From Crazy Talk to Reality

A few weeks ago me and three of my single mom tweeps fantasized about a life where all four of us lived under one roof and could assist each other in raising all the children between us. The Single Parent Co-operative. For days afterwards I couldn't let go of the idea. There has to be a way that single parents can ban together to help each other not just get out every now and then but to be there during the emergencies; supporting each other in the good and bad.

There is....start smaller. I broke down the concept into two phases - child care and housing. Then I added a phase - programming for the kids such as sports or music. But to get started I needed money.

Then I saw a tweet from another tweep (incidentally another single mom) about The Awesome Shit Club. A group of people that raise money, accept submissions of awesome shit, and give away money to the most awesome idea.

That brings me to tonight’s adventure. I became an “Awesomer” of the Awesome Shit Club. I presented my idea alongside 10 other Awesomers o the 16 Awesomites who voted on who was the awesomest and win the pot of funds. There were a LOT of awesome ideas and all pretty diverse in topics and fields.

Long story short – I didn’t win. But sometimes it’s not the intended prize that makes an experience worthwhile. It’s the connections and networking that further an idea to bring it to a reality. I walked away with two contacts interested in helping make the crazy talk of a few single moms into a reality. Because of them, I feel I won.

A Pleasant Surprise

This week I have been battling a cold.  Never fun.  Then consider I'm a single mom with a high energy toddler.  Double whammy.  But SURPRISE!  B yet again through me for a loop.  He tossed a balloon at me.

I was simply minding my own business, sitting in my rocker watching B play, struggling to make it to that precious moment when the night time ritual begins and it would be closer to bedtime - for both B and me, when B tossed a balloon at me.  As the balloon bounced off my startled face B tried to catch it but fell over.  B giggled.  I laughed.  Again B tossed the balloon at me and a random game of catch began.

As I admired B's success at getting Mama to play despite feeling like total crap I also chuckled as B put so much energy into attempting to catch the balloon with both arms that he'd lose his balance every time, fall over and burst into laughter only to try again.  Truly proves the theory that learning through play works.  B was having too much fun to notice his struggle with actually catching the balloon.

These are the moments that make me cherish beiing a parent.  Melts away all the struggles that come with parenthood.