Inspiring Mom Recovers From Tragic Plane Crash Through Faith, Family, and Community
October 5, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 4 Comments
Christian Nielson describes his wife’s personality as green, because she’s “mild, lovely, and creative.” Even after only meeting Stephanie once, I would agree!
Stephanie, or Nie Nie, as many refer to her, writes the Nie Nie Dialogues. Her bio reads: “Stephanie Aurora Clark Nielson returns from an almost fatal plane crash. Happy to be blogging again from Utah and recovering too. Four happy children and one sweet husband make her life as good as it gets.”
She inspires, she motivates, she shares. And people read. Lots of people! If you haven’t made your way over, grab a box of tissues and stop by, but make sure to start at the beginning because this is one inspiring mama!
August 2008 marked a time of change for Stephanie and Christian when their plane crashed near St. Johns, Arizona and more than 85% of Stephanie’s body was badly burned. After more than 3 months in a coma and now more than a year in recovery, Stephanie shows us how to overcome challenges through faith, family, and community.
“My faith is everything,” Stephanie says when asked what has helped her overcome life’s challenges. “It is my life and my strength. I rely on the amazing power of prayer and being guided by the Holy Ghost. It is really a beautiful thing. It guides me and leads me to understand my children better. I believe that my children are precious spirits of our Heavenly Father and I am preparing them to be good parents and citizens themselves. I couldn’t do that if my faith didn’t play a role.”
Her husband, or her “Mr. Nielson” as she refers to him in her blog, has also been a strength to pull her through. “He took care of me when the accident happened as if I was his child. He became mother and father for almost a year. He has been there to lean on when times get frustrating and tough…and they did and still do. He is my listening ear, my best friend, and most importantly my greatest support in this life.”
When I chatted with Christian, I got a sense of the good friends that he and Stephanie are. He shared with me that at his last job, he used to have his desktop set to his wife’s blog. He said reading her blog was the first thing he did every day before delving into work-related tasks. He joked that he learned so much more about his family that way!
When Stephanie was unable to blog, her sister Courtney took over the writing for her, updating her growing readership regularly on Stephanie’s status and progress. The blogosphere cried together as Stephanie struggled to make it through each day. We were thrilled when Christian was able to finally see her for the first time after the accident, and we banded together to raise money to help offset the medical bills.
“When the accident happened,” Stephanie shared, “So many mothers and women sent me gifts, letters, cards and donations. My favorite was getting handmade crafts that they made for my children or me. They made me smile and cry knowing that other mothers were feeling my pain and using their creative works to help me heal. It was overwhelming and so kind.”
Now, Stephanie and Christian are reunited with their children, living near family in Utah, and are experiencing a lot of “AC” (after crash) firsts. When I visited Stephanie, she excitedly shared that she had just vacuumed the stairs for the first time since the accident. I sat in wonder, thinking how much I typically complain about vacuuming stairs. She commented, “I think the toughest part right now is not being able to help [my kids] tie their shoes, button their shirts, and run around with them. We really take those for granted.” I asked her what her favorite part of being a mom was and she replied: “I think the best part is being needed. I am nothing if I can’t serve them.”
Learn more about Stephanie and her family by reading Nie Nie Dialogues or CusineNie. You can also follow her @nieniedialogues on Twitter. If you’d like to hear her speak in person, be sure and check out her key note at next summer’s Evo Conference for women in social media in Park City, Utah.Moms Turns Political Commentary into Mommentary
September 19, 2009 by Danielle Smith · Leave a Comment
Politics can be such a divisive topic. Many have opinions, strong ones. Others waffle back and forth – struggling to really understand the issues, but afraid to ask.
I find it isn’t often you hear politics discussed by moms on the playground. That could be because we find ourselves too pressed for time to pay attention or because we are wary of engaging in serious debate without having done the proper research.
Now that may be on over-generalization, however, Molly Teichman is on a mission to bring politics to moms. Recognizing our value in the home, and as leaders in our families she wants mothers to be educated about politics, to have a forum to express their opinions without fear of ridicule and she wants them to be comfortable asking questions if there is something they don’t know or don’t understand.
This mother of three beautiful children created Political Mommentary - a site dedicated to factual political discussion free of “name calling, one liners or other divisive behavior”. Molly recognizes people won’t always agree; in fact, she embraces the idea. She is hoping to encourage bipartisan discussion.
