#AskAwayFriday is here, where we have the opportunity to ask 10 questions of another blogger and they ask us 10 questions back! I enjoy it so much, this is my 15th week! Scroll to the very bottom to check out my old posts!
Here are our hosts:
Tamara from Tamara Like Camera,
Tiffany from Mrs. Tee Love Life Laughter,
Christy from Uplifting Families,
Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings
and
Amber from Bold Fit Mom
Another week of #AskAwayFriday is upon us and I am blessed to have found a kindred spirit in Sherri of God Life, Happy Wife. We share very similar life stories ~ having a child, then marrying our son’s fathers; finding Christ later in life; and our desire to work towards having the best marriage we can have.
1. I see that you celebrated your 35th birthday this month. Happy Birthday to you! I will be turning 35 on August 6th. What is one of your biggest accomplishments in your 35 years? Having a family. I know this might sound cliche being a mommy blogger, but I never envisioned having a family and never thought I could do it. I didn’t want children, mainly because I was too busy caring about other people to think I would have a life of my own. I’m proud of the family that I have and excited to see our future.
2. I know you love to blog about your family, and you have shared about the journey you and your family have been through this year. If your family had a reality show what would it be called? That’s a VERY good question! I love reality shows, but overall, we’re pretty boring at home. Lots of working with the kids to get them to do something fairly simple. Maybe something like “Unexpected Blessings”, of course that wouldn’t make it on mainstream television, so something like “Mothers in West Palm Beach”.
3. You are always giving such great advice on healthy living. I myself have such a hard time sticking to a healthy diet and exercising. What keeps you motivated to stick to a healthy lifestyle? My children. I wish I could say that I’m self-motivated, but I’m not. I look at them every day and realize that I want to be with them as long as I possibly can. If I’m battling medical problems from being overweight, I won’t be. I try to make sure that I incorporate easy fixes to dieting and exercise because I know how hard it can be.
4. You and I have similar stories when it comes to having a child before marriage and then marrying our child’s father. I know unfortunately that is not always the way the story ends. What can you say contributed to you and your child’s father sticking it out and getting married? Ultimately, my desire to have an intact family. Most of my family has absent fathers, and I saw the profound effect that it had on everyone and how it passes through the generations. I don’t want that to be the case for my children. I can’t say that it was easy by any stretch of the imagination. I loved my husband, but because of our physical distance, I never thought marriage would have been a possibility.
5. I love how you emphasize the importance of trying to maintain the woman our husbands married. This is something I learned from my grandma before I even thought about marriage. What is one tip you can give that helps us wives do this? Take time for yourself. As wives and now as I am a stay at home mother, you lose yourself in the family. It’s great to do what’s best for the family, it really is. But what attracted your husband to you, was YOU. Who are you? What did you want? Do you still want it? I know I’m still working on new goals and dreams as being a SAHM and blogging is helping me find out. Find out who you are in this new environment.
6. You are a contributor at Marriage Motherhood and Missions where you blog along with many other godly wives/moms that have a mission to offer support and encouragement. How important is it to have that support as a mother/wife? Very. As I said above, we didn’t have a lot of married couples in my family. Even though my mother was married, I saw that her and her husband did not share the same goals and dreams. As I embark on year eight of marriage, I often find myself wondering if I’m doing things “right”. Lately, I’ve heard of couples breaking up after 20 or 30 years of marriage. I don’t want that to be us. So, having that community helps me determine whether I’m taking the right steps to move us into a lasting marriage.
7. I quickly learned as a new blogger that a link up can be a great way to meet new bloggers as well as gain traffic to your own blog. What are some of your favorite link ups? Besides the three (
Countdown in Style,
Turn it Up Tuesday and
CLIMB) that I host? LOL! Now, I have very little time for other hops and I think the hops that I found the most fruitful are no longer around, like Raising Imperfection from Leslie and Lanaya. I do like participating in
Finish the Sentence Friday and here, Ask Away Friday, because it gets me to open up.
- Countdown in Style
- Turn It Up Tuesday
8. You are a momma to three kids. As mothers our kids can teach us so much about ourselves. What is something that you have learned about yourself after becoming a mother? I have a very short temper. I always thought that I can endure more, but watching my kids, I know that they are able to do so much more than sometimes they give, and it disappoints me immensely. I want to bring out their best, and often they are lazy or refuse to do better. We’re all a “work in progress” and children, I need to give them more leeway, but I definitely struggle with it.
9. You host a link up with a few other bloggers called Turn It Up Tuesday. Being a mom how do you get a chance to turn it up? LOL! Besides reading others blogs? I normally chill with my husband on a Friday or Saturday night, grab a Redbox and watch a movie. I hope to change this in the near future as my Butterfly learns to sleep through the night and is slowly not breastfeeding. Also, I’m meeting new people in the area that I’d love to go out with!
10. What are three words that describe you? Wow! You know I never really thought about what actually describes me. I think, UNBREAKABLE, RELIABLE, HONEST.
