Several times I’ve been told I seem to have the best of both worlds: career and family.

Three weekday afternoons I head to work for a 10-hour shift, and the other two weekdays I spend at home with the kids. It’s proven to be a fairly doable balancing act, and I feel lucky that I have the option.

But most days there comes a time when I find myself thinking, “My life just isn’t working.”

There are constant doubts about whether I’m doing the right thing. After a late night at work, I’m often too tired to play the next day. My kids watch too much TV. The house isn’t spotless. There is too much to do, to buy, to consider, to decide.

There are days when I’m home with the kids that I long to be at work, and days when I’m headed to work with regrets that I can’t stay home. Between home life and work, I often feel overwhelmed by my responsibilities.

In a year when much has been written and said about the subject — be it “Mommy Madness” on the cover of Newsweek, the new busy-women buzzword “multiminding” or those “Desperate Housewives” — I’ve realized I am definitely not alone in my worry.

I’ve also come to realize there is no perfect answer. But it’s not easy to give up the pursuit of perfection.

In my first year with two children, I’ve adopted the March Madness motto of “survive and advance.” Take it one day, one hour, one dirty diaper at a time, and life seems a bit easier.

And every day, I enjoy learning more about my kids and their unique personalities. My daughter, who’s days from 3 years old, is starting to show signs of a wicked sense of humor. She’ll get a twinkle in her eye and glance at me, and we both giggle. My son — who came into the world with not a cry but a curious coo — is a month from 1 and at the age where you can kinda-sorta-maybe understand why some people just keep having babies (not me, however). He’s inquisitive yet cuddly, adventurous yet shy.

Journal-World copy editor Susie Fagan hangs out with her daughter, Erin, 2, and her son, Max, 11 months.

Then there are the moments when all the stress, worry and doubt fade away. Typically this happens on a beautiful day, when we’re able to get outside to blow bubbles or go for a stroll. When both kids nap at the same time. When two little arms with stubby hands wrap me up with a hug. When a sleepy child in pajamas relaxes with a bedtime story.

In the past year, several good friends have lost babies in various stages of their pregnancies, reminding me what blessings my children truly are, and how easily happiness can fade into grief. That makes a temper tantrum seem pretty insignificant.

Paying respect to Mom could be a lot more expensive than you think KU baseball players take caps off to ‘Mom’ Mom’s magic handbag Between home life and work, mother finds priceless rewards Mother’s love lasts forever

As my husband and I have learned, raising children is a constantly entertaining, frustrating and amazing process. Sure, we’re tired and stressed a lot of the time, and it’s hard to remember what life was like before our kids came along.

In fact, it seems like a world away.

No, I hardly have the best of both worlds. I live in one world and simply try to make the best of it.

— Copy editor Susie Fagan wishes all moms a happy — and relaxing — Mother’s Day.