Momma’s Got Some Mad Management Skills!

As the mother of now grown children, I found myself reflecting, more so than most Mother’s Day weeks, on my babies. My mind kept wandering back to those tiny fingers so I decided on Mother’s Day; I would go through the hope chest for a trip down memory lane.

I began by touching decades old baby blankets, baby books, running my fingers over sweet Mother’s Day’s cards made from construction paper and crayons. There were old soccer trophy’s, ballet outfits, school play videos, awards for just about anything you can imagine, coins from England – deep breath – scripts from elementary school plays, lifeguard certifications, debate camp information sheets, high school AND college graduation announcements, gowns and caps, a sock (?), a Texas Department of Safety driving test study booklet, a baggie of very tiny teeth that the “tooth fairy” honored me with, and an old family calendar from 1992 – that just wore me out to flip through.

I had opened that old chest thinking “My, how my life had changed” and closed that chest  thinking “My life “really” has NOT changed that much!”

I still:

• Am never “off duty” (small business owner)
• Skillfully work with often very different personalities who may or may not be having a good day (clients, employees, vendors etc…)
• Participate in dispute resolution (except today it’s not because someone’s pajamas are touching someone else’s pajamas – which some days I would actually prefer)
• Track, coordinate, support and participate in a wide variety of activities a day, a week, a month and sometimes annually (where do I start?)
• Have to ensure everyone’s paperwork gets signed and dated and where it needs be (delivered, filed or input – for DOT, NCCER, Veriforce, the IRS, EWN, MEA, ISN, the CPA and THIS list goes on and on)
• Answer the phone
• Monitor all computer activity (mother of all things holy – Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Website, Blogging etc…)
• Take photos of everything (then for fun, now for C Y A)
• Make sure there is money in the bank (billing)
• Make sure everyone get’s their allowance (paychecks)
• Have to be two and sometimes three places at one time (I literally have been talking on a conference call (via Bluetooth) while driving to another meeting, and answering client-related text messages at red lights)
• Have a calendar that makes me tired to flip through
• Give and receive hugs (these are reserved ONLY my very favorite employees, clients and vendors)

I had spent more than two and a half decades preparing to be a small business owner. Not only that, I was blessed to have the best training team anyone could ever wish for.

This blog is dedicated that team:

My handsome son Luke Christopher, who taught me that snuggling when you wake up and before the day begins is always important, and who now proudly serves his country in the United States Air Force.

My beautiful left-handed daughter Katie Christyne, who taught me that sometimes right-hands can get lonely if left unused, Puffy’s ARE important and who currently provides a very important public service as a Public Policy Analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

My stunning baby girl Callie Beth, who taught me that being tender and caring is truly a gift, and who is not surprisingly working on her Master’s Degree in Social Work at UT Austin.

These and so many other lessons learned being their Mom serve me well today and will as time goes on.

To everyone who has ever been blessed by a child in any way, I was reminded on this Mother’s Day that while it might have been my day to be honored, it was “I” that was thankful for all those many lessons.

Have A Great Week!