She explains, “With a furrowed brow I find myself misunderstood and disappointed at the incredibly divided political landscape. Often not in line with my Republican party, nor feeling understanding from a more liberal crowd, I felt it was necessary to begin a new path toward bipartisan debate and understanding.”
And thus, Political Mommentary was born. With information presented from both sides of the political spectrum – and everywhere in between, Molly has created a political haven for moms to learn, understand and question the world around them.
Engage. Ask. Discuss. Debate.
Offer commentary.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Fighting Breast Cancer One Blog Post at a Time
September 12, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 3 Comments
You might call her a Southern Belle.
You might call her a fantastic chef.
She is a Mommy, a friend and a fighter. I call her an inspiration.
Those who inspire most deeply tend to be the people who lead by example. Rachel from A Southern Fairy Tale does just that. She is dedicating her blog to fighting breast cancer for the entire month of October. As is typical of Rachel’s sweet nature and wit, she is calling it Blogging for Boobs.
Last year she did a huge giveaway to drive traffic to her site to increase awareness and raise money through Ad revenue. This year, she is stepping up her committment. She is donating her entire site to the cause. Come October, her blog will turn pink and she will have guest posters sharing their stories, their tributes and information. Items have already been donated so she can do weekly giveaways – and she has set up a special page called, what else – Blogging for Boobs where people can donate directly to the Susan G Komen foundation.
Why is Rachel doing this? Not because she has to. But because she knows you and I have likely been touched, in some way, by this disease – and she knows a cure is in our future – if only we can continue to fight, spread awareness and raise money.
For Rachel, it is her mother-in-law and at least three friends who’s moms have been affected. These women serve as a reminder of the pervasiveness of this disease. And it is for them that Rachel is Blogging for Boobs.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Amazing Mom takes care of Military Families While Husband is Deployed
September 5, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 7 Comments
On a typical day, Tammy Munson’s alarm clock wakes her up at six o’clock in the morning. She gets herself ready, feeds the dog, wakes her daughters, sevenyear old Rebecca and 11 year old Kiersten and gets them off to school.
Then she is off and running – blogging at her own site, ArmyHousehold6, managing the PTO as its President, cleaning her house, and talking to her husband for 30 minutes a day, sometimes on the phone and sometimes by instant message.
For the last 90 days, Tammy has done her job as a parent alone. Her husband, Sgt. Dan Munson is in the middle of a 365 day deployment. This mother of two does it all with a smile, knowing her husband’s job is dangerous, but necessary, “He is protecting our freedom and providing for our future. I just keep things going until he can come back to us.”
Being the one at home is challenging, as much of the information she gets about her husband is ‘need to know’ only. She explains, “You don’t know what he is doing, if he is safe, if he is hot or cold.”
So Tammy keeps busy, very busy. She checks on the needs of her ‘adopted troops’, gathers expired coupons for military families abroad to use, generates donations for care packages for the troops in her husband’s platoon, and does everything in her power to honor the men and women who serve our country.
The program she is most proud of is Help A Service Member Out (HASMO). HASMO is a rapid reaction team that responds to the needs of military service members and their families. Just about a year ago, Tammy learned of a young soldier severely, Pfc. Hunter Levine wounded in Iraq. Moved beyond words, Tammy created HASMO to help soldiers like Levine and their families get the support they need. HASMO has an email list of people willing to help as well as a list of those in need.
Tammy comes by her respect of the military honestly – her grandfather spent more than 30 years in the service and her father was a member of the National Guard.
Now, her husband, her children’s father, fights for freedom. He will be home in the Spring for a short time and then he will be gone again. His deployment ends in Summer 2010. He is guaranteed to be home for 12 months once he is comes back to his family.
Here at home, Tammy counts the days, takes care of her own children and protects her extended military family with her every thought and action.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Mom Creates Hip Children’s Clothing Line and Fights Juvenile Diabetes
August 22, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 2 Comments
Jessica Wiswall doesn’t even know how to sew.
This is amazing considering she created My Vintage Baby - a line of children’s clothing she says are, “a piece of yesterday designed for the hip child of today.”
A former marketing manager for Coca-Cola, Jessica chose to stay home with her children when she and her husband started a family. But in 2003, Jessica’s creativity began to overflow. She found herself designing one of a kind pieces of clothing for her daughter, Jaiden. She would envision what she wanted and then ask a friend to help her actually create the piece. She used chenille, hankies, aprons and and tablecloths to embellish the clothing. Eventually, she couldn’t take her daughter out in the clothes without being stopped by admirers.
