There was a time when I swore I didn’t like 80s music. My mom would have it playing in the car, at home, anywhere she could sneak it in. And every time she did, I would sit there in silence, arms crossed, face unmoved, determined not to enjoy it. Stubbornness is a family trait, and I was no exception. My sister, on the other hand, gave in almost immediately. She was humming along to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and belting out Pat Benatar before I’d even admitted the music had a beat.

One of the sayings my mom always told me was, “The first step is always the hardest.” I remember vividly how the phrase rang true when we moved to a new area, and I had to start a brand-new school. It was the first year the school was opening, so everything felt unfamiliar. But my mom knew how to ease the anxiety and make the unknown feel a little more exciting.

One of the sayings my mom often repeated to me when things got tough was, “All’s well that ends well.” Growing up, I always took it as a comforting phrase, but it wasn’t until I went through the hardest experience of my life that I truly understood its meaning. Back when I was in the final stretch of earning my teaching credential, the world seemed to collapse. The pandemic hit just as I was in the middle of my student teaching phase, and the school shut down completely. I was devastated, my dream of becoming a teacher suddenly seemed impossible. I remember crying every night, feeling like everything I’ve worked so hard for was slipping away.

When I was younger, my mom, my sister, my cousin, and I decided to take a weekend trip to Disneyland. We were so excited to get away, just us girls. But, of course, life had other plans. Our hotel stay was less than ideal. Imagine being woken up not once, not twice, but three times by the sound of fire alarms blaring throughout the night. Each time, we’d jump out of bed, throw on some clothes, and stand outside waiting for the all-clear, then go back into our rooms and try to sleep, only to have it happen again. It was exhausting, frustrating, and, honestly, a little ridiculous.

I’ll never forget the Girl Scout trip when my mom and I spent the night in the manatee exhibit. I was so excited to sleep next to the manatees, imagining how cool it would be to wake up with them swimming around. But, of course, things didn’t go as planned. The floors were super hard, and the bright lights from the manatee pool didn’t exactly make it easy to sleep. I was exhausted, but so was my mom. She wasn’t thrilled about going there in the first place, and by the middle of the night, we were both ready to be anywhere but on that hard floor.

Hi there! We’re so excited to welcome you to our blog. My sister, my mom, and I have created this blog to share the wisdom, encouragement, and love that my mom has said many times over. Our mom has always had a saying for every situation, and over time, we’ve realized just how much these words have shaped the way we think, act, and navigate life. So, we decided to share some of her best quotes with you, along with the stories and lessons behind them. We hope this blog becomes a place where you feel inspired, supported, and encouraged-just as we have from our mom’s words.