Thursday, April 28, 2016

Four Years a Mommy

Recently, a close friend found out that they will be a parent. I was so excited I probably talked their ear off about what to do, what not to do, and where to go. I mean because if you didn't know, I am Mommy Queen [This is in fact Sarcasm]. We talked for over an hour and I felt like with each word I was reliving my experience over again. But only the good stuff of course, I mean really it's the only stuff that matters. What really has four years of Mommyhood been like?

Well let me be frank, I wanted a boy! However, a precious little girl was exactly what I needed. She is such the little diva and so much like her mom, nosey and all. For lack of a better way to put it-It's been perfect.

I look at her and I can't believe she's mine. I created this friendly monster.All that I hope for the world, for humanity, it lies in her eyes. She is so caring and gentle. Her heart is pure. One night we were laying in bed and I asked her "What do you what to be when you grow up?" and she looked up at me and said " Whatever you want me to be mommy."
I'm so sappy, that this alone was enough to just completely melt my heart.I hate that she's a people pleaser, so I wanted her to dig deep. To hear about the things that roll around in that little mind of hers.
She looks back at me and says " I want to be a nurse and to help people if they are hurt or if they lose their dog,I will help them find it. I will just do whatever they need me to do."
Okay, cue tears and sappy music now. I was blown completely away. I mean some of the sentence didn't make sense clearly because nurses don't find dogs, but the compassion. It makes being a parent simple when you just naturally have an amazing child. I tell people all the time to be an only child Emsley is so giving and caring that I can hardly stand it.

Alternatively, Emsley is extremely busy! She asks entirely too many questions and she repeats everything. She ALWAYS wants me to play with her. I have to keep her nails done, and her hair up to her standards. I have to fuss with her every morning about what she wants to wear. She has to always be on top of my entire life. She has to lay on me, and sit near me and ALL THINGS MOMMY! But clearly all of the many good things out weigh anything that I could possibly say alternatively
.

Four years a mommy has been really great. I've learned about myself and people and just life in general. I've matured and just really embraced being Emsley's Mommy. I'm sure I have far too many faults to list here, that I should be working on. However, I have a happy, healthy, compassionate, and caring daughter. So, there's not too much more I could really ask for.

XOXO

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Graduation Motivation...

Graduation marks a triumphant completion. For me, it marks the end of senseless early mornings and the death of sleepless nights.
I can remember my grandmother taking me shopping to find the most appropriate interview attire to downplay my nicely formed baby bump. I was five months pregnant when I interviewed for a seat in the school of pharmacy’s class of 2016.

What are we doing or giving to make things better? If the answer is “nothing,” then we are failing. The only thing that stands in the way of being is doing. It takes just one step. One foot in front of the other, left foot, right foot repetitiously, enthusiastically and persistently.
This journey was not easy, nor was it glamorous. I’ve been frustrated, overwhelmed and angry. I’ve punched a time clock more than I’ve vacationed. I’ve endured heartbreak and betrayal. I’ve felt like a failure more than I’ve felt affluent.
I was determined to stay the course. Being bold brought me to the occasion, and being humble allowed me to rise to it. I did this for the little girl who calls me “Mommy,” to show her she has a choice and to set the standard, not the exception.
On May 8, I will graduate as Dr. Charity B. Strothers. However that amounts to nothing if my greatest accomplishment serves only to advance myself singularly.
For the person with just as many doubts as dreams, I share this poem:
It Couldn’t be Done
By Edgar Albert Guest
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;”
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Don't You Ever


I have a confession.

 I spend way too much idle time on social media. It's honestly a nasty little habit I've developed.

I'll be the first person to admit to being nosey. I should probably clarify that I mean nosey in a good way. I'm a people person, most of the time anyway, I like to share in birthdays, successes, and travels. It's always interesting, to me at least, to read people's views. I guess I just enjoy the aspect of engagement. However, every so often I  find a view or a post that just so happens to ruffle my feathers.

Today was in fact that day. Not that I have a life's work. But I feel that my life's work will be devoted to [at some point in time] inspiring people to do the impossible. I think if I were to have a slogan it would be "Making the impossible, possible!" Because that's what life is about, right? That's why we experience. So, okay now what the post was actually about. A young lady took the opportunity to boast for not having children and focusing on her career, so that when the time came her children would be well taken care of.

"I chose my career instead of laying around poppin kids out...guess im selfish. .....just know when i do decide they wouldnt want for nothing....called priorities"

So, my true issue is maybe me actually being sensitive and I'm willing to admit that I may actually be being sensitive. But, let's be perfectly honest. It's not what you've really done that was right versus what someone did that was so terribly wrong. But you haven't gotten caught doing the wrong they've done.
As a parent, I'm not sure you can ever really be prepared for this experience. You can try, but there are no guarantees in this business. But as a parent my daughter has never wanted for anything, I've never not be able to provide her basics necessaties and cover the majority of her wants. I felt the post may not have been very socially conscious. We have all made decisions [ I won't say mistakes, because I don't think my daughter is in any sense of the word, a mistake] that maybe we felt in hindsight we shouldn't have. Having a child or having children is a very public decision. A decision that I tell people [mothers] all the time doesn't stop them from being GREAT!

My intent is not to take anything away from this person and I certainly don't take this negatively personally. Let me just pause for the cause:

A. I will be graduating with a doctorate in 1 month
B. I have published several articles nationally
C. I am about to embark on a very successful career with a six figure salary
D. I have been a mother the entire time
E. All of the Above

So, as you were. I am a very confident and strong person, at this point in my life. But not every mother is and my goal is to motivate and not shun. The only selffish part of that post was that it glorified a persons personal decisions over anothers. Priorities= regarded as being more important than another. If you choose your career over starting a family, fine. If you choose starting a family over your career, fine. If you choose to do both at the same time, fine. And if you choose neither, far be it for anyone to judge.

Don't you ever let someone's opinion, belief, success, words, theory, or social media post hinder you from GREATNESS you desire for your life! Social media can be excellent platform to spread greatness, but it can also be a great platform to inadvertly suppress it.