M. O. M.

Today, Sophia and I went out to Round Rock to experience quite the Stroller Strides class. I've been in SS for about a year and a half. Have been to three different locations prior to today. All of them always blow my mind! Just think: these are Moms who got out of bed, got themselves and their child(ren) ready, packed snacks and toys, water, an exercise mat and a towel and made it out of their house before 8:50ish. Impressed already, right? Gets better. Additionally, they unload their children into a stroller, fill the stroller with all the goodies they packed earlier (those weren't for them!), put on a smile and WORKOUT for an hour! I know-they're superheros! But today I was more than impressed. I was INSPIRED. When I joined this class to co-teach with their regular instructor, I was welcomed with open arms and tissue so that I can hit the public bathroom around the corner (7 weeks pregnant--in the potty every 10 minutes!). There were 17 girls there today including myself. So 17 women did all those things to get to class by 9am. I would venture to say that about half had more than 1 child with them as well. Who knows if they had preschoolers or school aged children they had to get situated before all this as well! My point is: they made it. They might not leave the house for anything else today, or alternately, they might have a million errands on their list. But they made it. All 17 of them! No excuses, nobody to blame. They made it. So it got me thinking...Do I want to be a
M.O.M: Many Opportunities for Mistakes: The Mom that constantly says, "I have kids, that's impossible. You try handling all that I do!"
or a
M.O.M: Making Opportunities Matter: The Mom that realizes that life isn't easy anymore but it has handed her opportunities in many different ways; using those opportunities to set examples for the children and leave a positive footprint on the earth.
Of course there are days that the former seems easier. No doubt! But I believe I made a conscious decision today to make MOST days opportunistic (if that's a word) and make lemonade (if you will). Adding another baby to our family will absolutely present its challenges. But that shouldn't mean that it adds opportunities for mistakes, excuses, or indolence. I want my children to see a happy, healthy, well balanced Mom. (Some days, that will be a cover!) But as long as I can remember those ladies from the Stroller Strides class in Round Rock today, I think I will be just fine. I'm a Mommy on a Mission!

Please note: The women in Steiner Ranch have inspired me in the same way. This is why I chose to get certified to teach Stroller Strides to begin with. I think I was just overwhelmed by the number of women today. Mix that with these pregnancy hormones and you've got one blogging Mama!