Into the 30s…this makes me think of my 30s – my full-on parenting years.
I walked into that decade in the midst of my first born experiencing complex health issues. I kicked off my thirties learning, growing, trusting, and eventually finding the path to healing. I could write a book about this journey, but will say it was equally the most painful and most incredible experience of my life.
My second son was born in that decade. I had no idea how much joy he would bring to our lives or how he really completed our little family. I was a single mom at the time. It was difficult, but I also loved the freedom I felt parenting my two boys.
My father passed away in my early thirties. This too, pushed me into uncharted territory: painful in my grief, having to rely on myself and others, and finding a strength I didn’t know was in me.
My overall sense of my thirties was how much fun we had together. I loved seeing the world through my boys’ curious little eyes. I loved watching them learn and grow. I loved the opportunity to play and connect with them. Those years hold some of the happiest memories of my life.
I also learned, the greatest gifts can come from the most difficult times. There is a blessing in everything. In those years, I learned to trust myself, listen to my intuition, be open, ask for help, and give and receive love.
Thank you, thirties.
laura-jeanne.com 
Having met your sons it’s evident that you are an amazing mom. Your boys do you proud. ❤️😀
Thank you, friend. 💜
Hi Laura-Jeanne:
My thirties are a somewhat of a blur in my memory bank. Like you I was now into full on parenting – 4 sons, running a day home, delivering flyers, and tutoring English part time to two Chinese girls that lived next door. Days seemed incredibly long and my night time sleep was often interrupted more than once with a sick or scared kid. My hubby worked very long hours in oil and gas. The struggles were real – uncertain economy, tight budgeting, job losses, health scares for all of us but in the end I’m able to look back at what I can remember and realize the incredible amount of strength that I had to get through and do it all. I do believe that it was my faith that helped get me through.
Despite the struggles, we did have many good times as a family – trips to places like Sylvan Lake, Vancouver, Vancouver Island and even Ontario for a family reunion. Like you, I was delighted to see things through their eyes. The boys still talk about those trips. Now as young adults they have the appreciation and understanding of just how hard their father and I worked to create a life for them.
My youngest son was the most complex and difficult to raise. He had serious health issues and learning difficulties that presented a lot of challenges for a while, but it was his passions for cars, trains, dinosaurs and insects, and music that gave me incredible insight into his world. Learning to see things through his eyes has been an amazing journey. He could pronounce the names of construction vehicles before he could even form a complete sentence. His personal challenges taught me not to take my other children for granted. I realized through him how blessed I’d been to have 3 previous kids that had no real problems to speak of. If there was a blessing to be had in journeying with him it was that he helped me get in better touch with myself. I learned to recognize long neglected personal needs.
It is only now that I fully realize how much I grew as a person, as a mother and wife during that decade. It was definitely a time for maturing and gaining wisdom.
As a single parent, it was obviously really tough for you to go it alone with two small boys. I take my hat off to you.
You rock!