Ouch!!!

It started out as a great day. I had a great client appointment. I was able to make a great connection at a networking meeting. I even had time to work in my home office before I picked up my boys. It was while I was on my way to pick up my boys from school that I things seemed to take a dramatic turn. It happened in seconds. One minute I was on course to the school. The car knew where to go, it travels that road four times a day. The next minute I was pulled over to the side of the road. It all happened so quickly. I am still not sure how or why the red Caravan that was in the lane to my left decided to turn right. After all I was there. Didn't he see me? Apparently not. As the accident was happening I remember thinking "Oh my, is he doing what I think he's doing?" And sure enough he was.

The dilemma, my boys! I am going to be late. Argh! So I called the school and asked for them to be taken over to the after school program. The awesome receptionist assured me my boys would be well taken care of and she would not let them know what happened. After all the paperwork was exchanged, the nice police officer informed the young man that he unfortunately would be found at fault for the accident. It was clear this was not good news for my new friend. It was good news for my insurance agent. It really was just an accident. One of the crazy moments you wish you could do over, but just differently.

I guess what really struck me out of this whole event was the reaction of my sister. She is so great. She was immediately concerned, just like a good sister. After I told her she called back a bit later and said, "Do you want me to take a bus to you so I can help with the boys?" I assured her I would be fine. A bit sore, but still functional. It was in that moment that I realized that this accident might have had a stronger impact on her. I tend to bounce back quickly. On the other hand, my sister has trouble bouncing back. Just an interesting observation.

So what I am learning is I am stronger than I thought. I have roles and responsibilities and not a lot of time to stay down. I get up, dust myself off and get on with it. I like that.

Out of the mouth of Babes

I just had to share a cute story. I had picked up my boys from school and we were meeting a school mate for a play date at a local park. There was lots of traffic, and we found ourselves sitting through a lot of lights, which rarely happens where we live. So David, my 5 year old said: "Why are there so many cars?" To which my son Thomas (8 years old) replied: "It's rush hour." So David in his most serious voice said, "If it's rush hour, why isn't anyone rushing." I couldn't have said it better my self.

I couldn't have said it better myself!!!

Check out this Mom/Comedian who sang a song that speaks to the hearts of all mothers who ever raised a child and lived to talk about. Enjoy.

The Song

Smelling the Roses and Loving It!

A day in the life of an Entrepreneurial Mom

I took a moment to enjoy the cool pace I was keeping and thinking life is good.

Today was a typical day. I got up and got my kids fed (Cream of Wheat – one their favorites) and delivered to school by 8:00 am. When I got to the school I put on my Parents Association hat and helped decorate one of the bulletin boards. I was back in my home office by 9:00 am where I read emails, made calls to connect with prospects and client’s, ate breakfast and got caught up on the news. I also ordered new business cards because I was completely out and heading to a networking meeting. At 11:20 I was off to my weekly networking meeting where I enjoyed a nice lunch and great entrepreneurial fellowship. After the meeting I decided to stop at the supermarket to get my food shopping done. I was done by 2:00 pm, just in time for my 2:00 phone meeting with a potential business associate. While I drove we discussed the possibilities. I finished my call just as I arrived at the school to pick up my boys and catch up with the moms in the parking lot. Then it was off to home for homework, snacks, dinner preparation and dinner. As you can see no moss grows under my feet.

The cool thing about the above is that I really enjoy these days. It is always different and always rewarding. Yes, sometimes it is challenging, but I am never bored. I cannot imagine sitting at a desk day after day for 8 hours and waiting for the day to end. I cannot imagine only getting a 2 hour window to hang with my boys. I get to enjoy the afternoon with them as well as the evening. And on their days off, I take those days off.
It just doesn’t get any better.

What's wrong with this picture?

Why am I asking this question? Because today I have the opportunity to rest all day without anyone at home to distract me. So why am I not content? Isn't that what I am always asking for?

Well, first I am home alone because I sprained my ankle yesterday. I am home with my leg up. I had to come home early from Bike Night because with each step I took the pain grew worse. I could not go out with my boys today to the concert and mud bog. I really was looking forward to the mud bog. I had never seen one before. The worse part is that I have lots of energy and a house that I want to clean, and I cannot do it.

I am realizing how hard it is for me to just sit and be still. I really want to dig in and get it done. I guess this is a good lesson to learn. The good news is the swelling is going down. I am just so bored and there's only so much TV I can watch. So I guess I will surf with my leg up on my desk.

Ode to a Snuggle

No matter how hard the days are, and how tired I am, it is moments like these that keep me going. When I think about the week, and the roller coaster ride of emotions, I find my self exhausted. Then my son David, who is five, asked if we could have some snuggle time. Who am I to fight snuggle time?

We set up the TV with a cool DVD. We got a blanket, pillow and a bottle of ice cold water. We then settled in for a good long snuggle. Now keep in mind that David is a squirmy boy, so snuggling is not sedentary. He's more like a puppy that keeps spinning around till he finds the right spot. I found myself thinking about the emails I should check and the dishes that needed to be done. And then I said to myself, "Lia, you won't have these moments for long. He won't be snugly for ever. Enjoy tonight, the dishes and the emails will wait." And I did.

