Double Portion Inspiration

Kelly and I are different. She's Canadian and I'm American. We have worked together and we refuse to focus on our differences. Kelly is a #1 best selling international children's author. You can find her book on Amazon. I read her book OFTEN . I am honored to have her as our guest blogger today.  Kelly discusses strength she's discovered while raising a daughter with facial differences. You never know where inspiration will strike; for me, it was a train ride into the city of Toronto. I was sitting there drinking my morning tea when it came to me; all the situations that we've encountered had one thing in common. We taught her to introduce herself when someone was staring. When my daughter was born, we didn't know that she had Treacher-Collins Syndrome or had ever heard of it. The moment I met my little girl, it changed my life for the better. I took one look and said this little girl is going to change the world. I realized I wanted to be a part of changing it...

This has become a popular saying - STAY CALM I'm turning 40, STAY CALM I'm fabulous, STAY CALM and stay strong, STAY CALM I'm a kindergartner, etc.  The list goes on and on... My boys and I spent last week together before they head off to school on Monday.  Each day we did an activity to get them organized and prepared for a successful year in 4th and 9th grade.  We now are parents of a high schooler and the rigor of his classes will be a transition in his freshman year. On last Thursday, I wanted us to spend time creating some personal goals.  The boys each came up with robust goals for themselves, and I know they have the creative and academic ability to reach those goals.  I was inspired by a dear friend to set a goal for myself - STAY CALM .  My kids are getting to the age where they are testing their own independence and I want to learn NOT to freak out about every decision. Interestingly enough when my friend told me to try and stay calm ...

Mommy/Daughter love! Recently at my daughter's school they invited the mother's in for a "Muffins with Mom" event.  I didn't know what to expect outside of eating muffins and fruit.  It was a beautiful, French themed affair that each mother shared with their sons and daughters. The teacher had each student share their favorite memories of their mom.  I was touched by my daughter's words.  They were few in number, but mighty in their power to convey her love and appreciation in good and bad times.  I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share her thoughts about our relationship.           Dear Mom,   There is a path.  It can be smooth at times, or it can be rocky and rough.  This path is called, life.  It is very long and has many twists and turns.  Through this path, I have a person by my side.    My mom .    She makes the rough path smooth.  I'm...

With today being the first day of school for our daughter, there is so much excitement in our home. The anticipation of meeting the new teacher, wearing a new outfit and sharing summer stories with friends adds to the enthusiasm. Parents and students share the responsibility of making a school year successful. Here are some helpful tips from our mom. She is a retired educator with over 30+ years of classroom experience. Advice for K-12 graders : Make the teacher aware of any medical conditions concerning your child. Don't depend on the information to be relayed from the application completed during student enrollment. Realize that the teacher/student relationship is not a friendship or a "love affair". While growing up, there were times when I would tell my mother that the teacher didn't like me. It was my form of an excuse to explain away my grades. In her eyes, that wasn't justification...

Can you believe how fast the summer flew by? Many of us are getting our kids ready for a new school year. A dear friend of mine is getting ready to drive her daughter to college. I am proud that she is driving her to the University of Florida (my alma mater). Her heart is filled with anxiety and also excitement. It is amazing the amount of emotions that live inside one body! Her text to me today inspired this post. As we get ready to enter into a "new" season, we have to leave many things behind. For instance, a late night run to Cold Stone or the freedom to sleep in late. We move into a season of homework, schedules, extracurricular activities, and early morning alarms. Each new season, even in life, allows us the opportunity to continue to grow. We must let our little ones go into a big new school or college campus and know we have done the best job to love and teach them to be independent thinkers. Here is a simple prayer as you enter your new season: Lord, t...