I Thought I Had The World's Toughest Job... Until I Became A Mother.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cardstore. I always thought I had one of the world's toughest jobs. Prior to having children, I worked as a bone marrow transplant nurse in the inpatient hospital setting. It was a job I worked at proudly. It was, at times, tragic and deeply saddening. Other times, it afforded me the opportunity to witness miracles. To truly learn and value the frailty of the human spirit.
The hours were long, the pay wasn't always the greatest but the rewards were priceless. Often times I would clock out of my shifts emotionally and physically exhausted. I sat and held the hands of the dying. I celebrated "new life" when a patient's marrow transplant eradicated their cancer and afforded them a second chance at life. 
I worked at that job for a little over four years before it eventually began to break my spirit. I knew I needed a break and it was around that time that my husband and I began talking about starting a family. 
Fast forward four years and I'm now the proud mom of three boys, ages 4, 2 and brand new. We welcomed our first son shortly after I hung up my proverbial nurse's cap. It was then that I realized I hadn't always held the title of the world's toughest job. In fact, my job may have been difficult but it certainly wasn't the toughest.  
The world's toughest job started the day I became a mother and I have worked at that job every minute of every day since then, for nearly four years now. The hours are long, the pay is all but nonexistent and reaped not in monetary rewards but rather in tiny thank you's, smiles and laughter. In watching your child tackle a milestone successfully after having worked at it faithfully for days on end. 
There is rarely vacation time and if one is lucky enough to take a vacation, more times than not, it's basically a "business trip," or the taking on of the typical daily family duties, just in a nice, warmer locale with much less of the usual "tips and tricks" needed to get through the days.
I didn't know "tough" until I became a mother.   
Recently, American Greetings hit the World's Toughest Job nail on the head when they created a job posting for a company, Rethom Inc ("Mother" spelled backwards), based on everything moms do under the title of "Director of Operations." They placed the job posting across 27 markets through job postings, 14 market newspaper classified ads and 2 Google sponsored ad units, resulting in 2.7MM impressions.
The job description outlines all of of the tasks of a mother without revealing the job was indeed a mom.  Applicants were interviewed and their reactions were recorded on film. When I first watched this video, it was with tears in my eyes as I nodded through every minute of it. 
In the end, Cardstore only had 24 inquiries for the posting, thereby proving that being a mom really is the toughest (but most rewarding) job in the world.  

As moms, it's no secret that we're not only doing the world's toughest work, but we're also doing the world's busiest work. I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten birthdays, social celebrations or missed deadlines because I've been busy mothering, or doing all the things we do, day in and day out, as mothers. Thank you notes are often late, birthday cards sit unfinished in piles on the counter and I can't remember the last time I was able to get to the post office to purchase stamps. 

Cardstore.com, the popular custom greeting card website from American Greetings, allows you to create custom cards by adding personal photos, personalized messages and your signature. Then, Cardstore will print, stamp and even mail the card for you. Without you ever having to leave the comfort of your home or your desk. How amazing is that? 
Did you know that Mother's Day is right around the corner? If you're like me, you may have already circled the date on your calendar and misplaced the card you purchased for your own mother weeks ago. 
This Mother's Day, Cardstore is encouraging people to take the extra step to celebrate mom. It's not just about the phone call or the text message but more about the unique, personalized card that enables us to pause and take a moment to reflect on all the extraordinary things our own mothers have done for us. 
Using Cardstore.com, I was able to hand select and personalize not only the perfect card for my perfect mother, but also schedule the date on which I wish for it to be delivered, guaranteeing that it will be to her doorstep in time for Mother's Day. It showcased not only our shared sense of humor but took a moment to let her know how grateful I really am for her presence in my life. 

Interested in using Cardstore.com to send something special to your own mom this Mother's Day? 
Use the coupon code CCF4249 good for $2.49 Mother's Day Cards (regularly up to $3.69).  This coupon code is valid from April 24-May 5th.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cardstore.