I’m a writer and editor based in the East Bay Area town of Piedmont, California, but that only begins to describe what I do. Here’s the story:

I got my start as a newspaper reporter, branched out to freelance writing for a variety of publications, dabbled in documentary filmmaking, and took a turn as a developmental editor to help nonfiction authors. Along the way, I discovered a latent jock streak that made me crazy about long-distance running, which I began to write about for my blog and for running publications. I also gave birth to a daughter and son, Colly and Kyle, who remind me daily that parenting is my most important job. I did this all with the love and support of Morgan, the boyfriend I married two decades ago. We met while students at The Thacher School, in my hometown of Ojai, where I return frequently to serve on the school’s board of trustees.

Then one year, not too long ago, Morgan and I ditched our regular lives and embarked on a nomadic family adventure that doubled as an experiment in extreme quality time. We rented out our home and put our careers on hold so we could travel around the world and “roadschool” our kids—ages 11 and 8 at the time—while experiencing a one-bag-each lifestyle. We blogged about the journey at “Away Together.”

Traveling with my family in Barcelona.

When we came back, Morgan spun off from his law firm partnership to start a new firm called Cogent Legal, specializing in litigation graphics and strategy, and that’s where I work now in the role of communications director. I also blog at “The Runner’s Trip,” my website devoted to training and travel advice for runners.

Like a lot of motivated 40ish moms who unwittingly pieced together what’s been termed a “kaleidoscope career,” my pursuit of an elusive work-life balance has felt a bit like chasing a rainbow. Along the way, however, I found my footing and worked through the wobbles.

So when someone asks what I do, I usually default to the shorthand of “writer and editor” or “blogger.” But sometimes I give a longer answer, such as, “When I’m not helping my husband market his new business, I write, blog, run, read, travel—or at least try to save and plan for travel—and most of all, I raise a family.” And sometimes I even brag, “I have the world’s best job.”