This week in celebration of Mother's Day, the BAC is honoring amazing moms from our community. Today, meet Raven, social worker and mother of 3... among many other things! :)
Tell us a little bit about yourself! (We know being a mom is just one of your many roles! Any jobs, hobbies, interests, etc. that you would like to share?)
I am a mother, a wife, a doggie mom, a social worker, a yoga lover, an advocate, a friend, a mindfulness practitioner, a daughter, a sister, a believer in self-care.
I am married to a wonderful husband and father. Our eldest son is in the seventh grade and has a rare genetic disorder which has led to numerous medical complications including legal blindness but he, like a lot of kids, has defied the odds. He has a service dog, Duffie, who accompanies him everywhere. Duffie has been a great addition to our family, not only giving my son independence but also allowing him to go from being a child who has issues to being the “cool kid with the dog.” Our middle daughter is a huge help to everything that goes on in our home which constantly reminds me I need to remember that siblings carry extra burdens that we cannot overlook. And last, but certainly not least, our nine year old daughter who has learning challenges or invisible disabilities. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker by trade and work at Perkins School for the Blind. I work mainly with the parents and families with young children at the school. I think my experience as a parent of a child with disabilities gives me a unique perspective to offer. I also run a monthly parent support group through the state for parents with children with more severe disabilities. I strongly believe that the best support you can have is people who ‘get it’ and who have been there. I know some of my most solid friendships are with other parents who share similar experiences.
I love to travel but haven’t done much of that since I became a mother. Just in the last year we have made great headways and have just booked our first week-long couple trip to Italy this summer. Fingers crossed!
Becoming a mother: The day I became a mother was supposed to be full of rainbows and unicorns, except it wasn’t. Instead it was full of the NICU, seizures, genetics, and scans. But one of the best things of being introduced into motherhood in such a harsh way was I gained such an incredible perspective on not only mothering, but life. Every achievement that my children work hard for, small or large, is celebrated. Nothing is a given. As long as we are all breathing and accounted for, we can work through anything. With this perspective I really see my children for who they are, not who I wanted them to be in an idealized story of my life. They are amazing individuals who impress me every day with their strength, wit and perseverance. What is your favorite "mom moment?" It’s the little things. I love the weekend mornings when all the kids and dog would climb into our bed. I’d imagine we were a raft in the ocean, an entity onto ourselves, out in the world, afloat in the ocean. What's the best thing about being a mom? The best thing about being a mom is watching my little babies grow and change into amazing people. I love to see how unique each of them are and what their interests are. I love watching them solve problems and find things in life that they love to do. What is your biggest wish for your children? The biggest wish I have for my children is that they will reach their full potential in all aspects of their life. I want them to simply be good people, to respect and care about themselves and others and the environment in which they live. I wish for them to be happy on the inside with themselves and be surrounded by people who love them and who they love. We all get one shot at this thing called life and I want them to make the most of it, having the best experience and biggest positive impact on others that they can.
