My Mom-Life

I've been a Mom for about 21 1/2 years now and I've been so blessed to call these some of the coolest years of my life. Aside from the sprinkle of years of minuscule annoyances from their fathers, my kids are 3 of the most amazing individuals I have ever met in my life. My eldest is 21, my middle is 18 and my youngest is 9 ( "Soon to be 10!", as you'll hear him exclaim ). All three so different, yet they possess such strong core foundation values that they could lay a smooth checking on the oldest of adults stepping out of line.

My eldest is my first college student in her 3rd year. She is concurrently working at her 2nd job where she has excelled far beyond her GM's expectations. This fine young woman has managed to recruit 2 of her most dedicated comrades to the workplace, thus improving their location's throughput and sales. She is a light brighter than anything her co-workers and management have ever seen. In her personal time she is an accomplished artist, small-business owner ( she runs her own accessories shop ), and cosplayer. She does all this while pursuing a Fine Arts degree. Empathetic and emotional, she can shed a tear or two with the best of Pisces'. If you need to be in touch with your feelings, she's got you covered. She can find the words to help you work through unintelligible feelings, work through some of the most challenging family relationships, encourage patience when dealing with emotionally charged situations and help you find your place in the world. This creative soul can find colorful ways of living, so that you can live your best life most fulfilling for you. She breaks all of society's norms which makes her the perfect life chameleon to consult when you feel like your life is in a tasteless rut. While most live their lives in shades of gray, she's NEON; bright, happy, out-there, EXTRA, neon. My responsible girl, I can trust her with anything and I know she's able to hold down the fort when necessary.

My middle and sweetest is ever the fashionista freshman Matador! She could out-style a Kardashian if you let her. If anyone embodied the core tenets of my Theta sorority house she does completely. While she is neither neo, nor soror her spirit of sisterhood and championing for the meek are one of the things we love about her.  She seeks truth in all things and helps others find their voices when they feel drowned out by society's noise. If you ever want a Muhammad Ali spirit in your corner, she's the one. No one will push you harder or encourage you to dream bigger.  Hard working and perfectionist, her drive for the best is shared throughout every person in her circle. Her own growth has made her into this young woman who is stronger and more badass than even she expected. When she found her voice, there wasn't a soul within earshot who's bones didn't tremble at her word. Her vision is vast, no success is too great, no challenge insignificant to conquer. When you're with her you know you're in great company. Everyone eats at her table, all are their own special brand of beautiful and everyone prospers.

My youngest is quite the gentleman, a deep-thinking intellectual and forever the tinkerer. He can engage you in hours of conversation on computer coding, Minecraft tech and Colonial-American genealogies. At times one forgets they are actually speaking to a child, as his conversations easily undulate from subject to subject with seamless relevance. Over the past year he has amassed more information on various topics than I expected. He could tell you all about Star Trek, give you his projections on the estimated growth of Kanye West's Yeezy brand; tell you all about his Scottish, Mali, honorary Seminole, Spanish, Kikapu and Mexican ancestry. While content and confident in his ancestry knowledge, he does pity those who don't know where they came from. While other times gets frustrated and irritable with those who cannot see the significance in knowing where they came from. He says, "Its not the bad people who make a culture, its the good people who make that culture great. Anyone can leave you, but your culture never will." He is wise beyond his years and I'm really looking forward to seeing the Man he becomes.

I'm so blessed to have the gift of balance with my children. While most parents are pulling out their hair, feeling listless, like complete failures.. Here I am. The most beautiful family of imperfection anyone could dream of. I'm the luckiest Mom in the universe.