Melonie by Grace - Christian lifestyle blog for all things motherhood, career, and grace-filled moments

Preparing for and Returning From Maternity Leave as a Lawyer Mom

Career

I returned to work from maternity leave two weeks ago, and it feels like I’ve lived 1,000 lifetimes since then! Balancing lawyer work with life as a new mother of four was truly jarring. Thankfully, the work I did to prepare for maternity leave really helped the work side of my work/life equation. I look back at my past self and just want to hug her for the prep work she did—it made my transition back to work a little easier.

So today, I wanted to share some tips that helped me prepare for maternity leave and some tips that have helped me transition back from maternity leave to work. Note that even though these tips are specific to law practice in a larger firm setting, these tips could still be helpful for any professional setting!

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On Being Christian AND Black: Race and the Evangelical Church

February 24, 2025

Faith + Grace

It’s not a Happy Black History Month, at least for all. It has always been a happy time for me to celebrate the achievements, triumphs, and contributions of Black Americans and Black culture throughout history. It’s a joyful occasion, an opportunity to reflect with gratitude on the rich cultural heritage that has shaped so much…

“The Moment” of True Love That Changed My Marriage

February 15, 2025

Faith + Grace

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! I hope today finds you feeling loved and sharing that love with yourself and those around you. Speaking of love, I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about my relationship with the love of my life, my husband. For those of you who’ve been part of this community…

meloniebygrace

3,503 14,451

Lover of Jesus
Attorney | Wife and Working Mama of 4
Corporate mama life | Encouraging women to live by His grace!
📍So. Cal

Mar 12

Happy National Working Moms Day! Being a lawyer, board member, and mother of four isn’t easy. There’s always a tension between my professional life and my motherhood — a win in one role often means I took a loss in the other role. A long day of crushing it at work means I missed seeing four smiling faces that day. Volunteering at the girls’ schools means missing out on client-facing events.

Even though there’s tension, I’m a better person for it. I don’t think I could be as good of a lawyer without the skills motherhood gave me, and I think there’s incredible value for my daughters to see me, a Black woman, pursue professional dreams in this space.

So I’m spending this National Working Moms Day in gratitude for this journey. Cheers to all you working mamas out there — you’re doing great!

Happy National Working Moms Day! Being a lawyer, board member, and mother of four isn’t easy. There’s always a tension between my professional life and my motherhood — a win in one role often means I took a loss in the other role. A long day of crushing it at work means I missed seeing four smiling faces that day. Volunteering at the girls’ schools means missing out on client-facing events.

Even though there’s tension, I’m a better person for it. I don’t think I could be as good of a lawyer without the skills motherhood gave me, and I think there’s incredible value for my daughters to see me, a Black woman, pursue professional dreams in this space.

So I’m spending this National Working Moms Day in gratitude for this journey. Cheers to all you working mamas out there — you’re doing great! ...

227 4

Feb 24

Last week, I returned to work from maternity leave. I really enjoyed working again, but I admit I felt disoriented, too. Looking at photos of this little dumplin’ helped, and made me realize I haven’t shared her monthly photos since she turned three months old. Sis is now 6 months! 🤦🏾‍♀️

So here’s Worthy Girl at 4 months, 5 months, and now 6 months! Time is flying and I’m not ok! 😭

Last week, I returned to work from maternity leave. I really enjoyed working again, but I admit I felt disoriented, too. Looking at photos of this little dumplin’ helped, and made me realize I haven’t shared her monthly photos since she turned three months old. Sis is now 6 months! 🤦🏾‍♀️

So here’s Worthy Girl at 4 months, 5 months, and now 6 months! Time is flying and I’m not ok! 😭 ...

643 7

Feb 15

My one and only slow dance partner. My favorite co-chef, theologian, frisbee partner, debater, and girl dad captain. The best to ever do it.

My love, my forever Valentine.

My one and only slow dance partner. My favorite co-chef, theologian, frisbee partner, debater, and girl dad captain. The best to ever do it.

