"Real Life Stories--Women of Inspiration". Kim

I first met Kim when she interviewed me to work at a new up and coming restaurant that was started by a family I adored.  She ended up hiring all of my friends too.  Which made for the most fun work environment I can imagine.  We. had. so. much. fun.  We worked hard too.  And went through some tough challenges that taught us some valuable life lessons.

I immediately liked Kim and loved working with her for the next several years.  She can make me laugh until I cry.  And she's CRAZY smart in business.  The girl knows how to manage people.

She has a great sense of humor, positive outlook on life, courage, and a love for God.  She's about to be the mother of 3 kids under the age of 3.  I wish her all the luck in the world with that.  She's gonna need it.

Super grateful I have Kim in my life.  

1.  Give me a quick peek at your story.

I married young (way too young) and in doing so I picked the wrong guy and gave him the wrong finger. Fast forward 10 years to when I finally found the right guy and gave him the right finger. After a bit of a struggle, we have now been blessed with 2.75 kids (#3 will arrive in June) in just 3.5 years. I am living my happily ever after, which is significantly less glamorous and more difficult than I envisioned….but every bit as rewarding as I dreamed. 

2.  Tell me about an "every day moment" you are grateful for:

Bedtime. It’s my favorite time of the day for a multitude of reasons. Not only I am exhausted and ready for a break and a little me time, but I love the nightly ritual of bedtime routines and then the quiet, intimate time with my kids as they wind down. I adore listening to my 3 year old say her prayers and the glimpse inside her heart and thought process it gives me. I love the snuggles and laughter of my very ticklish 18 month old. I love the wet kisses and back tickles, the stories, songs and the chance to reminisce about the best parts of our day and what we look forward to for the next. The best part is when they are finally asleep. There is something about a sweet sleeping toddler that leaves a lump in my throat and my heart so grateful that I get to do it all over again tomorrow. 

3.  What is one ambition you have right now:

Honestly, Survival.  If I think about having three kids under three too much, it gives me serious anxiety. My ambitions are meager right now…. I just want to keep everyone fed, alive and relatively happy. And I want enough sweet moments in a day to help me keep it all in perspective. I’m praying for an abundance of patience and organization skills too.  

4.  If you could speak on anything to a large group of women, what would you talk about?

I think I would want to talk about the idea that we all need to be a little kinder than is necessary, because everyone is fighting some kind of battle. No matter big or small…. we all have our hardships and heartaches and trials and we just never know what others are going through. I think most of us could stand to be a little kinder, a lot less judgemental and overall to strive to lift others up, rather than the opposite. 

5.  What does the phrase "create a good life story" mean to you?

Make every day count. Enjoy the journey. Don’t take things for granted. Be an active participant in creating the kind of life story that you want.

6.  Tell me something someone taught you that made an impact on your life

When I was going through my divorce, my sister got me a little decorative throw pillow that says “every end is a new beginning”. That struck me so strongly and became such a catalyst for change in my life and helped me to look forward while going through a very difficult situation. On a much smaller scale, I have thought about that in many situations in my life since then.

7.  Name one event in your life that has made a significant impact on the course of your life story

My divorce. As devastating as it was at the time, it was the best thing that has ever happened to me and without a doubt has altered the entire course of my existence. I learned a lot about who I was, who I wanted to be, what was really important to me. It forced me to be very, very introspective, which is sometimes hard and uncomfortable. When I first met my husband Chris, I wondered why I couldn’t have just met him 10 years earlier and it’s because I wouldn’t have been ready. I had things I needed to learn and maybe couldn’t have learned them any other way. 

8.  What is something you want to accomplish you haven't yet?

Travel to every continent. I have been a lot of amazing places in my lifetime, but I have so many more places on my bucket list.

9.  What photographs are you most grateful for from your childhood or teen years?

I am the youngest of 8, so by the time they got to me… there aren’t scrapbooks full of pictures, so I am really grateful for ANY and ALL of the pictures that I have. However a few of favorites include a picture of me with my mom, grandma and great grandma. I also love the pictures I have of me with the amazing birthday cakes that my mom lovingly made for me each year. I also really love the pictures of me playing dress-ups with my cousins at my grandmas house, especially those that show us playing in her beloved “Hawaii Room”. I miss that place.

