I entered motherhood naively believing that I would teach my children everything they needed to know and that the learning was one way. The older I get, and the older my children get, I realize more and more that such a premise is very far from the truth.
My children are teaching me and have been teaching me since the day they were born. These days as I watch the people they are becoming, I am learning more about myself.
My eldest is committed to his dream of playing college lacrosse and is pushing his body to it's limits. He encourages me to train for a few 5Ks.
My daughter is amazingly comfortable in her introverted and intellectual nature. She encourages me to embrace and love my introversion and thinker nature.
My youngest's 'take life lightly' approach reminds me not to worry so much about the small stuff or any stuff .
There is so much more about each of them. Every day is a different lesson for me. As I raise them on my own they help me become a better me.
These beautiful young people entrusted in my care are teaching me valuable lessons about myself as I give them the permission and the freedom to become who they are.
Single Mothering...such a blessing!
Seeing Beauty
Five more inches of snow fell overnight. We had shovelled close to a foot of snow yesterday. I was going to have to shovel the driveway without my three helpers on the first day of spring. During yesterday's snow day my children had remembered last year on March 19th. I let them stay home from school so we could go to the beach on a miraculous 80 degree day. As I was bundling up I was reminiscing about last year's warm weather and feeling a bit overwhelmed and exasperated by this year's enormous snow fall and never ending winter.
Once I began the task at hand, the sun burst open. I looked around and what seemed like another stupid snowstorm became a magical scene from a fairy tale. I was in awe of the beauty. I smiled and my heart swelled. I didn't want to leave the fairly tale so shoveling the driveway became shoveling the walkways and the back deck and breathing in all of the wonder.
In the midst of my joy and appreciation I realized what all of the great sages of time claim as truth. When we allow life to be just as it is. When we stop trying to make life the way we think it 'should be'. Then and only then do we see true beauty within ourselves and in everything we encounter.
Blessings,
Virginia
Are you wrrestling with what life has brought you? I would love to help you see the gifts. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com
Once I began the task at hand, the sun burst open. I looked around and what seemed like another stupid snowstorm became a magical scene from a fairy tale. I was in awe of the beauty. I smiled and my heart swelled. I didn't want to leave the fairly tale so shoveling the driveway became shoveling the walkways and the back deck and breathing in all of the wonder.
In the midst of my joy and appreciation I realized what all of the great sages of time claim as truth. When we allow life to be just as it is. When we stop trying to make life the way we think it 'should be'. Then and only then do we see true beauty within ourselves and in everything we encounter.
Blessings,
Virginia
Are you wrrestling with what life has brought you? I would love to help you see the gifts. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com
Facebook: Fake Book
A dear friend of mine once said "Facebook equals Fake Book."
I deactivated my account a while back.
Many have told me such an action is an entrepreneur's suicide. As an entrepreneur, I beg to differ. My deactivation will not have any effect on my overhead. Most of my clients come to me by word of mouth and by God's power.
I deactivated because I found myself too attached. I was checking my likings and comments numbers way too much. I was in the process of making facebook into FAKE book. I never wanted that to happen. I never wanted to be what my dear loving friend described.
I never want to be FAKE.
I want to be REAL.
I will go back to facebook. Next time I will be way more authentic.
Until then.....
I am so enjoying the break.
Blessings,
Virginia
Need some help being more of the unique authentic YOU. I would love to help. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com
I deactivated my account a while back.
Many have told me such an action is an entrepreneur's suicide. As an entrepreneur, I beg to differ. My deactivation will not have any effect on my overhead. Most of my clients come to me by word of mouth and by God's power.
I deactivated because I found myself too attached. I was checking my likings and comments numbers way too much. I was in the process of making facebook into FAKE book. I never wanted that to happen. I never wanted to be what my dear loving friend described.
I never want to be FAKE.
I want to be REAL.
I will go back to facebook. Next time I will be way more authentic.
Until then.....
I am so enjoying the break.
Blessings,
Virginia
Need some help being more of the unique authentic YOU. I would love to help. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com
Miraculous Monday
I had planned on writing today's blog about The Course of Miracles. However, when I went to dump the compost, this miracle surprised me.
DAFFODILS!!
What Miracle surprised you today?
Sacred Sundays
A house full of teens after a Saturday night dance.
A Mom in her bedroom wandering in and out to provide food and to let them know I am here.
Staying awake and on alert because mine and others' most precious ones are on my watch.
Listening to all the fun.