My love, my forever Valentine. ...

511 2

Jan 21

We spent this MLK Day of Service serving people affected by the #losangeleswildfires. It was heartbreaking to see so, so many families completely without. Thank you @ladreamcenter for providing such an attainable opportunity for my whole family to help love on Angelenos and rebuild a city so special to us ❤️

We spent this MLK Day of Service serving people affected by the #losangeleswildfires. It was heartbreaking to see so, so many families completely without. Thank you @ladreamcenter for providing such an attainable opportunity for my whole family to help love on Angelenos and rebuild a city so special to us ❤️ ...

793 2

Dec 26

Merry Christmas! Rejoice in the wonders of His love this year ❤️ — The Jordans

Merry Christmas! Rejoice in the wonders of His love this year ❤️ — The Jordans ...

289 0

Dec 9

Worthy is 3 months old 🩷 This feels momentous — I feel such a positive shift in my mind and body at the three-month mark and end of the fourth trimester!

Worthy is 3 months old 🩷 This feels momentous — I feel such a positive shift in my mind and body at the three-month mark and end of the fourth trimester! ...

551 4

Nov 5

Vote like a mother today 🩷 Voting for my daughters and their future 🩷

Vote like a mother today 🩷 Voting for my daughters and their future 🩷 ...

240 0

Nov 4

Thank you all for the birthday wishes!!! 🩷 I had a great weekend celebrating with Joshua and the girls. I can’t believe I’m 34 with FOUR kids 😳 life comes at you fast!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes!!! 🩷 I had a great weekend celebrating with Joshua and the girls. I can’t believe I’m 34 with FOUR kids 😳 life comes at you fast! ...

164 2

Nov 2

This is 34 🩷 it’s my birthday!

I am grateful for these 34 years — for my body that has carried my 4 girls (having the last 3 in the last four(!) years), for my mind pushing through depression and anxiety, and for my heart still full of resilience and dreams.

I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot, but without Jesus it all means nothing. So, I’m most thankful that He has walked with me, and carried me. I’m really excited to keep going with Him for the rest of my days.

#birthdaygirl #thisis34

This is 34 🩷 it’s my birthday!

I am grateful for these 34 years — for my body that has carried my 4 girls (having the last 3 in the last four(!) years), for my mind pushing through depression and anxiety, and for my heart still full of resilience and dreams.

I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot, but without Jesus it all means nothing. So, I’m most thankful that He has walked with me, and carried me. I’m really excited to keep going with Him for the rest of my days.

#birthdaygirl #thisis34 ...

573 34

Nov 1

Harvest Fest, Reformation Day, Fall Fest, Hallelujah Night, Fallelujah Night, whatever you want to call it — we enjoyed a beautiful night at church as Minnie Mouse x 2 (Honor and Noah), Minnie’s cat Figaro (Worthy), Daisy (Raegan), Clarabelle (me), and Clarabelle’s boo Goofy (Joshua) 🩷

Harvest Fest, Reformation Day, Fall Fest, Hallelujah Night, Fallelujah Night, whatever you want to call it — we enjoyed a beautiful night at church as Minnie Mouse x 2 (Honor and Noah), Minnie’s cat Figaro (Worthy), Daisy (Raegan), Clarabelle (me), and Clarabelle’s boo Goofy (Joshua) 🩷 ...

464 9

Oct 28

2 months of our Worthy girl 🩷

2 months of our Worthy girl 🩷 ...

542 4

Oct 22

Anyone else trying to figure out how to get their toddlers to eat more fruits and veg? Enter: @littlebellies Organic Frozen Purées! I ran to Target to grab to grab all five flavors! They’re frozen cubes thawed quickly so that I can throw them into sauces, make popsicles, or serve them as sis for a quick snack! I can’t wait for Worthy to try them when she’s ready!

Find them at your local @target! Let me know if you loved them, too!

