How Do You Know You're A Successful Mom?

I started thinking today about how I could be a better Mom to my kids. Actually, I am always thinking that.  Then, I wondered what is a successful Mom like? I think that to each person it is different and that's perfectly perfect.

I decided today, that to me it means that if my kids are caring for others and the earth just because it feels good in their heart then I have been successful. If my daughter or sons can go to school and be a friend to the one kid that doesn't have one, I am a successful Mom. Just like bullying is taught, I believe that goodness is also taught and mostly by example from us. If my kids decide to pick up trash in our neighborhood just because they know that it is not good for our earth to just leave it there, I feel successful. When my daughter asks to volunteer at the local animal shelter, just because she wants to I feel happy in my heart and again, I feel like a successful Mom. If my kids are honest, even when they know they have done the wrong thing (i.e. broke a window in our garage and telling me before I have to find out and ask questions), I know that I have been good in teaching them an important value that will hopefully carry on for the rest of their lives. As they grow into adults and have their own families, if they want to come back home to visit on their own without being asked/invited, I will feel that I have been a good, successful Mom.

There are plenty of times when I know that I do not have it right. Like mornings. I do not do mornings. My alarm clock and I are enemies and by now if we haven't figured it out, we probably never will. I need to be successful in teaching my kids how to do mornings. Typically, because I like to sleep in a little longer than I should our mornings can be hectic. Ew. What a way to start the day!

I am an artist, which means I am a free spirit and that also means that I am not always organized. I have to teach my kids that this is something that needs to be important in their lives. I am a lot better than I used to be, but I have room (lots of it) to grow.

I think that sometimes we focus solely on our own careers and just expect our kids to know how to grow up to be the kind of people we want them to be. "Kids are expensive." I hear that line all of the time. I think being a parent is mostly emotionally expensive because sometimes it's taxing on parents to always do the "right thing" and to constantly teach lessons. It is, however, our job as parents to do that each and every day.

My Acupuncture Experience

I try to do things naturally if I can help it. Like giving birth, eating, and just overall health. When I started dealing with my back issues and started seeing my family doctor and two orthopedic surgeons, I started to get really freaked out about all of the medications that they wanted me to take. First of all, I didn't like all of the side effect paperwork I read. Second, it's pretty dang awesome how the body heals itself anyway so why not let it work it's magic?

I have heard about acupuncture for years, but let's be honest....who LOVEEEES needles? I'm not raising my hand and unless you're a heroin addict, I bet you aren't, either. I felt like I had exhausted all avenues with my back, so after reading on countless websites that acupuncture does not hurt I decided to make an appointment with Dr. Brady Bird at Emmetsburg Chiropractic in Ruthven, Iowa. I had a little drive to my appointment, so I started thinking about all of the "what-if's". What if it hurts? What if I cry? What if I just change my mind about doing it after I am already there? What if this messes up my back more or doesn't jive with the rest of my body? What if I pass out? Yeah, really....I hate needles.

As soon as I arrived, Dr. Brady and I sat down to talk about what areas I wanted to work on. In my case, my back and migraines. He explained in great detail exactly how acupuncture works, how and where the needles would be placed and how often I could come for treatments if I chose to do so. My favorite part is that I could tell that he has passion for this and he believes in this treatment. If you've read my blog before, you know that I love when people have passion for what they do! I trusted him right away and I didn't even worry about the itsy, bitsy needles.  By the way, there is nothing inside of the needles. I always thought there was, which would take away from the natural side of things.

The actual treatment was actually pretty cool. After all of the needles were placed (even one in the top of my head), we chit-chatted for a couple of minutes and then Dr. Brady left the room for me to relax. I love that you can't move so you are literally forced to relax. If I hadn't been forced to relax, guess what I would have been doing? Business on my phone. It was so relaxing that I could have fallen asleep.  I had to take off my watch, and I don't think there was a clock in the room (if there was I didn't pay attention). It was just great laying in peace for maybe 30 minutes. It felt like forever. Anyone with a busy schedule, especially mom's and dad's can relate...peace is a rare and beautiful thing!

