Yesterday it was Number 4’s turn. Today, it’s mine.

Back on December 5th, I got this message on Facebook:

My name is D and I believe we have some mutual friends. I wanted to touch base with you as I LOVE your blog and your furniture business and would love to introduce you to my friend, Patty Lennon. She is a life coach who owns, Mom Gets a Business. Last year she ran a WONDERFUL conference about Mom owned businesses. This year’s conference is on April 25 in White Plains (momgetsabiz.com) and I would love for you to be my guest. I know that child care may be an issue so I would like to pay for that as well. This conference was amazing and like a spa day for your brain. Each holiday season, (even before the “Acts of Kindness” were cool) I try to reach out to one person and your blogs are really speaking to me. I planned to try to meet you in person but our children are not in any grades together (Jr/8th). I think you are pretty amazing and I believe it’s very important for women (especially Mommies) to support each other…

Huh.

So today is April 25th.

And I’m going.

And I’m excited.

I’m excited for a number of reasons.

I’m excited to have a day to myself.

I’m excited to have some uninterrupted time to think.

I’m excited to spend the day with grown ups.

Now, I don’t really know what to expect from this conference.

I’ve never been to anything like this.

And I’m still having a hard time thinking of myself as a businesswoman.

But I’m excited for that.

Because for the past 8 years, I have thought of myself as a mom.

My whole identity has been that of mom.

Strip me of my mom duties, and I think I would be left feeling like I had no purpose.

And that’s not what I want.

Like I said the other day, I am working on that balance thing.

My new friend D,

the one who has paid for me to attend this conference and for a babysitter for the day,

has desribed Patty Lennon as the White Oprah.

That’s quite a description.

Patty Lennon, if you are reading this, the pressure to deliver is on.

So who knows.

Maybe this will be one of those situations where the actual experience doesn’t quite live up to all the hype.

Like when you hear how incredible a movie is,

that movie you have to see, 

and then you see it,

and you are totally disappointed.

So I am going into this day trying to keep my expectations low.

But here is what I’m hoping for.

First, a little story.

Number 3 had baseball practice on Wednesday night.

On Monday the weather here was gorgeous. Warm and sunny and perfect.

By Wednesday,we were back to winter.

It was cold the wind up to Armageddon-like proportions.

Usually Numbers 4 through 7 like to stay and watch practice and run around and play.

But it was so nasty out that they all asked to go home once my husband got to the field after work.

So I was alone at Number 3’s practice, sitting on the bleachers wearing two jackets, gloves, and my winter hat, with a blanket wrapped around my lap.

There was not one other mother out there watching.

In fact there was only one father watching.

The rest of the parents sat in their cars.

So later that night when we got home, Number 3 said something.

I don’t remember what he said, but it was something along the lines of, “You never do anything with just me.”

I stopped and looked at him.

“I just watched your practice. Alone. I didn’t have to watch any of the other kids. The whole time, I got to just watch you. I saw every hit, catch, and throw you made.”

He thought about that.

“And how many other moms were out there doing that today?” I asked him.

“None,” he said.

“Because none of them were Mom enough,” he added in.

Because none of them were Mom enough.

First of all, that’s the best line ever.

And one that I am going to start using.

Often.

Anyway, that’s my hope for today.

To meet some other moms who are mom enough.

Gotta go.

I’ve got a business to grow.

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