When I first started brainstorming this series, I was immediately drawn to the idea of gaining different perspectives. I wanted to hear from women in all stages of their motherhood journey. So, I reached out to several of the moms closest to me, including my own mother. She created some of my favorite traditions; many I have tried to carry on with my own kids. The smell of fresh baked cookies, never ending craft supplies, homemade Halloween costumes- looking back now, I think she must have had some magic fairy dust to get it all done! This weeks #motherhoodmademe features a very special lady, who now goes by the name of ‘Nana.’

Here is Candy’s story:

I feel exactly the same way about my children and my husband making me into who I was meant to be. Lord knows, my entire career life was anything but perfect. I have been so blessed that I was able to be a stay at home mom for many years. As you remember, we had some lean years, watching your friends getting and doing everything they ever seemed to want, while we struggled to keep the basics on hand. We made our meals from scratch, didn't eat out except for our occasional pizza night at Vito's. We rented movies, rather than go to the theater. We made gifts by hand, we participated in 4-H, we went camping for our vacations, created our own traditions like Hooky Cookie Day, and lived a pretty simple and wholesome life enjoying each other and just being ourselves. We made up our own fun.

As all of you have grown into adults and some of you, parents yourselves, we have rejoiced in knowing that many of the values we've always cherished have carried over. Some old traditions have remained, and new ones have been observed. We wouldn't change the way our lives played out.

Those memories of temper tantrums, nights filled with extra bed-mates, non-solo bathroom visits, never ending homework, sports weekends, sibling quarrels; they all hold little weight. The best memories always persevere.

In a nutshell, working together as a team with the mutual goal of healthy family dynamics while the kids are young, makes for a strong relationship in the years when we are back to just the two of us..."Just the two of us. We can make it if we try. Just the two of us, you and I."