#ad
#littlebelliesusa
#littlebellies
#gifted

Anyone else trying to figure out how to get their toddlers to eat more fruits and veg? Enter: @littlebellies Organic Frozen Purées! I ran to Target to grab to grab all five flavors! They’re frozen cubes thawed quickly so that I can throw them into sauces, make popsicles, or serve them as sis for a quick snack! I can’t wait for Worthy to try them when she’s ready!

Find them at your local @target! Let me know if you loved them, too!

#ad
#littlebelliesusa
#littlebellies
#gifted ...

66 6

Sep 27

Doing dishes for my family of six (!) used to involve water everywhere, soap rings, and soggy sponges. Who knew a sink caddy and a fast drying rack would bring so much order to my countertop and sink?

Comment SHOP below to receive a DM with the link to shop this post on my LTK ⬇ https://liketk.it/4RjfP

Doing dishes for my family of six (!) used to involve water everywhere, soap rings, and soggy sponges. Who knew a sink caddy and a fast drying rack would bring so much order to my countertop and sink?

Comment SHOP below to receive a DM with the link to shop this post on my LTK ⬇ https://liketk.it/4RjfP ...

15 1

Sep 26

The absolute lights of my life, my beautiful baby girls 🩷🩷🩷🩷 Happy National Daughters Day, my girls

The absolute lights of my life, my beautiful baby girls 🩷🩷🩷🩷 Happy National Daughters Day, my girls ...

646 7

Sep 23

Breastfeeding routine with my one month old ft. @jackandjillkids 🩷

I’ve breastfed all my kids and I’ve always been advised to wipe their gums after nursing — clean and healthy gums help to make sure that their teeth are strong and healthy when they come through! It’s so cool that there are wipes for parents now from Jack N’ Jill— sterilized, individually wrapped, natural, and made with xylitol!

Happy mouth, happy baby!

#jacknjillkids #breastfeeding #onemonthold

Breastfeeding routine with my one month old ft. @jackandjillkids 🩷

I’ve breastfed all my kids and I’ve always been advised to wipe their gums after nursing — clean and healthy gums help to make sure that their teeth are strong and healthy when they come through! It’s so cool that there are wipes for parents now from Jack N’ Jill— sterilized, individually wrapped, natural, and made with xylitol!

Happy mouth, happy baby!

#jacknjillkids #breastfeeding #onemonthold ...

156 2

Sep 22

One month (and a few days) of Worthy 🩷 swipe for the gummiest smile 😍

One month (and a few days) of Worthy 🩷 swipe for the gummiest smile 😍 ...

995 7

Sep 21

Happy 2nd Birthday to the happiest girl with the biggest most beautiful smile, Noah girl! 💜 (She turned 2 earlier this week)

Her favorite show is Little Bear (remember that show from Nick Jr?) and her favorite color is purple, so a purple Little Bear themed party at home was perfect. She’s grown so much from last year (when we did a strawberry themed party - swipe for one year old Noah photos).

Noah Grace, we love you forever and ever 💜

Happy 2nd Birthday to the happiest girl with the biggest most beautiful smile, Noah girl! 💜 (She turned 2 earlier this week)

Her favorite show is Little Bear (remember that show from Nick Jr?) and her favorite color is purple, so a purple Little Bear themed party at home was perfect. She’s grown so much from last year (when we did a strawberry themed party - swipe for one year old Noah photos).

Noah Grace, we love you forever and ever 💜 ...

463 6

Sep 20

As a mother of four, I’m looking for quality, health-focused products for my girls. That’s why I used @jackandjillkids for our morning routine with my littlest ones!

The biggest draw for me was the natural toothpaste with 40% xylitol - an ingredient our dentist repeatedly recommends but is hard to find in toothpaste! That, plus the flossers are indivisible wrapped (a hygiene win when you have tiny hands dipping into a bag repeatedly).

Find @jackandjillkids products using the link in my stories!

