Watch me prove you wrong.

"Most single moms are very poor, uneducated, can’t get a job and if it weren’t for government assistance, their kids would be starving to death and never have health care."

This is just one of many quotes regarding single mothers that have come out in the media lately. This particular one is from the politician, Mike Huckabee. I'm not offended because I'm not naive - I do understand and am fully aware that there are single mothers in this world that fit that discription. But there are also single fathers that fall into that category, as well as married couples.

Stereotypes are always frustrating - but they are, and will continue to be, a part of life. The only thing that I can do that is within my control is to be the exception. Everyone can sit back and watch me prove them wrong.

I'm not going to post my resume up here and brag about my professional accomplishments. I'm not going to talk about my education, my salary, or my career.

Instead, I'll show you this.

See that on her little face? That's pride. This was after we finished eating a healthy, homemade dinner together. Ruby had just finished planting her little basil plant. She did it all by herself. She picked out the seeds, watered the soil very carefully, showed me where to set her pot on the window sill, and then explained to me that if she watered it and loved it enough it would grow up to be big and tall like Ruby.

I'm a working single mom. I'm nowhere near perfect. But Ruby gives me the motivation every day to try to get there.

If you know someone who is a single parent, drop them a word of encouragement every now and then. It gets tough and lonely and overwhelming sometimes, and it can be encouraging to know that the entire world isn't just sitting around waiting for you to fail.

But don't EVER suggest that we can't do something. Because then you'll have to sit back and wait while we prove you wrong.

One of my favorite nights

I'm back! Save your lectures, I know that I've been a terrible blogger. I've been trying to get into the swing of things with my new job where I'm actually in an office all day long, five days a week. This "single-working-mother" thing is hard, y'all.


So I don't really have too terribly much to update. Other than the fact that my daughter could not possibly be any cuter. I realize that there may be a fair amount of bias on my opinion, but I submit the following evidence. You go ahead and tell me you don't agree. Go ahead and try.

Last night was one of the very best nights that Ruby and I have ever had. She was still napping when I got home from work, so I quickly got dinner in the oven and paid some bills before she woke up (in other breaking news, I have not yet won the lottery). When Ruby typically wakes up from her nap, her mood will either go towards one extreme or the other. She will either wake up with her little halo and angel wings on, or she will have sprouted horns and a forked tail - she's lucky she's cute.... Yesterday was definitely the halo and angel wings.


So after about 30-minutes of Ruby announcing that she would give me the "best hug EVER" followed by the best hug ever, and the "best kiss EVER" followed by the best kiss ever, we ate dinner. She can sometimes be a bit of a drama queen when eating - if she doesn't want to eat a bite of something, she'll put the back of her hand on her forehead and turn away. This little one can be stubborn. No idea where she got that....... Anyway, last night she used her manners and said "No, thank you" when she didn't want a bite. Manners! From a 2-year old! :)


After dinner we walked up to the ice cream shop on the corner since she had definitely earned this treat from her good behavior. We played in their courtyard and Ruby enjoyed her lemon frozen custard. It was a beautiful evening and we were both so happy.


The rest of the night was uneventful, but was still just as fun. Bathtime, followed by books, snuggles, and finally bedtime. How did I get so lucky?