Motherhood Later in Life: Celebrating Our Joy!

"Adopting new kids into our family is challenging, especially since they have already developed their unique individualities and the kids speak a different language than us. As a mom, I need to be patient, understanding and be the bridge to connect the social gap so they can get along.

Getting along and learning a new language will come naturally when the kid is willing to do so. Adopted kids need to understand and accept their situations so they are willing to figure out how to get along."

This was the first Day of the Dead we had without my mother. I wanted to put up a shrine on her honor. As I struggled with this, realizations about my mother's own struggles in our relationship dawned in on me. While I felt that she didn't love me enough, it was her own way of saying that she loved me so much that she wanted for me to become the best version of myself. And as I'm raising my own children, I see my own struggles in them. I now understand how she had made me the best version of myself.

I am teaching my children to accept that disappointment happens to everyone. No one gets through life without disappointment, some are bigger than others. I want them to know that when you accept that perfection is impossible, they will be able to appreciate the good things in life.

We participated in this year's Fall Festival -- the girls taking their first crack at entrepreneurship, and I on a dessert baking contest. I wasn't sure if the girls were ready to experience failure that naturally comes with entrepreneurship but we just gave it a go and hoped for the best. The girls and I all had our disastrous surprises, but with a little positive outlook and support from each other, we were able to turn what others might think of as fails, into surprising moments of self-discovery.

So was this Halloween a trick or treat? This year's celebration also made me realize that the girls have really grown up and that Bug isn't far behind. But in retrospect, I've also realized that sharing the wonderful experiences that my children are having in their lives was something that I was never supposed to have. Yet, here I am, enjoying every bit of frustratingly joyous moment in our blessed life.

1. It doesn’t matter how you became an older mom. Whatever your story, it’s your journey and has value because you have traveled that road.

2. Never forget, you are a great mother in your perfect imperfection because you love your children and you do best you can by them.

3. And, finally, however you got unto this crazy older mom journey, thank you for traveling this road with me."

As a mom I feel I need to teach my kids that mom is one person, and one person can't do it all. They are so used to seeing us multitask. But in some cases, it's simply not possible. We need help too.Dad loves the kids as much as mom. When you have two kids in crisis, or four, you're going to have to split up and conquer. And, dad's love is as good as mom's love. Kids need to learn to share their mom with their siblings."

I began my journey into motherhood at the age of 40. I quickly discovered that starting motherhood later in life was a lonely place. The truth is that I had very little in common with other mothers who had children my girls’ age, and that has not changed over time. It was apparent that mothers in my situation need a place they can find honesty, a place where perfection is not required, a place where you don’t need to feel alone. If you were looking for that place, you have found it!