#meloniebygrace #jacknjillkids

As a mother of four, I’m looking for quality, health-focused products for my girls. That’s why I used @jackandjillkids for our morning routine with my littlest ones!

The biggest draw for me was the natural toothpaste with 40% xylitol - an ingredient our dentist repeatedly recommends but is hard to find in toothpaste! That, plus the flossers are indivisible wrapped (a hygiene win when you have tiny hands dipping into a bag repeatedly).

Find @jackandjillkids products using the link in my stories!

#meloniebygrace #jacknjillkids ...

78 3

Sep 18

Had a small virtual shindig this week, and didn't want to bust my budget. Setting up for a small party at home calls for some DIY decor - put this easy balloon garland together in less than 15 minutes, using what I already had — my trusty balloon pump that's lasted for 7 years so far!

If you want to celebrate but don't want to be outlandish, try to DIY your decor. Here’s the pump I‘e been using for years.

Comment SHOP below to receive a DM with the link to shop this post on my LTK ⬇ https://liketk.it/4RtKc

#diyballoongarland #diypartydecor

Had a small virtual shindig this week, and didn`t want to bust my budget. Setting up for a small party at home calls for some DIY decor - put this easy balloon garland together in less than 15 minutes, using what I already had — my trusty balloon pump that`s lasted for 7 years so far!

If you want to celebrate but don`t want to be outlandish, try to DIY your decor. Here’s the pump I‘e been using for years.

Comment SHOP below to receive a DM with the link to shop this post on my LTK ⬇ https://liketk.it/4RtKc

#diyballoongarland #diypartydecor ...

58 2

Sep 15

You may have noticed that I tend to disappear for months (and sometimes years!) from social media. Whether my breaks are planned or not, the reason why I post sporadically is because I struggle with social media even though I love using it!

After wrestling with this struggle for a few years, I wanted to share my hesitancies in case anyone else shares the same reservations. I share 7 thoughts on my blog (link in bio). Here’s a glimpse at 3. Do any resonate with you?

1. I want my motives to stay pure, but I can get discouraged by the numbers: something changed for me in 2020 — my follower count began to fall (and continues to do so to date), and I was lucky if even a few hundred people even saw my posts, much less liked or engaged with them. To be honest, it was really discouraging. I knew I shouldn’t care about the numbers, but it sucked to pour my heart into a post or video and see it do badly.

2. Social media tends to commodity humans, not honor them: I am uncomfortable with the way people are reduced to ”products” by social media. Real humans, image bearers, are treated like products or items to be reviewed and liked/disliked. Think about it — people leave comments and stars as reviews. I think social media can reduce us to consumable items when we were made for so much more.

3. I don't want to contribute to mass consumerism and fast fashion: I really love sharing and receiving recommendations for things like clothes and house goods and decor. However, I can’t help but feel that social media encourages people to chase the newest items, cycle through fast fashion, and buy too many items all around. Fast fashion’s impact on the environment and on society, in particular, is horrible, from carbon emissions to water usage, from forced and child labor to textile waste and microplastics. Social media helps to contribute to mass consumerism in a way that makes me very uncomfortable at times.

More thoughts at meloniebygrace.com

You may have noticed that I tend to disappear for months (and sometimes years!) from social media. Whether my breaks are planned or not, the reason why I post sporadically is because I struggle with social media even though I love using it!

After wrestling with this struggle for a few years, I wanted to share my hesitancies in case anyone else shares the same reservations. I share 7 thoughts on my blog (link in bio). Here’s a glimpse at 3. Do any resonate with you?

1. I want my motives to stay pure, but I can get discouraged by the numbers: something changed for me in 2020 — my follower count began to fall (and continues to do so to date), and I was lucky if even a few hundred people even saw my posts, much less liked or engaged with them. To be honest, it was really discouraging. I knew I shouldn’t care about the numbers, but it sucked to pour my heart into a post or video and see it do badly.