Time doesn't matter.
Midnight cake baking.
After midnight cake eating.
Two a.m giggles
Three a.m. card games.
I hear it all.
Time has switched.
It is now four a.m. and the house is quiet.
I tiptoe around to find each fast asleep.
At last.
I am so blessed.
Amen
A Mom in her bedroom wandering in and out to provide food and to let them know I am here.
Staying awake and on alert because mine and others' most precious ones are on my watch.
Listening to all the fun.
Time doesn't matter.
Midnight cake baking.
After midnight cake eating.
Two a.m giggles
Three a.m. card games.
I hear it all.
Time has switched.
It is now four a.m. and the house is quiet.
I tiptoe around to find each fast asleep.
At last.
I am so blessed.
Amen
Quotes
I love quotes!
Quotes are like a great healthy snack. They nourish in just the right way and in just the right time.
I came across this one today.
Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent. C.J. Jung
It was a perfect find as I spent a few hours writing on today's snowday. I was feeling a tad guilty for writing as my children were doing their own thing. When I found this quote, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that me living MY life and taking care of MY creative needs is the best thing I could ever do for my children.
Naturally, once the writiing was done, snow fun began!
Blessings,
Virginia
Need help balancing your needs with your children's needs? I would love to help. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com.
Quotes are like a great healthy snack. They nourish in just the right way and in just the right time.
I came across this one today.
Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent. C.J. Jung
It was a perfect find as I spent a few hours writing on today's snowday. I was feeling a tad guilty for writing as my children were doing their own thing. When I found this quote, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that me living MY life and taking care of MY creative needs is the best thing I could ever do for my children.
Naturally, once the writiing was done, snow fun began!
Blessings,
Virginia
Need help balancing your needs with your children's needs? I would love to help. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com.
10 Rules of Perfect Mothers
1. Perfect mothers have an entire reportoire of effective escape routes. Regardless if she is parenting infants toddlers, school aged children or teenagers, a perfect mother creatively escapes on a daily basis. You must take care of yourself!
2. Perfect mothers don't devour every parenting book, becasue they trust their innate ability to be the expert for their own children. When the perfect mother is looking for advice, she naturally finds resources that are in sync with her uniquely beautiful parenting style.
3. Perfect mothers neither judge or compare themselves to other mothers. The perfect mother encourages and supports other mothers with compliments, knowing smiles and practical help.
4. Perfect mothers remind themselves of their own fabulous motehring in affirmations, great mommy-moments journals, and by celebrating with other great moms the things they do well.
5. Perfect mothers say no to anything and everything that doesn't inspire them. Perfect mothers have children who sometimes compete in sports with no parental cheering section. The perfect mother knows that her not being there develops her child's internal cheering section. Perfect mothers have said " no" so many times to volunteer activities, she is no longer hounded. The perfect mother volunteers in accordance to her passions, not her guilt.
6. Perfect mothers spend more time doing things with their children and less time doing things for their children. Children of perfect mothers sometimes have to live with the consequences of forgetting their instrument, homework or permission slip. It usually only happens once. Perfect mothers have more time to play with their children because household chores are shared.
7. Perfect mothers have passions and hobbies and a wealth of intelligence that grows as they mother. At times perfect mothers put their passions before the desires of their children.
8. Perfect mothers have no guilt or shame in admitting to themselves and others that sometimes mothering is neither fun or rewarding, and sometimes they would love to run away.
9. Even so, perfect mothers look directly intp their chidlren's eyes and smile many times a day.
10. Perfect motehrs are all of us: on our perfect snapshot days, our nerve-shot days and all of the days in the middle.
Blessings,
Virginia
2. Perfect mothers don't devour every parenting book, becasue they trust their innate ability to be the expert for their own children. When the perfect mother is looking for advice, she naturally finds resources that are in sync with her uniquely beautiful parenting style.
3. Perfect mothers neither judge or compare themselves to other mothers. The perfect mother encourages and supports other mothers with compliments, knowing smiles and practical help.
4. Perfect mothers remind themselves of their own fabulous motehring in affirmations, great mommy-moments journals, and by celebrating with other great moms the things they do well.
5. Perfect mothers say no to anything and everything that doesn't inspire them. Perfect mothers have children who sometimes compete in sports with no parental cheering section. The perfect mother knows that her not being there develops her child's internal cheering section. Perfect mothers have said " no" so many times to volunteer activities, she is no longer hounded. The perfect mother volunteers in accordance to her passions, not her guilt.
