Its official........

I now have two college students.  I am so proud of them both. They both were accepted prior to graduation, both home-schooled their entire school career, and they are both just amazing human beings. 

I have raised two incredible humans on my own.  Life is great, just as it should be.  Way to go A18 getting accepted to all the schools she applied to and to C19 for being a straight A college student for the last two years.  Its just incredible!  This joy is what all parents should feel when they actually participate in raising kids.  Nothing compares to it really.

Me trying to support my kids but I would not have it any other way......

Retweet!

~

Self-explanatory...........

So true.....

Can't believe it.......

we moved in to our apartment to get a fresh start. Moving here was one of the best decisions I made for my family.

We have great neighbors and an awesome apartment.

So blessed!

Words to live by.........

Amen.........

~

Noncustodial parenting..............

The noncustodial parents deadbeats have it easy.

They do not take any responsibility for their children, they show up when it is convenient for them to do so, they bribe the kids with things, they don't pay child support as ordered and yet they harass and criticize the custodial parent who does/provides everything relentlessly.

In the end, they are really missing out on everything, and they have no one to blame but themselves.

The kids are not worried because they trust their custodial parent to make sure they have the basics.  The bond between a custodial parent and the kids is completely different than that of the deadbeat!

"How do you do it all?" I hear this at least once a week from someone. I have blogged about this many times.

I read this every day! 

Here is the truth.  I don't!  I can't!  No one can but my kids are the reason for everything I do.  I can't give up, I can't fall apart, I can't settle for less.  I can't, can't, can't........because of my girls.  So every day I do anything and everything I can to make sure they have what they need as best I can.  If they are happy, I am happy.  Plus they see that I can work multiple jobs, homeschool them both, volunteer in the community, and do the dozens of other activities I do each week.  They see what picking up the pieces and moving on looks like.  I never imagined this would be my life but I am so grateful it is.  I am such a different person than I was a year and a half ago.  I am strong and fierce.  I am not putting up with anybody for any reason.  I don't have to so why would I?  I am so freeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........  I do things now that I did not think I would be doing and having a great time.  It is so nice not being underneath someone else's shadow.  I am a much better everything single than I ever was married.  Maybe it depends on the person you marry but who cares?  Not me!  My life is better than it has been in years in so many ways.  As long as my girls are happy and healthy, and they are, I am happy.  At the end of the day, family is all that matters.  I feel sorry for people who screw up their lives because they are selfish or stupid.  One day they will see what they have done but it will be too late.

"YOU MUST DO THE THINGS YOU THINK YOU CANNOT DO." 

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

I love Pinterest! I wish it could be my full-time job...........

but since it cannot, sigh, I did find a way to use it to my advantage.  I am a medical transcriptionist, and I have to look up a lot of info so when I find something good/useful, I pin it to my medical transcription board so I can have it for reference next time.

Check out my medical transcription Pinterest board here.
You might also like my single mommas board, my budget/money board, and my work at home, homeschooling moms board.

Advice to stay at home moms from a stay at home mom of 15 years.

I am a firm believer that being a stay at home mom is one of the most important things a mother can do for her kids, however, if you are a stay at home mom I highly recommend you have a plan B just in case your prince turns into a poisonous dart frog.  When you are completely dependent on a man, you open yourself up to a huge problem if said man breaks his marriage vows, lies, and abandons you and your family leaving you to pick up all the pieces even though you have not had a source of income in all those years.  Sounds like a real winner I know but it happens, and you need to be prepared to take on all the responsibilities when this idiot dart frog strikes.

Imagine having everything shifted over to you when you already had a busy life raising the kids and now you have to be the head of the household, pay all the bills, and basically keep your family alive and well because you do not have a choice.  That idiot dart frog does not give a crap about any of it because he has better things to do with his time and money.  What you and your kids are struggling through are of no concern to him.  He does not care what happens.  Jerk!

This is a very stressful situation to deal with, emotions run high but guess what, you do not have even one minute to process those emotions because you have kids to take care of.  You have everything to take care of.  IF YOU ARE A STAY AT HOME MOM YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BACK UP PLAN!!!  Also, if you have daughters, you have to teach them that under no circumstances should they be completely dependent on a man later on in life.  You would never want your own daughters to have to suffer through and endure so much pain and confusion or to think this is an okay thing for the idiot dart frog to do.  It is not!!  And mothers of sons, you have to do your job in raising these boys that are supposed to turn into men and teach them this is not acceptable.

PLEASE HAVE A BACK UP PLAN SO YOU ARE A LITTLE MORE PREPARED AND TEACH YOUR DAUGHTERS EARLY ON NOT TO PUT UP WITH THE POISONOUS DART FROG, THEY ARE TOXIC!  

Breaking the "norms." You can do it all! All by yourself!

Being a stay at home mom is a full-time job but add being single, working at home, and homeschooling to the list, this can easily be the equivalent of 3+ full-time jobs (in my opinion).  How can all of this be done by one person?  I am not exactly sure about all the mechanics yet but I am working hard to figure it out.

There are stereotypes surrounding being a stay at home mom, being a working mom, and homeschooling  so I would like to try and dispel some of these if I can.  Being a stay at home mom does not mean you are lazy and trying to get out of working.  Being a stay at home mom is anything but a way out of work.  It is a big commitment.  And, no, we do not always wear sweats and T's, we clean up just as nicely as anyone else does but it makes no sense to be wearing lipstick and heels when you are chasing toddlers and changing diapers or any of the other dozen or more activities that have to be done.  If you are a working mom then that must mean that your job is more important than your children.  Some moms have to work and some moms think working makes them a better mom.  So, no, being a working mom does not mean you love your kids any less.  It just means you are doing what you think is in the best interest for everyone.  Homeschooling moms do not all wear long jean skirts, we do not all drive cargo vans, we do not all have more than five kids, and we do not all make three loaves of bread each day, at least I do not.

Now to be more specific.  I have been researching single, work at home, stay at home, homeschooling moms (there are a few dads that fit this but mostly moms).  Seems like this is not a new species like I thought it was.  I found that just less than a fourth of the estimated 2 million+ homeschooling parents are single moms (again, a few dads too). These single moms (dads) also are head of their household, work outside or inside the home, and homeschool.  The key is being organized and staying on top of things.  All of the single parents polled were asked why is it important to do all of this?  The majority responded by saying their children come first and when you are a parent (most parents), you will do anything for your children even when it means juggling all of those balls in the air to make that happen.  It is only for a short time anyway since kids grow up so fast these days.  I am very happy to put the needs of my children first.  I would do anything for them and they know this and see this very clearly.  I am not saying this will be easy but it is doable and I have basically been doing this by myself the past few years anyway so not too much has changed.

Doing it all by yourself may sound impossible but if you keep trying and remember why you are doing what you are doing, it will be worth it!

I added a few links on single parenting, working at home, staying at home, homeschooling, and moving below.  These are valuable resources.

Focus on the Family.

Home Educator's Family Times.

By Evie at Stay at Home Child.

Jimmie's collage.

Moving tips.

Vicky S. from Pinterest boards.

Words of advice for stay at home moms.

I think being a stay at home mom is the greatest thing you can do for your children but you have to make sure you have a plan B just in case the rug gets pulled out from underneath you.