My Mother's Day Thoughts...

I had started a post once I got home from my relaxing Mother’s Day but was thrilled to have received the note from Alicia Marie to please post her as a guest blogger. So, my post is a bit past the date of Mother’s Day however, the thoughts are there and I did type this out on the 12^th.

I look forward to sharing with you all another guest blogger coming up with in the next two weeks.

Enjoy the read…

May 12, 2013,

Today is Mother’s Day and we all went over to my daughter’s home for dinner. It was a late start as usual (why try to pretend we are early folks cause we are not) it was myself, my sister, my mother, my brother, father, one niece, as well as my son and daughter in-law. It was wonderful I did nothing but sit, watch TV, chat with the family and just enjoy the day.

They had some great gifts (which they did not need to do) for my mother and I as well as for my sister (they know she was always around for them). Both my mom and sister helped us out along the way as we did the single parent family thing. Despite telling them (my kids) that they do not need to buy gifts they do it anyway. It’s not the gifts but the time we all get to share with one another that is so very precious to me!

My son and daughter in-law gave me a book and they each wrote a loving dedication in it to me so sweet. My daughter gave me a cute card along with a gift certificate but it was what was written in the card and in the dedication in book that brought me to tears. As proud of me as they are I truly hope they know how proud of them I am! They both tell me they are who they are because of me and yet I am the women I am today because of them!

I was once asked how was I able to teach my kids to be such awesome adults and I thought about it and here is what I said…

I knew I had to be strong to teach them strength, I had to be fair (to a degree) to teach them fairness, I had to treat them with respect in order to receive it from them and I had to fall from time to time to show them that they will always be able to get back up no matter what happens to them!

You know this single parenting thing is/was a tough job but then parenting in general is a tough job, right?

Long live the three musketeers, who have grown and added to their tribe a wonderful daughter in-law and in the future a son in-law and who knows what else is in store for us..

And, so it goes…

In Celebration of Mom!

I'm a bit behind regarding my May 10^th kick-off however, I'm very excited with what I have in store for those of you who are checking in and reading this blog. Hopefully we get some more comments because the more comments the more interaction and sharing is always a great thing, right?

I want to take this week and the rest of this month to talk and honor moms who are raising their kids on their own. Don’t worry dad’s I know there are a lot of you as well and June is right around the corner which means all the single dads raising their kids on their own will have a chance. I know we can all learn from each other! 

As I promised I do not want to be the only one writing here and I have invited some pretty awesome moms to share their thoughts about raising their kids. What they have learned, what they have gone through and just sharing with all of us.

If you know a mom that we should be hearing from please contact me at mlopez@parentingonyourown.com let me know about who you are thinking of and please leave your name and phone number as well as e-mail. Also leave me a brief history about the mom you feel that others need to hear from. 

Lets begin... This first mom is awesome she raised her kids on her own. She is the founder of an amazing business called People biz, Inc which is a national coaching and training organization based in Austin, TX. That supports client’s measurable transformation in realizing their personal and professional goals. You can obtain Business Coaching, Executive Coaching, Leadership Programs, Wellness Programs and so much more. I have personally taken a business program with People biz, Inc through Count Me In, for women's economic Independence as well as a couple of here other programs and she as well as her team is amazing! You can connect with Alicia via FaceBook and please feel free to go to her business site at http://www.peoplebizinc.com/ -- if you are a mom or dad who is trying to figure out how to get a business up and running they are the people to go to!

I read her post from May 12^th and I knew I had to get permission to post it here for all of my readers to enjoy as much as I did. She was thrilled that I asked and told me yes please share.

OK, more info to follow but for now let’s take a read from Alicia Marie:

Being Fierce & Motherhood: 

Fierce is not mean, judgmental or angry; Fierce is an energy I learned /honed and sharpened from motherhood. I remember first feeling it when holding my first born. No one , no circumstance would ever get in the way of my loving him and caring for him. Fierce contains determination and is unstoppable. It came in handy as a "young mother" when I had to figure out how to put food on the table or manage my highly energetic child who seemingly never slept. 

Being fierce is a wise and spiritual energy and made having my last two sons at home a "no brainer". I learned that the body has it's own wisdom and knows what to do. 

It arose when "authority" such as teachers, doctors, friends and family questioned my parenting choices. 

Fierceness had me educate myself to support my family. It took hold when my children needed me the most and kept me faithful & courageous when they were learning life's lessons. Instead of trying to save them from the world. They learned to be bold. It kept me from interfering with "who" they were as they struggled to find their own way. 

Oh and I learned the "look' You know the "look". The one that stops your child dead in their tracks not from fear but because mom just drew the line in the sand. Fierceness was inclusive because it contained respect for myself and them. Fierceness allowed me to never need them to love me and taught them to love themselves versus look for it outside themselves. 

I never wanted to be a mother because I didn't think I would be good one. I always knew however each child was an unexpected and unplanned blessing and trusted that God would show me the way. 

Just as my mother was absolutely the perfect mother for who I have become somehow I was right for them. Their cards and calls to thank me and acknowledge me today was nice but it is no comparison to watching them live their lives with authenticity and strength. Now, they are grown men I am super proud of, not because of what they have done but because of who they are..."Fierce". 

I am forever grateful for this lesson of motherhood. I carry it with me everyday. Maybe God does have a plan for us all. 

Thank you Alicia for allowing me to take your facebook post and to share it here on my blog!

And, so it goes...