6. Perfect mothers spend more time doing things with their children and less time doing things for their children. Children of perfect mothers sometimes have to live with the consequences of forgetting their instrument, homework or permission slip. It usually only happens once. Perfect mothers have more time to play with their children because household chores are shared.
7. Perfect mothers have passions and hobbies and a wealth of intelligence that grows as they mother. At times perfect mothers put their passions before the desires of their children.
8. Perfect mothers have no guilt or shame in admitting to themselves and others that sometimes mothering is neither fun or rewarding, and sometimes they would love to run away.
9. Even so, perfect mothers look directly intp their chidlren's eyes and smile many times a day.
10. Perfect motehrs are all of us: on our perfect snapshot days, our nerve-shot days and all of the days in the middle.
Blessings,
Virginia
Perfect Mothers
What is your idea of a perfect mother?
Is it the impeccably dressed, cookie baking PTA mom? Is it the thriving six figure career momma? Is it the mom with the bleary eyes carrying an infant while dealing with her toddler's tantrum in the cereal aisle? Or could it be the mom who leaves the dishes piled, the laundry unfolded and the kids in their pyjamas and calls the sitter for the much needed break?
Is it one or all of the above?
There is a slew of articles, books and motivational speeches about moms taking good care of themselves and letting go of the idea of perfection. Yet the media still sets the rules of a good mother at oppressive and unattainable heights. We are constantly bombarded with with the one perfect snapshot of motherhood. Believing these snapshots are actually real, moms hide behind the mask of perfection.
Raising children is messy business.
However perfect mothers do exist.
Tomorrow I'll share my ten rules of perfect moms.
Blessings,
Virginia
Need some help seeing your own perfection. I would love to help. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com
Is it the impeccably dressed, cookie baking PTA mom? Is it the thriving six figure career momma? Is it the mom with the bleary eyes carrying an infant while dealing with her toddler's tantrum in the cereal aisle? Or could it be the mom who leaves the dishes piled, the laundry unfolded and the kids in their pyjamas and calls the sitter for the much needed break?
Is it one or all of the above?
There is a slew of articles, books and motivational speeches about moms taking good care of themselves and letting go of the idea of perfection. Yet the media still sets the rules of a good mother at oppressive and unattainable heights. We are constantly bombarded with with the one perfect snapshot of motherhood. Believing these snapshots are actually real, moms hide behind the mask of perfection.
Raising children is messy business.
However perfect mothers do exist.
Tomorrow I'll share my ten rules of perfect moms.
Blessings,
Virginia
Need some help seeing your own perfection. I would love to help. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com
How Do You Do It?
I have been a single momma of three fabulous children for over ten years. Good grief where does the time go?
So often people have asked,"How do you do it?"
In the beginning, those questions made me defensive and insecure. So I would just smile and shrug.
As the years went by and I got more and more confident in my CEO status, I started to answer the question.
"How do you do it?"
My first and foremost answer, "I pray A LOT!"
Secondly and thirdly, " I pray even more."
Then...
"My family (Yes single moms, you are a family) embraces the silly.
Christmas card 2012 tells it all
Blessings,
Virginia
Hey single momma, I am here if you need a hand. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com. I would be honored to walk with you. You are enough!
So often people have asked,"How do you do it?"
In the beginning, those questions made me defensive and insecure. So I would just smile and shrug.
As the years went by and I got more and more confident in my CEO status, I started to answer the question.
"How do you do it?"
My first and foremost answer, "I pray A LOT!"
Secondly and thirdly, " I pray even more."
Then...
"My family (Yes single moms, you are a family) embraces the silly.
Christmas card 2012 tells it all
Blessings,
Virginia
Hey single momma, I am here if you need a hand. virginiamccormack05@gmail.com. I would be honored to walk with you. You are enough!
Random Acts of Kindness
I love doing random acts of kindness. In fact, I do two each day.
Everyday I do something kind for myself and something kind for someone else. Yes. I start with a kind gesture to myself before anyone else. I am a single parent and CEO of the best business in the world, my family. Being extra kind to myself is of paramount importance.
It is not a daily grand gesture, rather it is small stuff.
*Smiling at myself everytime I pass a mirror and doing what Louise Hay encourages and saying, "I love you" to my reflection.
* Not judging myself so harshly when I make a mistake.
* Paying attention to my monkey mind and changing negative self talk to positive. "You rock Virginia" is one of my favorites.
