“Moms. Bonus Moms. Creators. Queens
Don’t forget to breathe. Laugh, and smile often. You are a work in progress and learning while IN the process is a win. I see you. I am you.”

— Cathleen Benjamin

TRUTH MOMENT: I don’t have many pictures with me and baby Journee I can barely find any with her as a baby baby. And she was the cutest little creation. One of the best gifts I’ve ever been given.

POWER UP MOMENT: Moms. Bonus Moms. Creators. Queens
Don’t forget to breathe. Laugh, and smile often. You are a work in progress and learning while IN the process is a #win. I see you. I am you.

I’m sure we’ve all come a long way from who we were before we as mothers have taken on this title.

I’m sure we’ve all done a lot of healing from the day you found out you were going to have a miniature version of you, that time between labor and delivery, between kissing boo-boos and celebrating their birthdays at least we hope there has been some healing.

I’m also sure many of us are still healing even after so many birthdays have passed.

I remember when I first found out that I was with child with Journee (pronounced Journey) I was scared. My big sister was out of town. I remember calling her and not knowing how to put the words together. I certainly felt alone because not one of my peers were yet mothers. I had just gotten my bachelors degree and had no clue where life was taking me but I was unemployed and in my 20s still wanting to party and for all I knew my life would be over but this little crazy baby girl would be bringing new life to me and my entire family. Although there was still some residue left over so I had to get over my stuff real fast.

But somehow I found myself just constantly working on me. Falling short...falling off. Just falling many times. But the come back story is incredible and gets better every day and every year. Because I had Journee I learned so many lessons. It’s so funny that I named her Journee it was really because her father and I had pasts that nearly took of out and we thought we’d never come out of the fire until we found each other...again and then created her.

When I had Journee it was just her and I a lot. I took her everywhere with me. Kurt and I didn’t live together right away. With her I learned how to be present for her of course more than myself. As I've watched her grow into who she is, I've noticed that everything I’ve wanted to do or took an interest in even things I was too afraid to do she does and she excels at effortlessly. 

She’s been one of my greatest teachers in this life and of course in the world of parenting.

She’s strong and soft spoken and fearless and so dang gorgeous and she’s my baby girl. I remind her she can lean on me and doesn’t have to be strong all the time, a trait that she took on from me a trait that I’m learning that strength comes from vulnerability. Being too strong hurts more people in the grand scheme of things.  

Before I had Journee I always wanted to be sure before trying. Which could’ve prevented me fro becoming a mother because I didn’t know what I had to offer her, or if I could care for her as her mother. Thank God I was sure enough in the possibility of love after so much hurt. Thank God

Moms I hope you believe in magic. I sure do.  All women should. I mostly believe in you. 

Journee & Mommy circa 2005

“Stay grounded and surround yourself with things that nurture you and the things that fuel you and watch you grow beautifully. ”

— Cathleen Benjamin

During my workout, while listening to personal development, I heard Lisa Nichols, say ..."plants don't live without water"...  this is one of those obvious and profound statements that which on one hand made me think how I normally joke about not having a green thumb, and killing every plant I’ve ever owned or have been gifted in the past, to how this can also relate to that of one health journey.  

I always start off great I water it when needed, talk to it, nurture it then for some odd reason stop being so attentive towards it. I'd gradually stop caring for it. A few days would go by and I’d get alarmed by the plants browning then try to research what to do to bring it back to life. 

I’ve done this with majority of my house plants. Then I'd go back to watering it, placing it near sunlight pretty much starting all over. How many of us can translate this to our relationships with ourselves to that on again off again loving / caring relationship with plants and also to the relationships to those in our lives.  I thought about some of my tribe and fit family who may struggle with their health and wellness. 

Just like plants don’t grow without watering and being tended to, we as individuals don’t grow if we don’t do the necessary things to keep ourselves in good or optimal health. Whether its physical or mental health. You can’t just water your plants once a week, never put it in sunlight, never prune it and expect it to bloom beautifully. Or do the things necessary for that particular plant or flower to flourish. Same goes with your health. With your fitness. Working out once a week won’t make you fit, neither will eating healthy once a week. And the rest of the week neglecting your goals. Daily, you’ll have to keep tweaking, keep challenging yourself and keeping your mindset in a positive state (as much as possible) in order to grow healthier. Just like a plant, ground yourself in the things that nurture you, the things that fuel you and watch you grow beautifully.