Whew! The last few weeks were the hardest so far… people are really digging in to get real answers and I appreciate it. Makes me reflect on who I am, who I want to be, and how I want to be seen.
This isn’t my first time around the block! If you want to read some of my older posts, check out these:
In week 1, I told Amber whether I plan on practicing as an attorney.
In week 2, Heather got me to show you what I had under my bed.
In week 3, Stacey had me tell you about my unaccomplished dream.
In week 4, I told Christy all about the best parenting advice I’ve ever received.
In week 5, I shared with Penny how I think boys are different from girls.
In week 6, Sarah wanted to know my favorite room in the house.
In week 7. I talked to Tiffany a little bit about how to “healthify” her favorite snacks.
In week 8, I shared with Rabia the women who made a positive impact for Women’s History Month.
In week 9, Bev had me share some recent pictures and the stories behind them.
In week 10, Sonya got me to sing… almost!
In week 11, Wendy got me to admit to my biggest weight loss hurdle.
In week 12, I admitted to my legal woes to Lanaya
In week 13, Rea asked about what I felt was a big problem in the US.
In week 14, find out which cause I’m passionate about by Beth.
In week 15, Stephanie got me to open up about my practicality.
You have such a great desire for your family! Very admirable.
I love reality shows too but the ones here in the Philippines are too scripted that I don't like watching them anymore, LOL
I think they're all somewhat scripted. Let's be honest, I have a feeling that most people are really boring, they need to drum up drama somehow, situations, conflict, etc.
I read several of these posts — love it. I would also be honored if you would consider involving me and what would be expected. Thank you so much and so glad to have found your blog.
Carol @ Battered Hope
Would love to!
Loved your advice about keeping, and sometimes finding, yourself in the middle of motherhood. It is so easy to put ourselves last when we have a family, and it can be hard to make that effort to maintain an identity other than “mama.” Great swap!
Have a fabulous weekend!!
We often, as nurturers, put ourselves last. It's unfortunate, but ultimately, we need to be the strong woman we were before we got married and had children!
OMgosh! We are 35 Year Old Divas !! Ok well my 35 is almost done since my birthday is in August as well and I'll be headed over to 36 but 35 has been awesome! I love your answer as to what the biggest accomplishment about this age has been your family. I feel the same way. I was so on a different path but I am so happy where God lead me. Great swap ladies!
I completely agree. I was on a different path, not looking to "settle down" with a family, but as I watch them every day, grow and become their own people, there's nothing I'd rather have become! Whoop-woop! Happy pre-birthday!
Such wonderful answers, April! You are so right about getting lost in the family, that we sometimes forget about ourselves…I am so guilty of this myself. My temper has definitely mellowed as the kids have gotten older, not that I don't have a meltdown on occasion, but it does happen less now. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I go through stages. I want to learn how to manage it better. I start saying that I'll be calm, which last a few weeks, then I get upset after trying to work on the same thing every week with my children. Hope to see you back on Countdown in Style.
It is so awesome that you are so family orientated! I enjoyed learning more about you. Also, I would probably watch "Mothers in West Palm Beach", sounds fun!
I didn't grow up that way. I'm learning to be closer and more connected to them. Often, I have to work at it. I enjoy doing it, but it does not come naturally.
I can totally relate to coming from a family where the fathers weren't around. And many weren't married either. People might have been for a period of time and then were divorced in most cases. So breaking the cycle is definitely something I wanted to do as well. Our families are definitely a great motivation to stay healthy.
Yes! I see how breaking the cycle is necessary. Perpetuating the cycle has shown detrimental to our family where the girls become over nurturing to men who don't deserve it and other family members who should be standing on their own. I want our family to flourish and prosper.
I just added your blog to my New BLog roll called Lovely Parties, I love what intelligent ideas you have about family and blogging! Ive visited you before but I need to keep you blog close to me so i added it so I would not foget you!
Its truly easy to loose contact with bloggers, so this blogrolll helps me keep close to you all.. Thanks Maria
Thank you very much! I'm glad to see you here. Thank you for blessing me with placing our hop on our blog roll!
I love these questions so much! The reality TV show one is a deep thinker. I may need to borrow that one, with credit.
I love your family story. It's unique and inspiring, and I imagine it wasn't easy so I applaud you all!
LOL! That was a hard on e to answer. As much reality tv as I've seen, none I've wanted to be on. No, our story wasn't easy, but definitely worth it!
I love your passion for love, life and family. And of course, keeping God at the center.
If I didn't, I know my life would be upside down. He has guided me through many struggles and I'm glad to be on the other side.
Great answers. I love how motherhood has made me a better person but you are right that I sometimes get stuck in the caregiver role and forget that I am a wife with other duties as well.
Yes, being a wife is very important because without being a good wife, you may not have a family, at least that is why I keep it at the forefront of my mind. I don't know if that's good or bad.