* Lingering over my morning coffee
*Reading in bed with tea.
* Making my daily exercise an event instead of something to get over quickly.
* Wearing that special outfit I was saving for a special occasion.
* Making my favorite dinner even if it means the kids will eat cereal.
Being kind to yourself can be a way of living and it makes life so much sweeter.
Now go look in the mirror and smile.
Blessings,
Virginia
Everyday I do something kind for myself and something kind for someone else. Yes. I start with a kind gesture to myself before anyone else. I am a single parent and CEO of the best business in the world, my family. Being extra kind to myself is of paramount importance.
It is not a daily grand gesture, rather it is small stuff.
*Smiling at myself everytime I pass a mirror and doing what Louise Hay encourages and saying, "I love you" to my reflection.
* Not judging myself so harshly when I make a mistake.
* Paying attention to my monkey mind and changing negative self talk to positive. "You rock Virginia" is one of my favorites.
* Lingering over my morning coffee
*Reading in bed with tea.
* Making my daily exercise an event instead of something to get over quickly.
* Wearing that special outfit I was saving for a special occasion.
* Making my favorite dinner even if it means the kids will eat cereal.
Being kind to yourself can be a way of living and it makes life so much sweeter.
Now go look in the mirror and smile.
Blessings,
Virginia
Sacred Sundays
Sundays used to be about going to Mass.
Now I create my own Sacred.
Three kids and a Mom sitting on a couch chatting.
Baking goodies.
Enjoying a footrub from my daughter.
A phone call from my brother.
Tea with my daughter.
Watching my sons play lacrosee.
Making soup.
Making bread.
Saying Thank you.
Blessed.
Now I create my own Sacred.
Three kids and a Mom sitting on a couch chatting.
Baking goodies.
Enjoying a footrub from my daughter.
A phone call from my brother.
Tea with my daughter.
Watching my sons play lacrosee.
Making soup.
Making bread.
Saying Thank you.
Blessed.
Cleaning: A Spiritual Practice
I spent most of today cleaning. This wasn't the basic Saturday's chore cleaning. This was an all out deep clean and clear out endeavor. I cleaned in places that nobody would ever see. I even cleaned behind the fridge.
As I scrubbed, tossed stuff in the garbage, and tossed stuff in the Goodwill box, I knew I was doing something much bigger than cleaning my house. I was also shining up my perceived dark parts of my soul and making room for even more goodness to come into my life.
I found many treasures within myself and one physical treasure that got me teary. The beautiful little pot my 20 year older made for me when he was in fifth grade now is a focal point of my kitchen.
Anything can bring you back to spirit, even cleaning.
Blessings,
Virginia
As I scrubbed, tossed stuff in the garbage, and tossed stuff in the Goodwill box, I knew I was doing something much bigger than cleaning my house. I was also shining up my perceived dark parts of my soul and making room for even more goodness to come into my life.
I found many treasures within myself and one physical treasure that got me teary. The beautiful little pot my 20 year older made for me when he was in fifth grade now is a focal point of my kitchen.
Anything can bring you back to spirit, even cleaning.
Blessings,
Virginia
Making March Meaningful
March is my least favorite month here in Maine. It seems to last way too long and my excitement for all things garden is difficult to contain. Here are a few things I do to get through the month:
1. Shopping. In March all things winter are drastically reduced. Yes you will be wearing winter clothes for another month or more.
2. Buying fresh flowers every week. Nothing says spring more than a vase brimming with daffodils.
3. Planning my garden and looking back on last years garden pictures.
4. Ordering my seeds.
5. Forcing forsythias.
6.Spring cleaning. Once the days get warmer I will be outdoors every chance I get.
7. Stocking up on gardening books from the library.
8.Completing indoor projects (see # 6)
9. If all this fails and the snow on the ground is driving you mad you can:
Happy March!
Blessings,
Virginia
1. Shopping. In March all things winter are drastically reduced. Yes you will be wearing winter clothes for another month or more.
2. Buying fresh flowers every week. Nothing says spring more than a vase brimming with daffodils.
3. Planning my garden and looking back on last years garden pictures.
4. Ordering my seeds.
5. Forcing forsythias.
6.Spring cleaning. Once the days get warmer I will be outdoors every chance I get.
7. Stocking up on gardening books from the library.
8.Completing indoor projects (see # 6)
9. If all this fails and the snow on the ground is driving you mad you can:
Happy March!
Blessings,
Virginia
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