So, with the help of a few crafty and talented neighbors, her vision of beautiful, vintage clothing for kids became a reality. Working from her own dining room and a neighbor’s garage, the designs Jessica pictured in her mind became a reality one piece at a time.
In the beginning, this creative mom of three had two goals: “to get in Neiman Marcus – we did it! and to be on Oprah – we are still trying!”
Her incredible tipping point occurred one day as she and her daughter were walking through Nordstroms. Naturally, her daughter Jaiden was wearing one of her designs. The children’s apparel manager came rushing over, asking where she had bought Jaiden’s outfit – saying that the store simply MUST begin to carry them. In a matter of days, Jessica was on a flight to Chicago to meet with the Nordstrom’s buyer. And the rest, my friends, is history.
My Vintage Baby is now in almost 600 stores nationwide. And Jessica is starting to shake things up a bit. The company has a new business model: My Vintage Baby Direct – which will allow the women who adore this line of clothing to sell it directly to anyone who is interested. This means lower prices, one-to-one interaction and, the people doing the selling will know everything there is to know about the brand and designs – definitely a personal touch.
My Vintage Baby Direct – still in its trial stage, will also allow Jessica to invest professionally in a charity close to her heart – the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Three members of her family – her husband, her oldest son, Jackson and her daughter, Jaiden all live with Juvenile Diabetes. The family has been active with the charity in the past – including participating in the JDRF’s annual walk.
In addition to this, the company also supports Angel’s Attic in Grapevine, Texas with clothing donations whenever they can.
My Vintage Baby carries girls clothing size 0M-10, boys clothing 0M- 10, maternity tees, diaper bags and blankets.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Finding time for Friendship
August 16, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 1 Comment
The older I get, the more I value the friends I have. True friendship as an adult, as a mom, takes time and effort. It isn’t easy because we all have so much ‘life’ spinning around us – our families, our homes, our work (either at home or away from it).
We have carpools and soccer games, dinner times and preschool graduations, doctors appointments and teacher conferences, family vacations and work obligations – to say nothing of taking care of your home, or spending quality time with your kids and significant other.
And yet, we manage. Because our friends matter. They keep us sane, help us navigate the minefield of motherhood and even guide us through pain.
It doesn’t matter how you met your ‘best friends’ – it matters only how you treat them and how they treat you.
Take Brandy Tanner and Dwan Perrin.
They met online. Until this summer, the entirety of their friendship had been via the Internet and phone. And yet, they are there for each other – they share a mutual respect and loyalty.
Brandy on Dwan: “Dwan is extraordinary because she is a single mother of three children. No matter how hard life may be financially and emotionally for Dwan, she is still a Mom who does extraordinary things for her children. She gives all she has to them and tries her best to make money working from home.”
Dwan believes her most important job as a mom is to teach unconditional love by example. This is a philosophy she lives daily as she cares for Tapanga who is 11, 7 year old Gabby and almost 3 year old Noah.
It was while dealing with Gabby’s extensive medical problems that Dwan moved from the corporate world to working at home full time, while caring for her children. Gabby suffered a pediatric stroke in utero and has since struggled with Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy. In only her 7 short years, she has had 5 major surgeries – 2 of them on her brain.
With Dwan by her side, Gabby sees 6 specialists and 5 therapists on a regular basis. This is modeling unconditional love. And she constantly supports her family on all levels, “I work from home literally around the clock, in between caring for kids, doctor appointments, running errands, maintaining the house and sleeping.”
How is it even possible to balance everything Dwan has on her plate? “I take one day at a time and just when I think I can’t handle another day, I remember my children NEED me. I am the one they count on and I know God would never hand me more than I can handle.”
And of course, she has Brandy, “We talk daily and learn on each other constantly. I’d be lost without Brandy!”
Dwan on Brandy: “Although Brandy is married, her husband works at least 6 days a week and she basically has to run the home/children on her own. Along with breastfeeding, diaper changing (she has 2 in diapers), dealing with a child with ADHD and juggling business, she makes time to be a best friend to me.”
Balancing life as a work at home mom with raising three children – a 6 year old daughter and 2 sons who are 2 and under, Brandy’s days are full. And yet, the only thing she would change would be to have her husband around a bit more. She worries about the stress he endures working a 6 day, 50 hour week.
Though she does it all at home and manages a new business, Brandy considers having two small guys in diapers to be one of her biggest challenges, “it seems when I am changing one, the other wants mommy all to himself.”
Clearly, being a Mom is a priority for Brandy, “I hope to teach all three of my children that it is ok to make mistakes as long as you learn something from those mistakes and move forward in a positive direction.”