10.  What are you most proud of?

Honestly, I am really proud of who I am. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I feel like I have learned from them and moved on stronger, better and more confident each time. I feel like although I often fall short, I try really hard to be a good wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, neighbor, teammate, etc. The older I get, the less insecure I become. I worry less about things that don’t matter and more about things that do and that makes me proud.

11.  What is the best parenting advice/tip someone gave you?

Time management – If it will keep my kids busy for 20 minutes and it only takes me 5 minutes to clean it up… I just netted 15 minutes. Vice Versa….. if its destructive and only keeps them occupied for a few minutes, while it will take several more to clean it up… it’s a no-go. I’m all about what nets me a little free time. 

12.  Tell me something you are sure of

Diet Coke is bad for you, but so are a billion other things. And it’s really good. And I love it. 

13.  What is your favorite quote or your life motto?

“Write your sorrows in sand and your blessings in stone” – I don’t know who it should be attributed to. It’s written on a plaque that my mom gave me years ago and I love it because it reminds me that it’s okay to acknowledge my sorrows, heartaches or trials, but not to overly dwell on them. Focus instead on the blessings and all that is good. 

14.  What is your favorite part about yourself (not a physical trait)?

I love to cook and think I am pretty decent. I enjoy and take pride in providing a variety of well balanced, mostly healthy meals for my family.

15.  What type of photographs do you wish you had more of?

I wish I had more of day to day life pictures of growing up. I also wish I had more pictures of me with my grandparents. I love and appreciate all that I do have, but the older I get, the more I realize how valuable pictures are as an accompaniment to memories.

16.  What is something you do to help drive away fear or anxiety?

Cook, clean or read. Usually I can get into a zone and be in control with any of those things and it always helps bring me back to a better place.

(photo credit: Kate Benson)

17.  What is your favorite part about being a mom?  Your least favorite part (just keepin it real on this question--I know you love your kids)?

I love that I am the “mom”. I am the person that they want to “holdchu” when they are sad or sick or fall down. I am the one they come running to when I have been gone. I am the one they want to show and share their tricks and treasures with. I am the one they want to snuggle and read stories with. I’m the one that gets the cream of the crop when it comes to giggles, slobbery kisses and loves.  It’s equal parts awesome, amazing, humbling and sometimes terrifying to be “the mom”.

Honestly, the rest of it is my least favorite part. The sleeplessness, the constant feeding, wiping, cleaning, sweeping, repeating, the diapers, the laundry, the whining, the messes, the oddly unpredicatable yet total groundhog day of it all. Someone once told me that 85+% of the” tasks” of being a mom were miserable and un-enjoyable, but that the other 15% totally made it all worth it. I whole-heartedly find that to be true! It’s the hardest, best job in the world.

18.  Tell me something about yourself that may surprise people

I couldn’t swallow pills until I was in college. I choked on a jaw-breaker in first grade and was terrified to ever put anything in my mouth after that. Anytime I got sick growing up, my mom would have to ask for the gross bubblegum flavored liquid “kid” formula of any prescriptions I needed… even when I was a teenager.

19.  What's one thing you wish you would have known when you were younger?

It doesn’t matter what other people think. And being a grown-up is harder than you think… don’t rush it!

(photo credit: Maria Wood)

And for fun:

Favorite book: The Alchemist

Favorite family tradition: I’m big into traditions and I have a lot, but one of my favorites is our Bethlehem Dinner at Christmastime

Something you enjoy doing with your spouse: watching sports and traveling

Talent you wish you had: I wish I was a better swimmer and a better skier. Especially now that I have kids

Favorite meal: Almost anything ethnic and any meal that ends with dessert

If you never had to do one specific thing again, what would it be: put away the groceries

Favorite show on TV: Chopped, although it gives me so much anxiety and Modern Family

Something that scares you: the thought of losing anyone close to me

Favorite thing about your husband: he is the most consistent person I know and good to his very core

Something you can't live without: I have a huge sweet tooth and always have a candy/treat stash. 

What's something you think about often: Whether or not I am teaching my kids what they need to know and stressing over doing everything I can to ensure that they become decent, kind and contributing human beings.

THANK YOU, Kim!!

To read more "Real Life Stories--Women of Inspiration" interviews, CLICK HERE.