Married Working Mothers: May 2014

Pretty Brown Girl Conference Flyer

"Of course! We'd be honored to speak at your conference!" This was our response when Mrs. Yolanda Darville extended the invitation.

Us? Candi and I! Two married mothers whose only goal was to have a blog to exhale and invite others to do the same!

Beginning of our presentation

On Saturday May 3rd after brainstorming, planning, rearranging, laughing, questioning, doubting and reaffirming, Candi and I spoke to a room full of women. I remember us sitting at our table waiting patiently. That's a lie. We were not patient, we were doubting...doubting our presentation and doubting ourselves. The women filing into the room simply did not look like our audience. How were we going to connect and make an impression? Seconds ticked by...minutes as Candi and I scanned the crowd.

Throughout our tedious meetings at Lucianos over a glass of wine okay fine...glasses of wine, we contemplated what we wanted to express to the women about 'Mind, Body and Soul, Taking Care of Yourself'. I always chimed the one basic fact I believed to be true. Yolanda invited us to speak because of who we are. We can only be ourselves!

It could not matter if all the women at the conference did not look like us or look like they would like us or be interested in what we would discuss, we decided to be authentically us!

Candi engaging the audience

And so, Candi began our presentation by doing just that. She said, 'Woohoo, we are alone! Let's celebrate that we have no children with us this morning!" (The conference began with a joint mother and daughter session then the girls were dismissed into groups according to their age leaving the mothers in the ballroom with us.)

Immediately there was a cheer. The women who we initially judged to be different from ourselves were just the opposite....they were like us. Women!

Candi and I had done what we as women do all the time. We judged! And just like many of us who judge...we judged wrong! We thought our audience was too serious but in fact they laughed and interacted with us throughout the entire presentation.

Our presentation was very brief but our message was powerful. Our children love us so let's love ourselves by reviving our talents, our hobbies and tidbits of time away from our families to be the women we were before diapers, stretch marks and curfews!

Candi and Sandena Neely, one of our Guest Bloggers

Candi and her daughter

Vendor Shopping

Vendor Sampling

Materials for Vision Board

Mothers and Daughters were invited to create a Vision Board filled with long and short term goals!

Mothers and Daughters were provided with magazines to cut out pictures to depict their short and long term goals.

Vision Board Sample

Of course in true MWMs fashion, Candi and I shared a real toast in celebration. We celebrated having the courage to be ourselves in a room full of strange women. We encourage you to do the same. Just be you, accept you and then you can enjoy you and celebrate you!

Thanks for joining us Monette...another time Melinda!

This is the message of the Pretty Brown Girl Organization. Little girls must learn to accept themselves in order to celebrate themselves at an early age.

I was brought to tears as they recited their pledge at the beginning of the conference. Positive affirmations coming out of the mouths of little girls.

Awesome Sauce!

Graciously accepting our thank you gifts from Mrs. Anita Bain and Mrs. Yolanda Darville

Until I blog again,

Tiffany

P.S. Moms, did any of you notice Candi's hands at the conference? Just so you know...this is a new trend we at MWMs are starting. We are pioneers for you! This is called, 'The one Hand'! One hand is painted, preferably the hand you do not write with, the least popular hand. Here at MWMs we polish this hand because the polish stays on longer, undisturbed. You will notice that Candi's right hand is clear. At MWMs we have discovered there is no point polishing these fingernails...the polish never stays on...like seriously! So why bother! We like to call this 'Fashion with Functionality'! Like I stated earlier. We are pioneers. Be a pioneer too!