to jump over everyone to claim some love. While the laughter and chatter fill the air, my mind is split between the festivities and the looming tasks. The audit hangs over me like a shadow. So here I am, juggling birthday candles and spreadsheets, trying to keep everything afloat.
We sing Happy Birthday, cut the cake... I just remembered that I had to call my parents on FaceTime so they could also sing for Jordyn. I will hear from them tomorrow. The in-laws and the cousins leave. The audit still needs to be released, and the formatting of the tables needs to be corrected. My team has done a great job resolving the tying issues, but I must return to the steering wheel. The kids escape to the backyard... they shouldn't; it is close to 9 pm, and tomorrow is a school day.
I get the girls to come back and get ready for sleep. With my laptop in one hand, I help them choose their outfits for tomorrow and set up their bedtime stories on Alexa. Back in my office, I review the financial statements again and save the file as a PDF. I keep getting upset that the format is all messed up when transferring from MS Office to Adobe.
It’s 9:30 PM. I have a call with the auditors. We discussed the tables that are not properly formatted. We discussed that maybe it’s okay just to let it be, and tomorrow or next week, I will contact my editing team to reformat the audited financial statements.
"Do you still want to release tonight?" ask the auditors.
"Yes, I do! We need to get done."
I make another set of changes in Microsoft Office. Finally, the transfer to Adobe is not as bad. It’s not perfect, but it's better than nothing. We are releasing it tonight. I received final approval from the auditors. We are done.
It is 10:15 pm... Jordyn comes to my office. She is cute in her nightgown and her bonnet. She asks:
"Are you done with your audit?"
"Yes, I am."
"Can you say Happy Birthday now?"
And so, with weary eyes and a heart full of love, I utter the words she's been waiting for:
"Happy birthday. It is not your birthday yet; you were born at 11:24 pm." (why am I acting like an auditor? Have I been contaminated?)
But she doesn't seem to mind. In her world, time bends and stretches, accommodating her simple request. And in that moment, as she wraps her arms around me, I realize that these moments are the most important despite the chaos and the deadlines.
"Happy Birthday!"
I'm reminded of the countless working mothers like myself who navigate the delicate balance between career and family. It's a constant juggling act, filled with moments of chaos and exhaustion. But in the end, it's these simple, heartfelt moments that make it all worthwhile.
So here's to all the mothers out there tirelessly managing deadlines, diaper changes, spreadsheets, and bedtime stories—Happy Mother's Day to all of you, the unsung heroes of everyday life.
As I finally settle into bed, I'm grateful for the privilege of being both a mother and a professional, finding strength and joy in the beautiful chaos of it all.
#thebalancedsheets #cpa #mothersday #motherhood #audit