Helping her to constantly move in that positive direction: Dwan.
Both Moms are in the midst of managing blogs (visit Dwan and Brandy) and starting new businesses online. Brandy is an online virtual asistant and Dwan will soon be launching her new business - a definite passion for her.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Using Faith to Conquer Fears
August 9, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 2 Comments
I don’t think I will ever cease to be amazed by the pure strength, the unshakable faith of Jenn and Chris Hawn.
A few weeks ago, I shared their story with you. Their young son, Ryan, was suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy - a disease that was certain to rob them of many years of joy with him.
The disease did just that. Ryan turned 6 months old on July 27th – and passed away in his parent’s arms that evening. Knowing he was deteriorating, they had kept him in bed with them. About two o’clock in the morning they realized Ryan was preparing to leave them.
They had feared his last moments would be painful, but their faith was rewarded by a deep breath and a smile like none they had ever seen. Jenn shares this remarkable moment here. I can’t do it justice.
Confident that Ryan had just witnessed the most beautiful scene imaginable and that he is finally free from all the restraints daily pain from SMA placed on him – the couple are able to smile through their pain.
At a time I’m not certain I would be capable of standing, this mother and father relied heavily on their faith and each other – and by example – teach the true meaning of faith.
And they are able to continue to encourage people to fight Spinal Muscular Atrophy by signing the petition to provide necessary funding to eliminate this disease and others like it.
You too can help. The petition can be found on the right hand side of the Hawn Family Website - it will only take about 2 minutes to sign.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Family Grows Through Love and Adoption
August 5, 2009 by Danielle Smith · Leave a Comment
Sandi Brown feels like her family of 6 is ‘ordinary’. She calls them a family made of love.
Friends describe Sandi as a “fantastic wife to a loving husband and an amazing play-down-on-the-floor-after-reading-the-same-book-for-the-15th-time mom”.
But the road to having their current family has been a long one.
About 6 years ago, while undergoing fertility treatments that, for some time, had been unsuccessful, Sandi and her husband began the process of domestic adoption. It was at this time that Sandi’s fertility and adoption journeys intersected.
Her very last cycle of fertility treatments was successful – she found out she was pregnant. A mere 3 months later, Sandi and her husband were given the name of a woman who was looking to give her baby up for adoption. Knowing her past pregnancies had been volatile, the couple decided to try both.
On October 17, 2003, Sandi and her husband were in the delivery room as Kimberly was born. They adopted her and were allowed to take her home within 24 hours. A mere 12 days later, on October 29th, Sandi went in to labor and gave birth to Annie. Two beautiful baby girls – both healthy – both theirs.
Sandi believed at the time that Kimberly and Annie were the only children she would ever have. But more miracles were in the works – Sandi got pregnant again and carried Madeline to term. This sweet girl is now 4 years old.
The newest edition to their family – Paul – was adopted from Ethiopia. Sandi believes with all her heart that they were all meant to be a family. She says adoption has been the most amazing thing in her life. She even has a series of quotes that remind her of the special bond she shares with her children:
“Natural Child: Any child who is not artificial. Real Parent: Any parent who is not imaginary. Your Own Child: Any child who is not someone else’s child. Adopted Child: A natural child, with a real parent, who is all my own.” ~Rita Law
In addition to making her family her number one priority, Sandi has a blog and an Etsy store where she sells quilts. She is also, clearly, a wonderful friend, always finding time for those around her and encouraging those going through the adoption process.
When asked how she balances it all, Sandi explains, ” I enjoy every moment. I don’t have a sparkling clean home and it is full of clutter, but my children are cared for and valued. I live by the saying, ‘Do something you love each day.’”
Clearly, it is being a Mom, wife and friend that Sandi most loves.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Letters to a Mother share Wisdom, Understanding
August 2, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 6 Comments
So often, I find the key to lifting a mom’s spirits is to share your story of motherhood – to say simply, I understand. Clearly, we don’t all have the same experiences, the same trials, the same triumphs, but we have something special – an understanding of the journey.
To know the story of a mother is to comprehend a greater good.
Now imagine your husband so valued you and your role in the home – as his wife, as the mother of his children – that he decided to gather stories – letters to a mother - as a gift to you.
Meet the man who did just that and the woman who wants to share the gift.
Seth and Amber Haines are unique, yet decidedly uncomplicated. They love each other deeply, and feel compelled to help others.
