rockstar mom {jessica simmons}

{a new feature each month} I have so many good friends that are such an inspiration to me.  Some of them juggle a full time job, some work from home, some have 4+ kids, some homeschool.  I think about all the complaining I do and advice I ask from them.  I only have one child and am currently a stay at home housewife. Sometimes I don't know how they do it.  They are all rockstars in my book and I wanted to showcase one a month.  Enjoy meeting my friends!

^ I asked Jessica about this picture and she said, "I think it shows not everything will always be perfect."  However, it looks perfect to me.  Her little girls are the cutest! ^

Jessica and I met at a design firm in Indianapolis, 6 years ago (can you believe its been 6 years?)  We kept in touch all this time and I'm please to introduce you to her! Jessica is one of the most talented people I know.  Her eye for design and graphic concepts is awe-inspiring. For freelance work Jessica has many irons in the fire but currently she is enjoys working on custom birth prints for newborns. 

 Jessica, tell us about all the "hats" you are currently wearing.

Wife to my amazing husband Jake, mom to Reese (4) and Paige (10 months), professor of interior architecture design, freelance graphic designer and communications team leader at our church.

What inspires you to design? 

As a designer, I am a visual person by nature. A beautiful image, interesting texture, stunning typography, great photograph or color palette my mind starts off in a hundred different directions.

How on earth do you find time?

I’m laughing as I read this because I really struggle with time! Lunch breaks, nap times and after bedtime is usually when I work on my design projects. It does take me longer to produce the final product because I work in small time blocks. This is something I clearly tell all of my clients ahead of time and I set realistic deadlines for myself. I have at least ten projects I would like to do in my house but they are on hold until summer break. I value my evenings and weekends with my family so I choose not to take on big projects that can’t be completed in a couple of hours.

What's the single most important advice you would give to a new mom in the workplace?

Take it one day at a time. I get extremely stressed out when I think about everything on my “to do” list for the week/month. If I refocus that on just the day, what I need to accomplish my list becomes more manageable. I find a lot of comfort in Matthew 6:34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Amen!

As a busy working mom, how do you stay connected to your children? to your faith?

I try to leave work at work and focus on my family when I am at home. We eat dinner together, read books, sing silly songs and talk to each other about our day. The girls go to bed at 7 and 8 so I try and make those few hours in the evening count. Weekends are left unplanned for the most part so we have time to just be together and enjoy the day.

I try to spend daily time in the word of God. Some days that means in the parking lot before I go into work or reading at my desk before class. It refreshes me and sets the tone for my day. On days where I skip – my day usually doesn’t go so well or I’m constantly stressed out. I struggle with relying more on my strength than on the Lord’s and He working on me in that area. It seems the more I rely on myself, the more stressed I become and I break down but when I FULLY rely on God, I know that He is in control and I am at peace.

Are your personal life and professional life compartmentalized, blended, or a combination of the two?

For the most part my life is compartmentalized. I am always a Believer, wife, mom and designer but I find it easier for me to focus when I separate my professional and personal life. 

Anything else you'd love to share?

I have an amazing husband who is very supportive. He cleans on his days off, cooks dinner, picks up the girls from school, bathes them as needed, sings silly songs, reads to them at night and deals with all of my mood swings. He is a true partner in everything. 

At the center of everything is my faith. God is continually reminding me that I need Him to do all of this. I love this quote from David Platt’s Radical Book.

“Instead of imagining all the things we can accomplish, we ask God to do what only he can accomplish. Yes, we work, we plan, we organize, and we create, but we do it all while we fast, while we pray, and while we constantly confess our need for the provision of God.”

I pray that God will use me to further His kingdom through design, teaching, as a wife and mom. I want exist for His glory not mine. 

If you are interested in ordering custom prints from Jessica please contact her via email, jnsinteriors@hotmail.com