The everyday Mom

I have learned that being a single mom is such a joy. I want my readers to know how much of it is a pleasure. I know some feel with my working from home perhaps I can’t relate to  those who are stay at home moms.  I wanted to tell you about myself. I became a single mom in Feb 2003 when my daughter was 1 years old. I made the decision to leave my ex husband because he was very abusive to me and I wanted to make sure that Rylee doesn’t grow up in that kind of atmosphere. I knew things would be tight but I did not want my daughter to experience the child hood that I did.  My Grandmother was an alcoholic and a drug addict. She was very abusive to me as a child from age 4 to 15 years old. When I was 10 years old she actually tried to kill me with a pointed and loaded hand gun. where I was left by myself to face that situation. As a 10 year old child that is a tough situation to face by yourself. I had to depend on Jesus Christ to help me. Just like I did in the decision I made to leave my ex husband.

My Grandfather was very selfish and only cared about himself. I didn’t know any of my Grandparents until I was 4 years old. That was when I moved to Indiana. up until then I grew up without any Grandparents.  so I didn’t know what they would be like. my expectations were like June Cleaver of Leave it to Beaver. my hope was not what I bargained for. my dad was very abusive as well. so that was all I knew.  i did not want Rylee around that.

I began to work at home a few months ago and I am very happy to go from making nothing to a monthly pay check to provide for our needs. I have my ups and downs like any mom does. I don’t give up and keep pressing forth anyway.

transformation for the single mom for 2013

I began my journey to a new me. I mentioned the ultimate make over. with the make up/ manicure set. Now I am  on my journey to downsizing. I joined a weight loss place called my fitness pal.  Myself and a big group of friends are taking a no binge eating challenge.  This is helping me a lot. one of the ladies started out a size 20 and is 7 pounds from her goal weight. I asked her what she does to lose all that weight.  She is about my goal weight. when I began  I was also her same size. She said she sets the calories for a woman who is 5″4 and under and eats what she wants in moderation.

She measures and eats her food 1 serving. I began the process of this.  so far I have lost a total of 3 pounds. I am on my way to a healthier me.

 

The Single mom’s ultimate make over

I had decided that I wanted to begin a makeover on myself from the inside out.  I got a nice spiral perm a few months back, then  last month I dyed my hair a nice strawberry blonde.  my next step was to buy some make up I never wore before. well I got a Christmas gift card and went to walmart and bought a huge personal manicure set with a built in nail dryer/ buffer and a big make up case. I am really excited. I am going to wear some tonight at church.

 

My next step is to work on a weight loss make over on myself which I will begin on  January 13th. the day after my shopping day so I can get the right food to eat. my second cousin bought me the book cruise moves I am going to begin to read on Monday and begin the book. the first chapter deals with self acceptance which I need to learn.

He encourages me to keep a companion journal on my weight loss journey. I have 2 blank journals so I will be using them to detail my progress. When I get to the emotional eating part is when I use it. That is when I will be using it the most. the idea is to to talk to my journal by writing my feelings / thoughts that are coming to mind to make me want to eat when not hungry. That my journaling will be my substitute instead of food . (eating out of emotion) as opposed to eating when hungry.

for my inside make over I bought me a book called So long insecurity  you’ve been a bad friend to us. to help me deal with my own insecurities. I want to slowly start a Beth Moore library. her books really minister to me. I have my first book right now. this is just a taste of things yet to come in the year 2013. my new begin.

The single mom goes back to school

I am at my 6th week of going to bible college. It has always been my dream to go to college. Back in school I was told I probably would not be able to go to college because I was not college material. At that time I was learning challenged . I had struggled in school no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t make the grade. Yet I was still determined not to let my dream die. When I was 24 years old I tried again to go to college and took the necessary tests to pursue what I wanted. Yet again I just couldn’t make the grade. I was one determined mom who was not going to give up the fight when it came to keeping my dream alive.

 

I needed to find a way to go to college one that wouldn’t require tests and where I could go at my own pace. I at that time did not have the money to go to college and I defintely didn’t want to get into student loans or any debt to do so. I began to search for free bible colleges and I found one online and decided to go for it. I enrolled myself.

I began my first course  the old testament survey course and passed my first 5 tests with a perfect score of 100%. This is the woman that was told many years ago she was to dumb to go to college  not once, not twice but three times. I have always been that fighter and inmy eyes nobdoy was going to come in the way of my dreams and desires. I  was not going to allow someone else’s thoughts of me to dampen my dreams.

Here I am at 37 years old a college freshman making her dreams come true despite the odds that were stacked against her. I want to encourage others to follow your dreams and don’t let anyone  get in the way of them. they are your dreams and are put there for a reason.  my favorite quote someone gave me which I hold onto is this:

” Your Dreams are always within arms reach.”

The confident single mom

Since being a work at home mom. my confidence has done a huge boost.  I suddenly feel this new burst of confidence. I am really excited about life again. This is a lot different then the lady I used to be. You may be wondering how working from home can boost your confidence. For one thing I am making income to provide for my daughter’s needs.  I am having confidence in my own abilities and the biggest factor is I am starting to really believe in myself.  I had always left my dreams and desires on the back burner because I felt I couldn’t achieve them. working from home has given me the ability to not only dream again but also take the steps to follow my dreams.

One thing I always dreamed about was going to college. It has been a desire of mine for a long time.  I began by enrolling myself in bible college.  This was from the woman who in her younger years allowed teachers, others to shatter my dreams on college. In their eyes I just couldn’t make the grade. Here I am many years later pursuing that dream . on my first 5 homework assignments made a perfect score on my homework papers.

My new mantra is ” Dream Big Or Go Home.” well I am dreaming big.  stepping in this direction has given me a huge boost of confidence in myself and also in my abilities.

A Single Moms Triumph

I have been working for cash crate since Ocotber 1st.  I know many see the varying amount of the paycheck as small but to a single mom who made nothing for 9 years of my daughter’s life I see it as a single moms truimph. Since working for cash crate so many awesome things have happened to me. I know God is in every single one of them.

I took my first paycheck and paid my first fruits to my pastor that is what a christian does when they get a raise. well the day after I learned that  every year students who played sports had to pay for their uniform.  The uniform was very expensive and it would come down to either paying for my daughter’s uniform or my daughter having Christmas. I was really stressed about it. I asked the coach about the uniforms my heart just leaped for Joy when he said you don’t have to pay for the uniforms the school supplies them. My daughter got her Christmas.  Then Cash crate had a top 50 contest for the Holidays and I was looking at the prize I would like to win. I had one thing in mind. I didn’t win from cash crate that prize but I was invited to a survey panel on a survey I answered for cash crate. I was entered into a drawing for that same prize. A week ago I received an email saying I won it!  I know it was God’s doing. many people looking at making between $20.00- $40.00 a month as small but to this single mom who made nothing  this is her truimph! The start to her goodbyes to being poor. to me this means everything!!

A single mom’s perspective working from home

I have been a single parent since 2003. Raising my daughter on her own since she was 1 years old. I began working at home a few months ago. Being a solo parent I wanted to be involved in her life. I wanted to organize my schedule  accordingly. While my daughter is in school that is when I work and go to college part time online. When she comes home I end my work and go about the responsiblities I need to undertake. We eat dinner and then I help her with her school work. I also take her to her basketball practices the times she has practices.

 

Working from home allows me to be able to participate in her games that she will be playing next semester. As Rylee begins her first year playing basketball.