What Inspires You?

Please don't think me arrogant when I say myself. Of course my children are the wind in my sails as well as my rudders. They keep me moving and in the right direction. Everyday I keep putting one foot in front of the other because they need me. But the fact that I do keep putting one foot in front of the other, soldiering through some things you would not believe, I sometimes amaze myself. My mother never even had a job, a drivers license, or a checking account. Her example was to be meak and subserviant. I am none of that! I am a tower of strength. I've been beaten by a man I loved, raped by a man I didn't. I had the courage to hold them both accountable and protect my children. I had a 12 yr old, 6 month old, was 3 months pregnant. I opened the doors to my house and told all my friends and family to come get what ever they wanted. I loaded up my kids in my 96 Taurus and moved 10 hours away from everyone I knew to start over with nothing in order to protect them. I put myself through college, raised my daughter on my own, been run over by a car, as I type now I am doing it with a broken arm and seperated shoulder, yet here I am at work. I missed 1 day of work when I broke it. I had natural childbirth with all 3 of my children, worked until I was 2 weeks overdue and went in to be induced and never took more than 3 weeks off, yet still breastfed till they were at least 10 months old. I'm successful in my line of work and I am provoding a nice life for my kids and hubby. SO, I don't think it's arrogant when I say that when things get really hard, I think about all I've been through and think - I've got this! This is no hill for a climber! And I keep on putting one foot in front of the other.

Wow, your post is beautiful, and INSPIRING!

Today when faced with this question, I guess my answer would be my mom. A single mom of FIVE children, without child support or physical help, managed to nurture us all through adulthood to be (relatively) healthy productive adults, parents. And this was the late 60s and early 70s when it was unheardof to be a single mother, everyone thought there must be something wrong with HER, can you imagine? When in fact my father left her and his 5 kids for his secretary, and never paid a dime in support.

So......now she's getting older and weirder.....it's really a small miracle she's not just plain CRAZY after what she's been through!

I LOVE YOU MOM!

:)

My kiddos... I have had foster, daycare, temporary custody, step and birth kids in my house my whole life. Just watching them grow, change, learn and overcome challenges inspires me to see the better side of life.

Watching a toddler stare at a butterfly in awe or to see a young child light up when he achieves his goal, or to have a child stop playing to give you a spontaneous hug... how could you not be inspired by their joy at life?

Of course my kids inspire me daily ~ to take life with a grain of salt, to not be so serious about things, to play more, to clean less, to have more fun, to love unconditionally and I could go on :)
BUT.....my #1 inspiration is my husband. Until I met him, I didn't want to have kids and I never wanted to be a wife. I knew him when he was just getting ready to become a Dad. It was amazing to watch him transition from a young, carefree "player" to a loving, kind, giving, caring Father to his beautiful daughter. Over time I found I was in awe of their relationship and that I really did want that some day.
Every day I watch him with his kids and I truly aspire to be the kind of parent he is. He listens and guides, he is tender yet strong, he disciplines without anger, he loves on them like it might be the last time he sees them, and he allows them to be the individuals little beings that they are. He is truly and amazing Father and he makes me want to be the best Mom I can be ~ for him and our children.