I can't explain to you everything that acupuncture does or how it channels energy, but I really believe it works. I am already feeling better after just three treatments. There is a reason it has been practiced for thousands of years! I say if you've been struggling with anything at all whether it be mind, body or overall health just give acupuncture a try!

I liked this read: http://www.myacuherbclinic.com/Acupuncture.html

My Ex-Boss is Suing ME

You read that right. The employer is filing a lawsuit against me. For what you might ask. I ask the same thing and the answer I get keeps changing.

I have a feeling that it has something to do with the fact that (I think) she's a jealous, insecure person who is upset that I am opening my own salon about 60 miles away. That's my best guess because without a concrete answer, even from her attorney to mine I don't know.

The first response was something like she had no idea I had a problem with my back and I just up and left. (That is a lie because she borrowed her back support belt to me until I was prescribed one.) The most recent response, I believe, says that I caused her business to lose money because I planned to quit weeks in advance and she has evidence of that. Either way, they are all lies and quite frankly I could dig them out of the BS folder that I filed them in just to double check the exact lies but I don't feel like it.

What really happened? I was in a car accident in July that totaled my car on my way to work. After many appointments and an MRI I found out that I tore a disk in my back, which has caused me a great deal of pain and weakness in my leg. My doctor advised me to take two weeks off of work to heal and take the meds that I otherwise couldn't take, so that is what I did. The day after my first day of leave, I requested to get some of my things from work to give my children back-to-school haircuts. When I arrived at the salon some of my things were in a bag, including my cosmetology license, which was previously in a frame on the wall. There was a letter, not in an envelope, sitting on top of the bag from my ex-boss requesting thousands of dollars and accusing my back problem of being made up. I was confused because after two weeks I was going back to work. I had clients booked that I wanted to bid farewell to and thank. I went to my ex-boss's office to talk about the letter and she was in there with boxes in front of the door so I couldn't get in. Strange, right?

I do know that the dollar amount of the lawsuit has changed three different times in the last couple of months. I know that I worked hard for very little money and was treated poorly for a very long time to end up with a lawsuit?! What?! I also know that from what I've received so far in her paperwork are many lies. Gross, disgusting lies that I get to prove wrong in front of a judge. Good. I also know that she didn't pay me my last paycheck that I earned and that she kept my supplies that I paid for before I was ever an employee of hers. One quote I love is "Just tell the truth because its too hard remember all of your lies."

Good for me, I keep everything and I'm honest, sometimes brutally honest. I've been jokingly called a hoarder by my husband, who is an extremely neat person. I keep emails, paycheck stubs, voicemails, letters, receipts, the whole nine yards.

The day that I received the original form of paperwork from her stating "You need to pay me $x,xxx or I will contact my attorney." one of my then co-workers said "Don't you know, she sues everyone that quits?!" Well, not really or I wouldn't have accepted this job in the first place. I had been warned by many not to work for her and not to sign her legal papers, but I like to think for myself. I can admit that I read her completely wrong and trusted her when I probably shouldn't have. I didn't know it was necessary to do a background/court history check on a salon owner! Yeow!

Anyone that knows me, saw me working there or was a client of mine knows that I gave everything that I could and more to the extreme training, my work and my ex-boss. I really love what I do.

To be completely fair, I learned a great deal at the salon, I fell head-over-heels in love with Aveda and I met a lot of great people that I still connect with each week and who are supporting my new business. I can always find good in any situation. I didn't plan to blog about this because in my opinion it is a rather ridiculous matter, however, I am grateful that our country allows freedom of speech. I am also grateful that I can be heard, even if just through my own blog.

No one should be able to prevent anyone from doing something that they love. If I can save one person from this, then sharing my story has been worth it.

On a much happier note, I am more than thrilled about my new salon! Like us on Facebook for all of the fun details: www.facebook.com/SalonMSpa