My Life as a Super Extra Ordinary Mom

"Mommy, the kids in my class and on my bus say they think I am a girl and ask if I am gay." I've had enough!  Too many times has my son come to me with a down-cast look, his shoulders slumped and near tears after hearing an onslaught of taunts from his peers throughout the day. The definitions of bullying range from "abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable" to "unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance...the behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time."   Harassment is defined as "causing the person alarm or distress."   Teasing is defined as "to laugh at and criticize someone in a way that is either friendly and playful or cruel and unkind."  Either of these definitions can apply to what my son is experiencing and I want it to stop. I don't think our schools are equipped to handle this issue.  At least not the school where o...

On September 5th, I began my first day as a business owner.  Filled with excitement, I met with my first appointment of the day at 8:00 am.  As I thought about my journey to becoming a business owner, I realized I had some tips to share with others who might be venturing out on their own, or who simply are attempting to achieve a major milestone. Don't have time to read the full blog?  Check out my video on YouTube where I share the three tips. #1.  Make the Decision-Today, make the decision to accomplish what you are wanting to achieve.  If it is owning your own business, decide today.  If your goal is to return to school, make the decision today.  Or if you are an aspiring author, decide today that you will achieve your goal.  Once you make  up in your mind that you are going to do it, you invite positive energy to channel your way and things will begin to fall into place.  Every action thereafter will be a step closer to you...

My husband and I are often asked, "How do you two do it?  How exactly do you manage to get everything done with such a large family?" We attempt to keep life simple and have found the following tips have worked for our family. 1. Empower the Kids- We really encourage the kids to be as independent as possible and allow them to meet their own needs whenever possible.  If they can use a stool to get something to drink or grab a snack, that is exactly what we want.  We have taught them to make a few kid-friendly food items such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or Ramen noodles.   We also instill in them the importance of assisting each other as often as possible.  Having this level of independence definitely helps when we are involved in other tasks that require our full attention. Josiah enjoys cleaning the tables. 2. Keep them Engaged- We expect the kids to help around the house. We tell them that we are a team and that we need to work together to ...

In just a few days my son will leave the comfort of our home to travel to Parris Island, South Carolina.  This is not a vacation adventure.  No, the trip is for basic training...to become a Marine. I fully support his decision to serve our country and have known for several months that this day would come.  So why do I have a lump in my throat and feel churning in the pit of my stomach? Recently, I was listening to National Public Radio (NPR) and the featured story of the hour was the involvement of the United States Marines Corps in World War I.  The Battle of Belleau Wood was cited as "one of the bloodiest and most ferocious battles U.S. forces would fight in the war."  This historic battle, which occurred near the Marne River in France, is where our soldiers received the nick name, "Devil Dogs."  This term of endearment was a result of the soldiers' diligence, ferociousness, sacrifice and valor exhibited during the battle. To hear the full story, v...

Join us during the month of March as we cover our children in prayer.  We will use Stormie Omartian's "The Power of a Praying Parent" study guide as a resource. #ProtectOurSeed. #IBelieveTheChildrenAreOurFuture #PrayingParents Day 1 - Becoming a Praying Parent Father, as we commit the month of March to praying for our children we begin by praying for ourselves as parents. We release any feelings of guilt and condemnation we have felt in the area of parenting. We thank you for covering any mistakes we may have made and for your grace and mercy. You have selected each of us to serve as a parent. We do not take that for granted and know that we can do all things through you, even being the best Mom and Dad our children need. Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood and with that knowledge we stand with our armor of God ready for the fight. We know that in James 4:7 we are to resist the enemy and he will flee. So we are joined toge...

It was a warm sunny day and our entire family was out enjoying our new community.  My husband and I stopped to admire a beautiful bed of flowers near the pool gate.  There were splashes of yellow and pops of purple, truly a lovely display of greenery and a warm glimpse of spring.  Suddenly, sporadic movement within the flower bed caught our attention. As we approached, scuffling and flapping noises grew louder.  Upon further inspection, we discovered two birds trapped under a protective wire mesh!  Mesh that was intended to keep animals out was serving as a temporary confinement for these small creatures.  Clearly our presence near the bed startled the birds and caused this recent flurry of activity.  It occurred to my husband and me that those two birds represent how many of us experience life- seduced and trapped. We imagine the birds saw the flowers from afar and were seduced by what they saw. The vibrant colors enticing them ever closer to t...

Nina, my three year-old has developed a strong sense of identity.  There have been a number of instances where in my determination to not call her one of her siblings' names, I have called her "Sweetheart," "Honey" or even "Sweetie," to which she has replied, "My name is not Sweetie.  My name is Nina."  Initially, I chuckled at her cuteness and figured it was a one time occurrence.  But she has remained consistent.  Whether it is a family member or a cashier at a store who has made the mistake of calling her anything other than Nina, she has been quick to offer clarification. I was born with the name Shatanese over 4 decades ago.  My mom always told me my name came from an Egyptian queen.  I never researched this information and have chosen to live with a sense of mystery surrounding the origin of my name. Throughout my life, I have often been asked, "What does your name mean?"  Or, "What is the origin?"  These types o...