Raising children and pursuing a career is a juggle for any mom. And, those who say it's a cinch are either lying or have lots of help! But there are wonderful perks that come with hard work and fulfilling dreams independent of your children. Like my kids' first steps and words, I celebrate my own milestones (some of which happened once I was a mother) — the excitement of seeing my first byline, having articles published in a national newspaper and moving from print to the online world. It's possible to have a passion for many things and while my family will always be my priority, I love my work. Check out the reasons, I don't regret not being a stay-at-home mom.