He was satiated with snuggling and went off to bed with complete compliance. I still had plenty of time to check emails and even blog a bit. The dishes will wait. I love taking time to snuggle. I recommend it highly.

I'v Joined

Yes, it's official, I am a real blogger and to honor who I am I joined Technorati. Check it out. Technorati Profile

I think I Can, I think I Can, I think I Can . . .

I have to admit I am exhausted. It was not a stellar day. It ended well, however, I had a moment where I just wanted to throw up my hands and just give up. There is nothing that gives me more joy than being a mom. And yet, there are times (like during homework) when I find myself wondering, what can I do different to help this be a more positive experience. Is it me? Or do other people experience the challenges of getting homework done without a battle? If you have experienced this and have conquered it, please share with us your wit and wisdom on doing homework. If not, remember, you are not alone.

On a brighter note, I am convinced this will be all a faded memory and it is part of a character building program. I also know that my boys are bright and energetic and once they get it, they get it. So I just need to be patient along the way. (She says to herself as she remembers her deep breathing exercises.)

Farming = Parenthood

Okay, what do farming and parenthood have to do with each other? Work with me here and follow this train of thought. I am in the process of developing some sales and marketing strategies for my clients and myself. I stumbled across some excellent material which uses the analogy of sales is like farming. I was amazed how easily the metaphors flowed. I was one with the metaphor. Then I said, wait a minute, this works with raising happy, content, confident little boys.

We all know that we :"As ye sow, so shall ye reap!" (Galatians) A big ouch there. How many times have I heard my guys yell at each other and realized they learned that from me. For me my biggest challenge as a parent is to stay present in all our interactions so I can make good choices in how I handle them. Then as I read on in my material I realized that my little guys are clearly my little "seedlings." I need to nurture them and offer them opportunities to grow. I need to give them light and nourishment. I also have to allow them to spread their little pedals to be the best they can be. I also have to help remove weeds, when necessary.

So now as I continue to grow my business, I plan on growing my little guys, using some of the same focus. I am looking forward to a great harvest and enjoying the sowing at the same time. Growing a business and children is a deliberate choice, not something that just happens.

Victory + Homework = Happy Family

Yes, we had a good homework day. What happened? I am glad you asked.

First, I put out the world and my God that homework is easy and we enjoy our homework time together. Then I asked some other parents how they handled homework and got some great advice. So I shared the advice with my son. I positioned it as advice from a parent of a fellow classmate and asked if we should try it. He said sure.

We got home and got right to it. Can you believe Tom got his homework done in record time and no drama. It was great.

Homework, Argh!!!

I forgot about homework. Until a few nights ago I thought I was the only one experience angst over homework. All the whinning, crying and frustration over four sheets of paper. Two and half hours of torture. Then I started reading "Homework without Tears." You know I am not alone when someone took the time to write and publish a book about it.

Collective Sigh

Can you hear it? It's a collective sigh of relief. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys, and we had a great summer. Many awesome things happened including:

• My boys learned to swim and become passionate about it.
• We took a week in Florida with stops in North Carolina and many stops along the East Coast.
• We went to New York for a week and had a great time there.
• We went camping and fell in love with our tent and the great outdoors.
• We read lots of books.
• David learned to ride on two wheels (bike).
• Tom learned to ride a skate board and roller blades.

All in all it was a great summer. There were a few days when I asked "Is it September yet?" And of course I had to adjust my life. For me it was not business as usual, in fact it was not business at all. That was okay with me, that is why I am an entrepreneur. I need the flexibility to be home with the boys.

And as the days drew closer to the first day of school, the excitement built. Even though I hadn't used an alarm clock all summer, it did not disturb me as it went off. The kids were up, bright and early and raring to go. There were no meltdowns and bed time was a breeze for the boys were wiped out. I was able to quickly fill my calendar with client appointment and take a few minutes to drink a cup of coffee while it is still warm.

As we usher in fall and say goodbye to our summer, I enjoy the memories and look forward to a great year.

Growing Up is Hard to Do

I cannot get this song out of my head. All I keep singing in my head "Growing Up is Hard to Do" to the tune of "Breaking Up is Hard to Do." I have a warped way of looking at things at times.

In the last month, I have had to face some difficult challenges and basically grow up. It has required that I step out of my comfort zone and face some fears which I had allowed to grow monumental in size. The first week or two of this journey, I will admit was extremely painful. I will also admit, I did not handle it gracefully. However, as the weeks have gone on, and I have stayed the course, it is amazing the feeling of freedom I am feeling. Did I mention that I don't do anger well?

So I sit here at 10:34 pm on my computer, still in the mire of this mess. Clearly not out of the woods, yet I have a sense of peace and hope. What have I gotten out of all of this? My mind reels at all the blessings that have come out of this self induced trauma.

