Moms are Superstars.
Moms can hear what you don’t say.
And moms can see what you don’t see.
Moms selflessly surrender their bodies to the birthing process by ushering in spiritual souls into the physical world.
The dance of Motherhood seems soft yet strong;
Dynamic yet gentle;
And equally, steadfast and headstrong.
Simply put: Moms are necessary to life.
And on a random Saturday in Statesboro, I was driving down the road when the realization washed over me like a wave of emotion of how strong my mother really is. And how strong she has had to be my entire life.
Nothing in particular prompted this realization. It was just one of those serendipitous moments that happen when the timing is right. The realization literally hit me like a ton-of-bricks (or like a weighted blanked) as I realized the amount of strength that my mother has had to acquire (and sustain) over the years.
The maternal sacrifice that my mother has had to make is likely akin to the sacrifices that most mothers make once having children.
(Namely, the prioritization of their children's needs over their own.)
Mothers, you give up and surrender so much daily.
So much so, that this Mother's Day (and every other day) should be your day for maternal celebration!
So, in this ode to all moms, I caught up with my mom to get her take on Motherhood, and how Motherhood inspired her Career as a Group Home Caretaker for young girls.
My mother, Kimberly Robinson, had much to say regarding her own Journey of Motherhood.
She expressed that the greatest lesson she learned from Motherhood was learning how to love unconditionally.
In her words, “During motherhood, you learn a lot about yourself. You learn how to balance your own needs with the needs of your family. You learn how to step in and when to step back. You learn how to trust in the values which you have instilled within your children. And ultimately, you learn how to keep showing up for your children by being steadfast in their lives.”
My mother also expressed some of the greatest highlights of motherhood thus far, and some advice to single moms looking for support. She continued, “Watching my kids grow and become resilient individuals has been the most wonderful highlight for me regarding motherhood. They have been able to make good decisions for themselves. And that makes me proud that they received and retained the foundation that was taught to them growing up.”
She continues on by stating, "If there are any single moms out there looking for advice or support, please know that it was the Lord which carried me through the trying times. I encourage all mothers to have a strong faith and to lean into their faith in times of distress. Furthermore, it is important utilize your tribe for support, as it will help you not feel alone on the journey of single motherhood.”
Now, my mother is also the owner and director of an organization called “Ordered Steps Home for Girls."
She opened the doors to her organization back in 2009. For background, a “Group Home” is a congregate living facility which is structured and supervised for individuals in similar circumstances to live together. My mother’s facility is specifically for young girls, as she heard the internal call back in 2006 to help provide more care and support to Statesboro's most vulnerable girls.
Ordered Steps Home for Girls is run in partnership with the Georgia DFCS Foster Care System. And through my mother’s 14-year run with her organization, she (alongside her dedicated staff) have helped change the lives of the countless young ladies who have entered their doors.
OSHG's track-record of girls have gone on to graduate high-school, attend college, and blossom into ambitious and productive members of society.
My mother would like to thank her mother, Susie Williams, for being strong and encouraging her (and her siblings) to have a relationship with God. She further thanks her mother for always pushing her (alongside her siblings) outside of their comfort zones in the hopes of having a better life for themselves.
She would also like to thank her staff at Ordered Steps Home for Girls for their years of dedicated service and commitment to the OSHG youth and organization.
Finally, my mother’s hope for all mothers on this Mother’s Day is this:
“I hope that all mothers know that the seeds we plant in our children’s lives do not go unnoticed. I believe that sometimes, as mothers, we tend to allow things to weigh on us more internally when it comes to our children and families. My hope for us mothers on Mother’s Day is that we simply take a breath and rest in the fact of knowing that if we are showing up and doing the work within our homes and families; those seeds do not go unnoticed. Down the line, we will undoubtedly see the fruits of our labor in the lives of our children and loved ones.”
For more information on Ordered Steps Home for Girls, please contact Director Kimberly Robinson at (912) 690-3242, or HSP Lakeidra Lee (912) 682-8792 for more support.
To follow the wonderful work of Ordered Steps Home For Girls, please visit their Ordered Steps Home for Girls Facebook Page.
