Today is our fifth entry in our series interviewing moms who have successfully achieved their goals while being present moms.  In the first article, I interviewed two single moms who were able to make full-time income freelancing and were therefore able to stay home with their kiddos.  You can check out their stories here. 

Then we met a mom who found a balance between working a full-time job and raising her daughter. She loved her job and loved being a mom so she found a way to make it work.  You can find her interview here. 

Next we heard from two mamas who created their own businesses after becoming parents. Both of these amazing ladies had a passion to help other people with their knowledge and skills and were able to find a way to do it even while being busy moms.

Then we heard from Dr. Sarah Reck, anesthesiologist and mom of 4. She talks about how she was able to create a resource for other women and moms in medicine even while working as a doctor and being there for her family.

Last time, we met two moms. First we had Mandy Youtz who together with her husband was able to pay off $40,000.00 in debt in just 2 years.  They were able to do this after they already had 2 kids. 

We also met Gloria Mondragon who has figured out how to earn an income from home while raising her two daughters.  She didn’t want to miss out on all of her babies’ firsts so she figured out a way to make it work.

Today, we are meeting Darya who was able to complete her Master’s degree in Natural Resources while pregnant and then raising her first child. I can totally relate to this one since I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd child while I was pursuing my Master’s in Math. I even delivered her on the day of one of my final exams one semester. 

Luckily, I was able to reschedule the test and was able to complete my degree. 

Anyway, without further adieu, meet Darya!

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY.

My name is Darya. I am of Russian/Ukrainian decent but grew up in Bulgaria. I currently live in Greenville, South Carolina with my husband and our 3.5 year old daughter. I am 33 years old and work in storm water management for the local county.  

WHAT IS ONE MAJOR GOAL YOU WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE, PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL, AS A MOM?

I found out I was pregnant a few weeks after I was accepted into graduate school. Despite knowing that it was going to be hard, I decided to still start school in the fall. My daughter was born in the middle of the first semester. Three years later, I graduated with a Master’s degree in Science in Natural Resources. 

WHAT WAS THE WHY BEHIND YOUR GOAL?

I had to pass on graduate school twice in the past 5 years, so this time I was determined to do it. I also wanted to show my daughter that accomplishing your dreams is possible. I want her to grow up independent, strong, and to always follow her dreams. 

WHAT KIND OF PLANNING AND TIME MANAGEMENT TACTICS DID YOU USE TO ALLOW YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL?

The first thing I had to do was to give up all social life. I had to stay completely focused with no distractions, as well as be frugal with our money. Coffee helped to start my days early and end them late. 

I spent my weekends studying and working on projects, and I worked on my thesis during the school breaks. I managed the occasional burn out by spending time with family and enjoying nature.

DID YOU GET HELP FROM OTHERS, FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS?

My husband was my biggest supported and helper. He kept encouraging me every day and watched our baby every time I needed.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU FOUND ESSENTIAL TO ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL?

Don't try to be perfect. I might have slacked a little on cooking and cleaning. I didn't read all the articles for a particular project. I skipped a morning class or two. I didn't cook anything for the family Thanksgiving dinner. 

Focus on what's important right then in that moment. There will be time for the other things later. There is never time for everything. You just have to pick what your priorities are at the moment and focus on those. 

You can always make time for other things as your priorities shift. 

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BLOG AND WHERE WE CAN FIND YOU.

I blog about motherhood, working mom life, healthy lifestyle, and recipes through the eyes of a foreign girl. You can find me at A Mom From A Foreign Land. You can read my entire story of how I graduated college with a baby here - https://amomfromaforeignland.com/how-i-survived-college-with-a-baby/

Cheers,

Emily