The Most Phenomenal Woman I Know: Meet My Mother

Hi friends! I’m back today with another story of a phenomenal woman as part of Lean Cuisine’s Feed Your Phenomenal^TM campaign. As I mentioned in my last post, I am one of Lean Cuisine’s Phenomenal Ambassadors and sharing great stories of accomplishments and great food all summer long. In my last post, I helped share the brand’s message that reinforces that the most important thing we should weigh is our accomplishments.
Many of you responded to my post about some phenomenal things you wish people would weigh you on, including commitment to your children, faith, and character.
Madeline said, “I’d like to be weighed on how I make mistakes but always try to be humble and apologize for them, and keep trying to improve…” 

…and Natalie wrote, “I look young for my age and I wish people would weigh me based on my intelligence, kindness, innocence, work ethic and compassion. I may be small and have the body of a 12 year old, but I wish people would look past my weight and size and judge me on the above qualities.” 

Lean Cuisine wants to help recognize the unseen things women do every day that go unnoticed, so I’m sharing the story of a woman I think is phenomenal.

World, meet my mother…

From a young age I have always known that I have a unique relationship with my mom. Growing up, I liked to call her my best friend, but she always made sure that I also knew she was my mother first…which meant she could always put me in my place, when needed. As I’ve become an adult myself, our relationship has evolved and now she truly is my best friend.

The oldest of two children, my mother was extremely shy and somewhat introverted growing up, yet she has always been extremely talented, creative, and vivacious. Her care for others is unparalleled, which is exemplified by her outstanding career as a special education kindergarten teacher. On the few occasions where I get to see her teaching I am always in awe of her delicate approach, yet firm rules and regulations, and the love she exudes for her students. Year after year she is able to get children to reach their full capacity…children who are barely speaking are reading and writing by the years’ end…children who cannot sit still are able to concentrate through and entire lesson…children are able to not only meet their educational and behavioral goals, but exceed them. Teachers are not given enough credit in our society, and I want all teachers out there to know how much I appreciate your hard work…you are all phenomenal!

But my mom is so much more than her career. Nearly everything I know about cooking and baking I learned from my mother. She taught me how to effortlessly entertain, how to be the best friend, daughter, and sister I can be, and so many more lessons that likely go unnoticed daily.

Like many mothers out there, my mother is the most selfless, tender and caring person that I know. She doesn’t do it for any attention or accolades, but because she’s doing what she feels is simply the right thing to do. She listens to my excitement when I am happy and celebrates my triumphs wholeheartedly. She laughs along with me and taught me not to take life too seriously. She lends me a shoulder for support when I am sad and feels my pain as her own. She has shown me the beauty that exists in mundane things. She’s harnessed my imagination and fostered my creativity. She has taught me how to listen cautiously, love openly, and the value of dreaming big, following every passion I wish to pursue.

But most importantly, my mom has taught me, showed me, and allowed me to find peace and acceptance within myself. She always let me be me. As I have entered my own adult life, I realize what a treasure it is to have such an outstanding female role model and supporter in my life. Although I know my mom will be incredible embarrassed by this public admiration, she deserves this small tribute and so much more. So thank you mom, for showing me what it takes to be a phenomenal woman.
Visit the Phenomenal Effect website feed to enter Lean Cuisine’s promotion and help spread the Phenomenal Effect by recognizing the phenomenal women in your life and encouraging them to do the same. You could win prizes for yourself and everyone that you recognize! For your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card from SheKnows Media, leave a comment and share with me…Who are some of the phenomenal women in your life? Entry Instructions:   No duplicate comments.

    You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:    

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

        This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

  The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 8/13/15 – 9/30/15. Be sure to visit the Lean Cuisine brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!