age 33 married, mother of two, Costa Mesa, CA never met a musical she didn’t like, is trying desperately to avoid buying a minivan, has a secret crush on Jon Stewart

 HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON YOUR MOTHERHOOD JOURNEY? My husband and I had several miscarriages before we decided to adopt our first child. Jafta was adopted from the fostercare system, and shortly after that we learned we were pregnant with a daughter. We feel so blessed to experience the miracles of adoption and childbirth, and we are in the process of adopting a little boy from Haiti.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR HARDEST “MOM MOMENTS” THAT YOU WILL ONE DAY LOOK BACK ON AND LAUGH? I am slightly embarrassed by my dramatic reaction when my kids don’t nap. It really seems like the end of the world when I don’t get a little downtime in the day. A missed nap is equal to the stock market crash in my house. I also have another story that involved a bike, a stroller, and dog poop, and you can read all about it here.

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU THE MOST ABOUT MOTHERHOOD? When I picture myself as a mom, I pictured times of playing with my kids, doing activities, and cuddling with them. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the amount of laundry involved! Not to mention food prep and clean-up. No one prepared me for the sheer tedium of it all.

WHAT IS A CURRENT CHALLENGE IN YOUR FAMILY LIFE? My kids are at two very different stages, and it seems like my toddler daughter is always raining on her brother’s parade. If he is playing on the computer, she bangs on the keyboard and freezes the program. If he is painting a picture, she spills the paint. If he is building a tower . . . you get the picture.

MY “MOM SECRET WEAPON” IS… Books on tape! I burn books onto our ipod and then my kids can follow along while someone else reads to them. This is the only way I am able to prepare dinner most nights, and it makes me feel less guilty than putting a video on. Although, I have been known to do that as well.

MY MAMA MANIFESTO IS:

…to be honest about the struggles of motherhood, and learn to laugh at ourselves just a little.

- to be truly present with my kids, and treat each of them as a unique and valued individual

- to take care of the world we live in, and teach my children to be responsible citizens

- to encourage and educate moms to raise kids that are healthy emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

 - to learn to have intimate relationships with people instead of a computer or tv screen