My best friend Jen is so awesome! The other day she told me she was bragging about me to somebody, she couldnt remember who she was talking to but she said they were talking about single parenting. She said she was telling them about me and how Im a great mom and how smart Ivy is. That made me feel SOOO GOOD! It made me think a little. I can be VERY hard on myself, I am sure most mothers are like that. I like lots of moms try to be perfect, I wish I was thinner, I wish I could say that I have never given my kid fast food and I make home cooked meals everyday, I wish my hair make up and nail polish was always done...but we arent perfect, we arent supposed to be perfect.
I do work very hard! I am a working mom, I work 7 nights a week. I am also a stay at home mom, Im home with Ivy all day (= Its really great that I can do both! I wont lie, it is exhausting! I dont sleep enough! When I pick Ivy up in the early morning she wakes right up and is ready for breakfast and I am ready for bed.
Jen made me feel so good! Yes, Ivy is smart, I did baby signs with her starting at 6 months old, I work with her a lot and Im always teaching her things. I feel like I am a great mom!!! (= Ivy doesnt want for anything, she isnt missing anything. She is happy and healthy.
Being an LDS single mom is far from easy, I get weird looks all the time! Especially at the sngles ward. Sometimes I think people feel uncomfortable because I am so confidant about being a sinlge mom, I just laugh at them. Like everyone, I have made mistakes, and like most I have learned and I am a stronger person because of them. I refuse to wallow in the past.
I have another friend Anita, who is my moms age she goes to my ward and has been for years, shes practically a member she just needs to quit smoking to get baptized. The other day she told me that part of the RSGC (Relief Society Gossip Circle).....yes I just made that up!.....gossip was going around that I had not been going to church and that I was sleeping at my boyfriends (dont have one) house. Before the lady who was spreading the gossip could even finish Anita cut her off and firmly told her that yes you dont see Ashley at church because she was called as the sunbeam teacher. And she told the ladies that if they want something to gossip about that go find someone else to talk about, "because Ashley has got her head on her shoulders!" BAM! THANK YOU ANITA!!!!
Another friend, Oscar (who actually used to be good friends with my sprem donor but now is my friend because donor is a jerk!) told me once that anyone would be so lucky to have Ivy and I, that really hit me because I have heard a lot of people say that it would take a really good guy to "take on" a girl with a child, I had never heard someone say that he'd be "lucky." Felt good!!!
Im not trying to brag, and definitely not promoting single parenting, I do not plan on staying single forever, I know what I want. When I get married it will be in the temple, one day I will be sealed to my Ivy!!!! (= I am just saying that I am over everyones dummy remarks and stupid looks, I am confidant and I am proud of myself! And that I have wonderful friends!
All of us girls
