Michael Zorek stood outside the fence of his children's public school on Manhattan's Upper West Side one day this spring, waiting for afternoon pick-u...

Every year I am a mother. I am amazed at how much wisdom my own mother has, and how little I actually know. I am overwhelmed by the sacrifices she made, the energy she continues to have and the work she made look so effortless.

Since I've committed to going with the flow and not being so uptight about keeping my house clean and my kids perfectly put together, we somehow feel more organized and effective overall.

My gynecologist found it humorous that a woman who had battled infertility and miscarriages for years could end up pregnant while on birth control... but I was living proof that the pill is not 100% effective.

After a relatively easy pregnancy, my confidence was high as to how easy motherhood would be. I had read the books and had been a teacher for six years. As far I was concerned, there was nothing I couldn't handle. I was ready, I was prepared, I was well read, I was... wrong.

When I was in college, no one talked about what kind of career women should choose that could work well with having a family. There was very little discussion about what to do after college at all, actually.

In many ways, going back to the playground allowed me to rest the girl that had worked so hard and pushed so much to make it. It allowed me to reevaluate my life and priorities.

I refused to feel sorry for myself for too long, despite the fact that my plan of staying home with the kids for only a few weeks had turned into a few years. After all, I was choosing this.

Many moms are happy and willing to martyr themselves.

Though some working women may read this and think it sounds God-awful, I actually enjoyed my new job of mom. I was both good at it and loved it. But there were unexpected downsides as well.

I messaged Andy asking him what time he was going to be home so I could have dinner ready. The kids start melting down around 5:30pm. Andy is usually home by 6pm. If dinner is much later than 6pm, I truly believe the kids believe the world is ending.

I was voted most likely to succeed in ninth grade. Now, I don't want to be excessively self-deprecating and assert that it's been all down hill since, but I think it's fair to say that a jury of 14-year-old peers may not have anticipated the curve ball that motherhood would throw me.

As far as I can tell, no matter what decision a woman makes, she's offering an invaluable gift to my daughters and me.

Because I know having two beautiful, healthy children to care for is the biggest privilege I've ever been given and for that fact alone I should never, no way, no how, allow myself to feel the intense rage that wells up in me at least once a day many days between the hours of 3:30 and bedtime.