Sparkling With Sophia
About a month ago, my daughter and I did something very impulsive. My immediate description of the decision to a friend was, “I did something stupid, but I think it is going to be REALLY fun!” And if you know me at all, there is probably much truth the the statement!
Needless to say, Sophia and I decided to share a line of Swarovski Jewelry together. Crazy right? Maybe at first glance. But ultimately, it is a great bonding and learning opportunity for my daughter and I. We need to invest in our children and their interests. Sophia loves jewelry. Easy enough, and now, she is learning marketing skills, public speaking, business organization, problem solving, and to her great surprise… she has had to apply MATH to a real life activity! She is having fun, we are spending time together and well…jewelry.
So where does the “stupid” part of this lie you must be wondering. It seems pretty great… yes…. but: we are already over-scheduled. School, sports, businesses, community involvement, and church activities have all of us playing life full out. However, if there is a will there is a way. Our approach was simple, Sophia and I each looked at the calendar and asked ourselves two questions:
What can I do?
What am I willing to do?
And then we did it. Now we are very sparkly and having fun. Plus, Sophia is plugging away at earning the funds for her Washington D.C. trip, and that makes me very proud of her. Who knows where these small lessons will take her in her future?
I want to see the sparkles! Click here.
Cherish Every Moment Because it is the Best Moment
Coffee and Podcast with Bobby Brennan
I like to think of Bobby Brennan as the Catholic gentleman. He is polite, congenial, servant-hearted, and completely in love with his wife of 28 years. He is a family man through and through. We sit together to have a heart to heart about these things.
Parenthood, mowing grass, and a growing up in a strong family unit are just a few topics we touch on. Bobby also opens up a bit about his spiritual journey and how living out his Catholic faith impacted his family and parenting style.
He has wonderful words of wisdom to share and a well of experience to draw from. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
See podcast notes for the resources he mentions in the episode.
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Podcast #11 Life is Good with Robert Walker
I met Robert Walker through our local Lions Club Chapter, The Conroe Noon Lions Club. What I knew about him before our interview together was that he constantly smiled, he was always motivated, he could get the job done, and he had a heart of service. Then, over some small talk, he revealed his fondness of our town, growing up in Conroe, and making a life here. His journey, life lessons, and philosophy for adding value to others provides wisdom and perspective for our hectic living style.
Take a listen as Robert and I share a few stories and get to know each other on this episode of The Unmuted Life. Also, if you are in the area, you can check out Robert’s place of business, Walker’s Farm and Feed Store, in Willis Texas.
Dayna Adewuya: A Story of Resilience!
Something Good is Coming!
On a summer morning in June, Dayna Adewuya came for a visit. Upon opening the front door, there she stood, presenting a smile that starts from within, her joyful entry did not even hint that she had already been up for some time, dropped the kids at school, and hustled her way up to my neck of the woods for a podcast recording. She seemed as at ease and as beautiful as ever.
My friendship with Dayna started about a year ago, after an introduction by a mutual friend and photographer, Sergio Vaz Lopes. Our first phone call lasted for over an hour as we discovered that our paths paralleled and our philosophies aligned. Her grace, compassion, and love for others was evident from the beginning. However, her perseverance, ability to navigate tough situations, and her keen grasp of business and relationships are what I found to be intriguing. Dayna’s many layers present an intelligent and capable woman who possesses unique superpowers that she shares in the world. Not afraid to share her thoughts, time, or talent, Dayna is ablaze with purpose. She is not afraid to embrace change and reinvent herself along the way. If you visit with her long enough, you will hear her reveal a mantra, “Something good has got to come out of this!”
Dayna grew up in California from humble beginnings. One of six, she learned early on that she would have to make a way and blaze her own trails. They did not have a lot of money, nor any plans for college, however, her father at one point gave her a gift. He said, “I can give you all the advice, but eventually you will have to find your own way.” That gift of empowerment gave her a different perspective on life and challenges. While she has had bumps and bruise along the way, she says, “I tend to look at things and I can break it down into phases, and then it doesn’t seem that difficult to me.”
“Something good has got to come out of this!”
With her positive mindset Dayna took a dating risk. Early in her career, while working long hours and commuting in Santa Monica, California, she did not have much time for dating. After tiring of the blind dates that her friends arranged, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Finally, after seeing a commercial for E-Harmony, she thought,”Let me give it a try,” believing for certain that, “Something good has got to come out of this!” Something good did come, her husband of 10 years, Opeyemi Adewuya!
Over the course of time in the financial services industry, she had the opportunity to align herself with some of the biggest banking names in the industry, and, as fate would have it, it is also was where the rug was pulled from beneath her. While working at a firm in Houston, The Stanford Financial Group, she thought she had, “arrived.” She poured herself into the job of a lifetime only to find that the firm was entangled with a ponzi scheme. In one moment she was living her dream, in the next, she was out of a job. She left the doors of that company with nothing but her personal items and many questions. With a myriad of emotions, she tried to rebuild her life.
Little did I know that I would come into my true calling.
