Today is my daughter's birthday and she is turning 11. More like 11 going on 31 ~laugh~... I call her "mini mom" 😉
She has grown up so much just in the last year. In fact, I was looking at these videos this morning, taken I think the 2nd or 3rd time she broke her foot (a year and a half ago), and realizing how she's changed from a spunky little tom-girl to a beautiful pre-teen.
She was 5 months old when I quit my job to start my first home-based business, so 5 months from now I'll be celebrating my 11th full year in business...
I find myself feeling very nostalgic over my morning coffee today, and have a hard time believing that more than a decade has passed already. I'm so glad that I took the plunge, and that I have been able to stay home with the kids all these years.
I homeschooled them both when my son was ill. I was here when they needed to stay home sick. I was there when they forgot their lunch money. I feel very fortunate to live in a generation that affords so many opportunities to be a WAHM (work-at-home-mom)...
When Ann Marie was born I was working 50+ hours a week at a low-paying office job. I worked up until a week before she was born, scheduled her delivery, and went back to work 2 weeks later. I was burned out, stressed out and always running late for something.
My baby girl has grown up alongside my business - sitting in my lap while I work, playing in the floor beside my desk, running circles around my chair, running off and making me wonder what she's up to elsewhere... and now, borrowing my computer to check her own email.
Happy Birthday, Ann Marie!
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EDIT: I've uploaded some pictures from Ann Marie's birthday where she wore a sombrero at dinner, the girls got their nails done in funky colors, and then all went out for smoothies. And of course, she spent the whole night trying to out-fish me!
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Many thanks to those of you that have supported my business over the years, and taken the time to recommend my sites to people you know. I've made it my mission to give back to the community that made it all possible...
*cheers!*
About Lynn Terry
That is a wonderful article. It is pretty inspirational for women out there, who want to spend time with their children and work from home. Love it... and happy birthday!
This is a very heart-warming post. Children do grow and change SO fast. My oldest daughter is 22 and a mother herself. I feel like her childhood was gone in the blink of an eye. My younger daughter is 9, and since I have a better perspective on how quickly it all goes, I savor every single second with her.
Happy birthday to Ann Marie, and thanks for sharing, Lynn!
Happy birthday Ann Marie.
Hope you have a great day. 🙂
Rob.
P.s Lynn, Sheesh don't the kids growing up make us see how fast our own lives are going! 😉
Happy Birthday, Ann Marie. It's hard to tell from the 'fishy face' lol, but she looks to be a beautiful girl who takes after her momma.
I kept working when my first son was born but it tore me apart. Every day I would count the hours that he spent with the sitter compared to the time spent with me. So when I found out I was pregnant with the second one, I set out to living off one income so I could quit work when he was born - and that's exactly what I did.
Thought I would go nuts at home without the challenge and social aspect of a job, but I never looked back and never want to go back. As they got older, I still vowed to not go back to cubicles and letting others decide when I am allowed to go outside. Tried a variety of things and find I thoroughly enjoy the challenge of working online. And thanks to some networking and instant messengers, I have friends who are like co-workers - we talk regularly throughout the day and it makes up for what lacked in working from home.
Congrats, Lynn, for going after and achieving your goal of working at home.
Christy
PS.. Did you say the 2nd or 3rd time she's broken her foot?! Holy cow! I thought my middle son was accident prone, but she's got him beat lol.
Happy Birthday Ann Marie!
I am absolutely in awe of you Lynn, that you have been able to stay home and be with your children and obviously have made a decent living at it. My goal is to work from home and now that I have found your forum feel more confident about achieving it. Congrats!
Sue
Thank you 😀
What a night we had! I took Ann Marie and her friends out to dinner at the mexican restaurant, then took them to get their nails done, then took them out for smoothies afterwards. And I am feeling MY age now lol.
11yo girls have a lot of energy! 😛
Happy birthday to you Ann Marie!
Lynn, you 'spoken' several time about your daughter. She looks like you anyway 🙂
Do you think she is trying to become an internet marketer like you? Why don't let her come here to communicate with us too... 🙂
How sweet, Lynn! Happy Birthday to Ann Marie.
It's hard to believe how fast time flies. I remember when I first started working from home, I used to put Emily in one of those infant Snuggly carriers while I typed on the keyboard.
She'll be 7 in December.
Patty
Now that would be something - to let my kids be Guest Bloggers for a day 😆 I'm sure she could tell you all the best sites to order pink razor phones and roller skates!
My daughter hasnt actually shown any real interest yet, though I do have a site that I intend to let her maintain one day - but we'll see.
My son, on the other hand, is into game development and programming - so you may very well hear from him in those circles 😉
Wow, congratulations Lynn on your long and lustrous online marketing career. Here's to many happy returns.
And happy birthday to your beautiful reason for working from home. I know I've said it before, but I'll keep saying it until I'm blue in the face, she is the spitting image of you.
That picture of you two in the post is simply adorable. It's like looking into a slightly warped mirror featuring mini-Lynn. 😀
~ Teli
LOL Thank you, Teli 🙂
Wow they grow up so quick don't they? I love the picture of you too as well, it's great! Happy Birthday Ann-Marie! 🙂
Angela Wills
Great rap. Didn't I run into you guys fishing? It's great to include your loved ones in more of your life than just a hurried meal at a crowded dinner table.
You are an inspiration. Keep up the great 'work'.
Brad
Very cool post Lynn.
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Dave
Its an inspiration to see that even WAHM can succeed this far in online marketing as you, Lynn.
Your posts and blog has always been so online marketing oriented, yet has a very personal touch in them.
Thanks for sharing.
Josiah.
Hey Lynn - sorry I'm so late in getting to this, but, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ann Marie!! Looks like you guys had a blast! And it sounds like a great plan for a girly bday! My daughter turns 11 in November - I may suggest something similar to her. Although - you know how they are - she probably already has every single detail of her celebration planned out!! LOL!
I'm sorry I missed this post, Lynn. Happy belated birthday to your growing girl! You made me teary eyed reading about your girl going from a wee little one playing on your lap to a pre-teen now checking her own email. They grow too fast!
Yes they do! lol I still remember when she was barely walking and first learned how to do the itsy bitsy spider... So far gone now, but wonderful memories at least!
What a wonderful post. My "why" just turned four and I can't imagine how much I would have missed had I not been WAHM'ing.
Thank you. I needed this today!
Thank you, Traci - finding your comment here made my day too, reminding me how great it is to be at home and with the children!