• My husband and I are much closer,


• I have learned we can fight and still love each other,


• I am facing a fear and living to write about it,


• Our family became a more solid unit,


• We got back to basics which included Church,


• I found out God is patient and always waiting for us to surrender,


• I also found out that I don't have to handle everything, (unfortunately I learned that before and forgot it somewhere along the way) and


• Mostly I learned to be gentle with myself, ask for what I need and accept my limitations.

I just love it when a plan comes together.

God of Second Chances

I remember going to see Jonah (the VeggieTales Movie) with my family. One of my favorite scenes was when Jonah was in the Belly of the Whale. That is when a Gospel chorus sang a song about God being the God of Second Chances! It was an inspirational moment. I am now feeling like I have been given a new lease on life, a second chance. Things are not better by any stretch of the imagination. However, I am getting through. The cool part is I am learning that even though life can get ugly, I can survive the ugly. I am not so scared of the ugly anymore. I am taking it one day at a time and enjoying it. I know it will be a long haul out of my hole. After all I did not get in this hole overnight. Yet I feel confident I not only will get out, but I will stay out. This time it feels different. I am learning from my mistakes and becoming empowered by my new skills.

Thank you God!

Hanging on by a Thread

It's been a while since I have written. I feel like it's been a roller coaster ride of a Summer. I must say right at this moment I am hanging on by a thread. I hate this feeling. I am on edge and feeling very anxious. There are many factors, but there are two main ones. First I made some major mistakes that are causing yucky consequences. And second, I have not had a moment to myself in close to a month. I have been "on" almost non-stop. The only time I get break is late in the evening when I am too tired to enjoy it. It's been hot, sticky and I am filled with fear. So what does this all mean? It means that I have moved away from God and His promises and tried to take control of my life again. Guess what? It does not work. Everytime I do that, boom, here I am in an all too familiar place. The sad part is that I feel too guilty to turn back to God. I feel ashamed to walk in to Church. As I hold on to the thread, I feel it unraveling and my arms are growing weak. Lord, I call out to you for help. I am tired and can't hold on any longer by myself. Please hold on to me.

Dream a big Dream . . .

Wow, I got this video from Vic Johnson, one of my mentors and I just had to share it with you. Please take a minute and watch it. If you are a mush ball like me, grab a box of tissues and enjoy. Just remember, anything is possible if you just believe. The video - Living your Dream.

A new day is coming!

Okay, so it was not the greatest day. I was feeling a bit manic. I am learning a lot about myself, and the one thing I am learning is that I need my space. I need solitude, and I need it during times when I have energy, not at the end of the day when I am spent like a wet rag. I love my kids, and I love my space.

Summer time is particularly hard to get enough of the me time I require. So I have to rethink my summer and come up with a plan. I know I will find a way. Next week we start camp and that will help a lot. The boys will burn off some needed energy and I will have some time. I have hope in my moments of darkness. I realize this is just a brief blip on the screen and time moves oh so quickly.

As I sit here and write, I enjoy the quiet of the night. The sound of peace and comfort in knowing my boys are enjoying a good nights sleep and dreaming of chasing fire flies at night. Life is good and lessons are hard. Now it's off to bed, a great book and my own slumber.

Siblings -- Argh!!!

If anyone out there is reading, can you tell me how you get two boys to stop fighting. One is almost 7 and the other is 5. One minute they love each other, the next it's fireworks. I just want to lock them in their rooms till they go off to college. Any and all words of wisdom are welcome.

When is school starting?

The kids have only been off a week, and I am already counting the days until the first day of school. What is going on? Two weeks ago, I was so excited about getting my boys home all to myself. Now I feel somewhat frazzled. Okay, Tom has been sick for four days of his first week off. I have been under a lot of stress because of my friend Sameh and his situation. But will they ever stop pushing each other's buttons. I feel more like a referee than a mom. Calgon take me away.

Camp starts on Monday, I know I will feel much better then. So will they. They need more activities and structure and lots of play. Until then, it's going to take a lot of patience, some deep breaths and a visit to Borders to unwind.

Save Sameh

Is it me or is the world gone crazy. My friend who came to this country after fleeing for his life. He got off the plane bleeding and beaten, needing stitches so he was taken to the hospital and then based on our lovely immigration system (yes that was sarcasm) he was immediately put in INS detention which by the way is in a maximum security prison. After 8 long years and he finally he was release under the grounds of CAT. What the means is Convention Against Torture. In short, if he is sent back to Egypt he will definitely be tortured and most certainly be killed. While he has been out he has gotten a very respectable job, takes care of his mother and sends money to his family still suffering in Egypt. He has never taken a dime from the Government in the way of public assistance or subsidies. He has been involved in his community and loved by all the meet him. Then one day, the day after memorial day, he walks in to sign in as has done for the last year and some months, only to find out that he was put back in prison and being deported to Egypt. Why, because Egypt has agreed not to torture him (said tongue in cheek). Please pray for Sameh and his family as we work feverishly to stop this atrocity and the inhumanity of this situation. We know for a fact that a paper signed to not torture will not stop what is short of a death sentence for Sameh.