Eventually, a fresh opportunity arose for her family, one of a new beginning and a fresh slate. She was ready for a change. Pregnant, and with a toddler in tow, she and her family packed up and moved to Saudi Arabia. In her words, “Little did I know that I would fall in love with Saudi Arabia…Little did I know that I would come into my true calling.”
With much contemplation, she knew that this move meant she could reinvent herself and heal from the setbacks of her career. She embraced an opportunity to teach male Saudi children English, completed her MBA, and built and international school. She discovered in this metamorphosis that she could not leave her past, she had to address it and let it become part of her story, even though it was difficult, messy, and painful.
For six years she transformed and grew herself in Saudi Arabia. Then, life threw a curve ball– her brother was sick and she had to come home to California. While she didn’t know what was in her future, she decided upon that visit to stay in the states, move back to her Texas home, and as a single mom with the support of her husband abroad, has worked to rebuild their life in Houston to make way for their future.
Today, her story continues to unfold as she creates a real estate company, The Adewuya Group. She draws from her well of experience to provide a uniquely personalized service for her clients. Dayna knows a thing or two about fresh starts, both stateside and internationally, and is able to assist in a variety of transitional circumstances. She is passionate about people and insistent on building a personal connection. Her own journey has given her a larger capacity for compassion for others as they are going through their own transitions. Dayna is an example of strength and encouragement and uses her super power to help people take monumental tasks and turn them into bite-sized pieces!
Dayna’s Formula for living an Unmuted Life:
1. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it has to be done! Do not get caught in the web of perfectionism. Remember there is something powerful in just getting it done.
2. Speak Your Truth. There is healing and power in the things you have experienced.
3. Don’t let anyone mute your voice! Do not listen to the people who want to shut you down.
Michelle Simon: Thriving in the Chaos!
Inside information on raising 7 children, the mess, the beauty, the love, and everything in between!
“There are so many women in our life, that God puts into our life to be able to lean on, for a reason. We don’t come into the world by ourselves, we come into the world with the help from another woman. From the beginning we need other people.”
-Michelle Simon
Momming is tough business! You can read all the books (which is good), watch programs (which is good), and go to seminars and parenting workshops (again, good!), but nothing, and I mean nothing, beats a mom mentor. Over the years I have had several moms that have been my lighthouses in the storms of motherhood. There was Olivia, our nanny who helped me in the baby stage. There was Shana, my life long BFF whose children were only 6 months older than mine– so she got the, “I am freaking out right now!” phone calls. And, let’s not forget, my own mother who still listens to my personal crankiness and woe is me complaints… and promptly sets me straight!
Now that I have teenagers I have noticed that moms get a little stickier, we compare notes and tactics (it is a battlefield, y’all!) We inspire one another, we root for each other, and we reach for each other when things are bumpy. It is a wonderful village to be a part of.
One of my mom friends of inspiration is Michelle Simon. She is a mom of 7 children whose ages range from teenager to 3-years old! I love watching her in action. There is always a little one close by, one running around, one MIA, and others rough-housing, hungry or doing homework! It is an energetic and loving family full of organized chaos and adventure. Michelle has a constant smile (as does her husband, David). Michelle displays endless grace under pressure!
In observation, she has always given me hope on my bad days! With my 2 children, I pale in comparison with activities and responsibilities- but whether it be 1 or 10, it is still a constant learning curve. Her example of parenting allows us to take a deep breath and remind ourselves that all is well! Mind you, she is a mom just like all of us, good moments and turbulent– what she has is a wonderful perspective!
“Each week is a new week.”
-Michelle Simon
On the podcast, we share an honest and raw conversation about the adventure of motherhood. Michelle gives a bit of inside information about family, parenting style, laundry, raising teenagers and how her Catholic faith ties into it all.
Listen to The Unmuted Life Podcast with special guest Michelle Simon
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Unmuted Momming Moment
To continue my May series on moms and motherhood, please meet, Kimberly Robinson. She is a mom of 7, a registered nurse, and an entrepreneur. She sparkles from the inside out and I have loved getting to know her.
On the podcast, she shares some insightful wisdom on parenting and motherhood. As her children are now adults, she is able to give reflective perspective to those of us still in the wilds of parenting.
I for one am grateful for other-mother wisdom. My own children are now teenagers and it requires new parental navigational skills that I have not quite mastered! Outside of learn by doing, the best way to learn is to lean into to others that have already chartered the waters!
Listen here as she shares a few tips on #momming.
*My makeup is by Kimberly*
Connect with Kimberly Click Here.
Podcasting with my Mom
Happy Mother’s Day! You are appreciated, beautiful, loving and amazing!!! Thank you for Unmuted momming!
The ultimate gift is motherhood. It is difficult and rewarding. We have hearts outside our body that we love beyond words. Motherhood is a beautiful, wild adventure filled with unexpected twists and turns, love and laughter (and yes, even tears).
May you be blessed in all ways. Love you Moms!Have a Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day!
For fun, I interviewed my Mom for the podcast. She was an instrumental part of helping me build an unmuted life! We talked momming and business. Then for fun, she gobbled like a Turkey…
😍
The UnmutedLife Podcast Podcasing-with -my-Mama–Mothers-Day-Edition
