Bliss LeBlanc is shown with husband Eric and their children Elliott, 1 month old, Maggie, 3 years old, and Millie, 5 years old.
LeBlanc does balancing act
Bliss Romero LeBlanc has a full-time job as a nurse at Abbeville General Hospital and is the mother of three young children, all under five.
And if that isn’t enough to keep the 32-year-old Erath native busy, she also finds time to balance another role in her life, being the coach’s wife. LeBlanc’s husband Eric is the head football coach at their alma mater, Erath High School.
“It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it,” she said. “We take every day as they come and live by our schedules and calendar. Of course, our family always takes precedence, but when you love what you do, our family blends right on in.”
And she loves all aspects of her life, from work to being a mother to being a coach’s wife. She and Eric dated for 12 years, through high school and college at McNeese State University, before marrying on Jan. 16, 2015. They’ve since become the parents of Millie, 5 years old; Maggie, 3; and Elliott, one month old.
“I’d have to say it is very challenging being a working mother and wife with young children, but somehow as a mother, you find what’s necessary for yourself to ‘just do it,’” LeBlanc said. “The job is never done, there’s always something that needs tending to, but as a wife and mother, you make a way to get it done.”
Motherhood has its rewards, of course.
“Becoming a mother has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” she said. “Being entrusted and blessed to carry, nurture and love our children as their mother is ultimately one of the greatest gifts I could ever imagine.”
Nursing was her first choice for a career. She finished her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in four years at McNeese and became a registered nurse because she wanted to take care of people and help them heal in their most vulnerable times.
“I became a nurse to help impact the health and lives of others,” LeBlanc said. “Getting to work every day knowing that I will impact someone’s life and health is one of my favorite things about being a nurse.”
For the past three years, LeBlanc has worked five days a week, Monday through Friday, as a pre-operative nurse in the Outpatient Surgery Department at Abbeville General. It’s been challenging at times.
“Coming out of college with a nursing degree compared to now, I have grown in knowledge and realize that there is much more to nursing than I ever could have thought possible,” she said. “The world of nursing is constantly evolving and growing, and there is always something to learn as a nurse.
“Nursing, as a career, will always have its ups and downs. But, in general, I would have to say that the Coronavirus Pandemic since March of 2020 has been one of the toughest, most straining parts in my career as a nurse thus far.”
She said that having a husband who shares in the chores helps her maintain that balance between personal and professional obligations.
“He is a great teammate when helping around the house,” LeBlanc said. “We do share in the duties of household chores.”
The couple also gets support from both of their families.
“Our families are both blessings, each side contributing in their own ways” she said. “My mother has been one of our greatest supporters since having our children, whether it is pick-up from school, going to doctors’ appointments, being a chauffeur, getting the girls to dance, etc. You name it, and she’s there.”
Life becomes even more of a challenge during football season.
“Days are longer for Eric during the season, but we make it all work,” she said. “We adjust our schedules accordingly to him technically working 7 days out the week. It’s definitely hard to plan anything during football season, hence our wedding in January!”
The kids are still young but already enjoy football season.
“The LeBlanc family bleeds Bobcat Blue! Our girls definitely enjoy going to the Bobcat football games!” LeBlanc said. “They always light up seeing their Daddy on the game field, and some of our favorite memories have been made in those bleachers. Our little girls understand that Daddy is a coach and have been around the game since birth. We can’t wait for our baby boy to experience his first Bobcat football game this season!”