2. Social media tends to commodity humans, not honor them: I am uncomfortable with the way people are reduced to ”products” by social media. Real humans, image bearers, are treated like products or items to be reviewed and liked/disliked. Think about it — people leave comments and stars as reviews. I think social media can reduce us to consumable items when we were made for so much more.

3. I don`t want to contribute to mass consumerism and fast fashion: I really love sharing and receiving recommendations for things like clothes and house goods and decor. However, I can’t help but feel that social media encourages people to chase the newest items, cycle through fast fashion, and buy too many items all around. Fast fashion’s impact on the environment and on society, in particular, is horrible, from carbon emissions to water usage, from forced and child labor to textile waste and microplastics. Social media helps to contribute to mass consumerism in a way that makes me very uncomfortable at times.

More thoughts at meloniebygrace.com ...

396 11

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meloniebygrace

3,503 14,451

Lover of Jesus
Attorney | Wife and Working Mama of 4
Corporate mama life | Encouraging women to live by His grace!
📍So. Cal

Mar 12

Happy National Working Moms Day! Being a lawyer, board member, and mother of four isn’t easy. There’s always a tension between my professional life and my motherhood — a win in one role often means I took a loss in the other role. A long day of crushing it at work means I missed seeing four smiling faces that day. Volunteering at the girls’ schools means missing out on client-facing events.

Even though there’s tension, I’m a better person for it. I don’t think I could be as good of a lawyer without the skills motherhood gave me, and I think there’s incredible value for my daughters to see me, a Black woman, pursue professional dreams in this space.

So I’m spending this National Working Moms Day in gratitude for this journey. Cheers to all you working mamas out there — you’re doing great!

Happy National Working Moms Day! Being a lawyer, board member, and mother of four isn’t easy. There’s always a tension between my professional life and my motherhood — a win in one role often means I took a loss in the other role. A long day of crushing it at work means I missed seeing four smiling faces that day. Volunteering at the girls’ schools means missing out on client-facing events.

Even though there’s tension, I’m a better person for it. I don’t think I could be as good of a lawyer without the skills motherhood gave me, and I think there’s incredible value for my daughters to see me, a Black woman, pursue professional dreams in this space.

So I’m spending this National Working Moms Day in gratitude for this journey. Cheers to all you working mamas out there — you’re doing great! ...

227 4

Feb 24

Last week, I returned to work from maternity leave. I really enjoyed working again, but I admit I felt disoriented, too. Looking at photos of this little dumplin’ helped, and made me realize I haven’t shared her monthly photos since she turned three months old. Sis is now 6 months! 🤦🏾‍♀️

So here’s Worthy Girl at 4 months, 5 months, and now 6 months! Time is flying and I’m not ok! 😭

Last week, I returned to work from maternity leave. I really enjoyed working again, but I admit I felt disoriented, too. Looking at photos of this little dumplin’ helped, and made me realize I haven’t shared her monthly photos since she turned three months old. Sis is now 6 months! 🤦🏾‍♀️

So here’s Worthy Girl at 4 months, 5 months, and now 6 months! Time is flying and I’m not ok! 😭 ...

643 7

Feb 15

My one and only slow dance partner. My favorite co-chef, theologian, frisbee partner, debater, and girl dad captain. The best to ever do it.

My love, my forever Valentine.

My one and only slow dance partner. My favorite co-chef, theologian, frisbee partner, debater, and girl dad captain. The best to ever do it.

My love, my forever Valentine. ...

511 2

Jan 21

We spent this MLK Day of Service serving people affected by the #losangeleswildfires. It was heartbreaking to see so, so many families completely without. Thank you @ladreamcenter for providing such an attainable opportunity for my whole family to help love on Angelenos and rebuild a city so special to us ❤️

We spent this MLK Day of Service serving people affected by the #losangeleswildfires. It was heartbreaking to see so, so many families completely without. Thank you @ladreamcenter for providing such an attainable opportunity for my whole family to help love on Angelenos and rebuild a city so special to us ❤️ ...

793 2

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