Choosing Motherhood: Stories of Successful Women Who Put Family First

A collection of sixteen personal essays by educated, career-capable Latter-day Saint women who chose full-time motherhood, most of them wives or students connected to Yale. With an introduction by Patricia T. Holland, these testimonies wrestle honestly with ambition, identity, sacrifice, infertility, loss, and the daily grind of raising children. Warm, candid, and faith-centered, the book affirms the doctrine of motherhood while acknowledging its difficulty, offering encouragement to young LDS women navigating the tension between professional aspiration and family life.

• Sixteen accomplished women—Yale grads, a White House staffer, a Fulbright pianist—explain why they chose motherhood over impressive careers.
• Introduction by Patricia T. Holland lends beloved authority to a heartfelt collection.
• Honest about the hard parts: colic, miscarriage, self-doubt, and the sting of 'so what do you do?'
• Perfect Mother's Day or baby shower gift for the educated LDS woman.

“So "what do I do?" I am copresident of an organization that has the potential to shape souls and inspire others. I am a teacher, a nurturer, an example, and a support. I heal wounds and wipe tears; I change diapers, I sing songs. I read and laugh. I have a goal of raising children into amazing individuals of character and influence. I am a mother.”

Perfect for a college-educated LDS woman weighing career ambitions against full-time motherhood, or a young mother seeking reassurance that her choice matters.