This past holiday season, the couple decided they would not spend any money on Christmas presents for each other. Inspired by Seth’s visit to Mozambique, Africa the previous year, they decided to donate the money they saved to a small village.
The challenge at home - to be creative, to be compassionate, to give from the heart.
Seth came up with an idea – one he says just sort of happened. ”There was no grand epiphany moment, nor was there a specific moment to which I can point for the genesis of the project.” Seth decided to ask Amber’s friends for a generic ‘letter to a mother’. He hoped to gather 30 to 40 to present to Amber on Christmas.
As letters began to trickle in, a friend suggested Seth set up a blog to take in more. New to the blog world, Seth went to some of the blogs Amber visited regularly. He reached out to a few of those bloggers as well. He immediately received some amazing responses. Not only would some of these women write a letter, but they helped to publicize the project as well.
By Christmas Day, Seth had collected around 600 letters.
Amber still has not yet finished reading all the letters. She explains, ” Most every letter represents a mom’s individual story, and each story needs to be heard. I love how the Mother Letters have given so many moms a voice, and I love how different all the voices are. I want to admire each voice, so it is very hard for me to plunge right into a letter after having just read another letter.”
And she finds so many letters apply to her journey as a mother, ”As this year rolls by and I encounter new motherly trials, I’ll turn to the next letter, and behold, it encourages me right where I am.” The letters are from single moms, mothers of 5, mothers who have lost a child and those who battle the day-to-day drama of raising a child.
For Seth, reading the letters has been astounding – he can now appreciate, on a completely different level – just how difficult mothering can be, “it’s given me new respect and admiration for what Amber goes through on a daily basis. I think every father should read as many of these letters as they can.”
For Amber, The Mother Letter Project has been an opportunity to watch her marriage grow. Not only was she astounded the moment Seth revealed her gift, but she continues to be amazed by the joy they experience together in finding something they are equally passionate about.
Once Seth and Amber were able to process the magnitude of this gift, they realized they had one regret, ” that I was not able to benefit the village in Mozambique in a more tangible way: “Instead of holding on to that regret, Amber and I decided to try and make another run, raising money for people who have some of the same struggles as the villagers I visited.”
While he was in Mozambique, Seth heard tragic stories of the hopelessness that grew among the people due to low wages, poor agricultural resources, and curable diseases, such as malaria. These stories prompted the couple to focus on combating malaria – a disease estimated to take the lives of 1 million children per year in Africa.
So, The Mother Letter Project moved forward with a second edition, released near Mother’s Day. The money they raised benefits Compassion International’s Malaria Intervention Fund.
And, they haven’t stopped. Seth and Amber have a shared passion for helping others – whether it is a mom they barely know or a family battling malaria in Mozambique. I am certain we will be hearing about them again in the future.
Pictures of the Haines Family were taken by Brooke Robinson.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
Mom Encourages Others to Be Their Best
July 30, 2009 by Danielle Smith · 4 Comments
The word infectious comes to mind when you think Sugar Jones.
Not because she loves to laugh. Though she does. Not because she is a consummate hugger. Though she is.
Simply because her infectiousness is truly contagious – and she wants it that way.
This homeschooling mother of four, Blog Talk Radio Show Host, blogger, wife, and website owner wants you to catch on – she wants you to join her on an amazing journey – she wants to help you learn, to create a pathway to your success.
This is what makes her unique. This is what makes her Sugar.
She puts her family first – she chooses to home school because she thinks it is the best option for her children. She balances home and work while acknowledging that it is hard. And she considers the best thing about parenting to be “reliving your childhood through the eyes of your children – everything is new and amazing again”. She manages to put herself in her kids shoes – and EXPERIENCE.
Knowing she isn’t perfect allows her to empathize with the less-than-wonderful experiences of other mothers. She understand what it is like to feel mommy-guilt.
There are 10 years between Sugar’s oldest daughters, Jasmine and Lauren and her two younger children – Hannah and Ryan. That time has given Sugar a chance to evolve as a parent, “I’m not parenting from a place of fear anymore. I’m trusting myself more and listening to others less. I never even pretend to have this parenting thing down. I love being the mom that says this is a tough job that isn’t always fun. I think it gives moms permission to do the same”.
Once moms have that ‘permission’ they open themselves to new and amazing possibilities. They stop focusing on what they aren’t doing and begin to set their sights on what they could be doing.
And it is at this moment that Sugar reaches out to pull you along – encouraging you to write, speak, and follow your dreams.
We could all use a little Sugar in our lives.
About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.
