Mommies!!!

I decided to write today about three of the best mommies I know: my best friend since grade school Suzanne, my co-worker Jennifer, and my cousin Kim. Each one of these women deserve a special shout-out!

First, there is Suzanne. She like myself, got married young, divorced, and then met her prince charming and was ready to start a family. Suzanne and I grew up together and there is probably no one on earth who knows me better than she does. We are much alike in some ways: upbringing, morals/values, love of shopping/decorating, but our personalities are vastly different in some ways as well. But never has it interferred with us growing closer over the years and my deep love for her as a friend! She has had the joy of raising a two and three year old since getting remarried about four years ago. One of them is a literal clone of her and the other of her husband. It's amazing and they are adorable! She has taught me how to be patient! She has no idea the immense respect I have for her and what a terrific mother I think she is!

Second, there is Jennifer. She is the proud(trust me, she is proud...she takes more pictures of her child than anyone I know-lol) mommy of one year old, cutie-patootie Madelyn! I met Jennifer about four and a half years ago at work and would have never dreamed that she would become one of my favorite co-workers and friends! I can remember attending her wedding and thinking I was witnessing Cinderella herself getting married! She made a beautiful bride and has made an even more beautiful mother! I think new moms fail to realize that so much of their beauty is not dependant on losing the baby weight as soon as possible, but rather in the love and joy they posess in the daily job of motherhood. She is beautiful inside and out and has shown me that it is perfectly acceptable to be proud of, brag about, and shower your child with love. The reward is a wonderfully, happy child like Maddy!

And finally is my cousin, Kim. Kim is more like my sister than my cousin. We are only a year apart in age and grew up in Florida together. If you had told me fifteen years ago that she would have children before me and would turn out to be such an amazing mother, I probably wouldn't have believed it! I believe that God allows us to go through things in our life to mold us and shape us into who we are meant to be. Kim had to be a supportive wife early in her marriage and as a new mom, to her husband battling cancer. During this time she grew closer to God and became so much stronger. I cannot imagine the emotions one goes through at that time in your life, but I am thankful to say many years of remission later, it has made her a mother that values every second she has with her family. She has also become one of my spiritual shoulders to lean on. I cannot tell you the ways that I have learned how to be a good parent by her example! She is wise beyond her years and I am so thankful that she is my "sister"!

So, when and if God blesses me with children of my own, I will be more than ready to take on the challenge! I only hope He realizes that the biological clock is ticking...and you girls better be around to throw me a baby shower! LOL!

Sing It Loud & Sing It Proud!

Ok so being the singer that I am, I can appreciate someone who can belt out a good tune or even someone who just thinks they can. Alot of what makes good music is in the words one sings or how much heart and soul they put into singing it. Right?

With that being said, I have the pleasure of working with a great gal named Mari about once a month. I have grown to truly love Mari and her uniqueness and amazing love for the Lord! We come from very different backgrounds, but she has always shown a genuine interest in my upbringing and getting to know me. So, my blog today is about Mari... Last week I was seated at the front desk of our office with her during our lunchbreak, gossiping about work stuff. Suddenly she began to belt out her best version of whatever was playing on the in office radio. I had to look around to make sure there were no patients in the office because it startled me. And as the day went on, I realized she sings every song she knows as if she is Mariah or Beyonce herself. I got so tickled, because after awhile our other co-worker Latresha screams from the back,"Mari, please!". About that time, Mari looks at me and just as serious as can be says, "They're just jealous!" I have never laughed so hard! I was totally having one of those days that needed a good laugh! But that sort of put it all in perspective that day. Mari didn't care what anyone thought. Which is something I have struggled with my whole life! She was going to sing at the top of her voice with enthusiasm and no matter what anyone else had to say, she took pride in it and didn't care if anyone had any criticism. I wish I could be more like Mari...time to take pride in my work-even if I am not doing what I might want to be doing, time to appreciate what I do have, rather than focusing on what I don't etc. etc. Moral of the story-take pride in who you are, what you do, and what you have despite present circumstance. Life Is Good-Laugh Often! :-)

The Virtuous Woman (aka-my grandmama)

Yesterday was my grandmother's 86th birthday and I began to imagine what I would have to show for my life after eighty six years! I know that I will not even come close to the legacy she has. I think it is much more fitting to celebrate a life such as this now, rather than when our lives here on earth are over. So I thought, what better person to blog about than the most virtuous woman I know!

It's pretty clear in Prov.31 the traits that God uses to describe a "virtuous woman", but it's verse 30 that I like best: "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised". Yet to me, the fact that my grandmother is one of the most God-fearing women I know, truly makes her one of the most beautiful! She is the one I go to when I need spiritual wisdom, advice, or sometimes just when I am spiritually heart-broken! You know, when you just want to scream, "Why God?" Somehow she manages to put everything into perspective for me. I think God gave me about the best example of what a true woman of God is, through her. She has shown me how to love unconditionally, to be strong in moral character, how to be a loyal friend, a wonderful mother/grandmother/wife, and how to trust your God-given instincts. But above all, she gave me my mom who is definately a chip off the ole' block...between these two, I have big shoes that I could never fill!

So, Happy Birthday GG! I am so blessed to have you as a grandmother, role model, and friend!

Oops! I Did It Again...

Ok, so last week I had one of those "I wish I had hadn't gone there" moments! You know the kind where if you had just left it alone and let it go, you would have been fine? Oh but no! Curiosity killed the cat, and my nosey self just had to look...(I know get on with it Shannon!)

So, last week I had the pleasure of finding out that my ex-husband was featured in a magazine with his new wife! What? Why? They are not Atlanta socialites or celebrities. Why would they be in a magazine? So with this mecca-of-information tool we have, called the internet I googled away! And there in all it's pride and glory was not one, small picture and article, but rather the entire wedding portfolio! A little more than I bargained for! I have to admit, he had a beautiful wedding and new bride, but seriously why would I want to see all that! I wish I could be like these Hollywood couples like Valerie Bertanelli, who attend their ex's wedding and say such sweet compliments about it, but unfortunately there's just a little realism missing in that! (of course in her case, she is probably glad someone else will deal with Eddie's drama-lol)

But in my case, I was left with the same feeling the day we signed the papers and the day he told me he was getting remarried. This empty, regretful, guilty, failure feeling! So I did what I do alot more of since my divorce-PRAYED! And then I spoke to my boyfriend about it. And in the sweet, gentle way that John does things, he listened...not ready to get jealous or angry like someone else I have dated in my past, but in the way that someone who loves you and allows you to work through things on your own way...and simply responded by saying it was natural and ok to feel that way! He gave me a hug and it was never mentioned again!
Funny thing is, God does the same thing! He lets me vent and then says, "its ok" as a feeling of peace about my past helps me go on with my present. (Psalm 34:17)He cares even about my broken heart!

Single Girls Can Blog Too...

I have so thoroughly enjoyed some of my "mommy" friend's blogs, that I decided I wanted to jump on the blog bandwagon! Not sure anyone would be interested in a 36 yr. old, divorcee, singer, mommy-wanna-be, who talks to her dog as if he is human...but maybe, just maybe there is someone out there who can relate to my "crazy, random, sometimes tragic, beautiful life".

So this blog is in appreciation/thanks to my blogger inspirations(aka:Dusty Takle, Holly Hixson)and a shout out to my single girlfriends who will give me plenty of material to write about-lol!