My husband Bill and I recently celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. This song was the one we chose to dance to for our first dance as husband and wife, and hearing it still brings me back to the head-over-heels love I felt on that day. Perhaps more than that, its lyrics still ring true for me today – “I can’t help falling in love” with my husband.

Of course, like every marital journey, ours has included its ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and times of mostly happy trails interspersed with the occasional jostling “speed bump” along the way. And speaking for myself, there were occasions when there wasn’t even a particular situation that was at fault for my ready-to-snap-at-anything-he-did reduced patience – it was more of a growing annoyance factor resulting from an underlying, and often unspoken, pile-up of individually minor frustrations. You know, like the times he would insist on breathing in the same room as me and I would secretly roll my eyes while barely containing my desire to shout at the top of my lungs, “Is that breathing thing you insist on doing over there really necessary?!”

Yet, even at the most trying times of our marriage, if I was completely honest with myself (and although it may have been in contradiction to my PO’d internal commentary at the time), I always knew without a doubt that my husband was a good man who loved me and truly wanted what was best for me.

The older I get and the more I experience of life, I increasingly realize what a rare and special gift that kind of love is. I am more consciously grateful and appreciative of my husband and our love now than ever during our almost 20 years as a couple. Marriage is its own unique dance, and the most successful ones seem to me those where both partners move together gracefully most of the time, remembering to laugh and enjoy the lightness of each other’s company in the moment, taking care not to step on each others’ toes too often, and forgiving freely when they do. Although we still have our occasional missteps, it is exciting to see how much Bill and I have grown into a comfortably confident stride that honors us both.

I may not be one of the “Wise Men”, but for what it is worth, here’s what I have to say: I have learned that, for me, the secret to a beautiful and enduring marriage “dance” is trust. That trust, when nurtured and solidified over the years, deepens your love in a way that allows you to more readily work through and let go of the rough stuff so you can more genuinely listen, support, and respect each other. That abiding trust offers you the reassurance of knowing that no matter what – in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and with flaws and all – you have one another to depend on. That mutually enriching trust is a wonderful source of replenishment and renewal in a marriage, and when you take time to appreciate it, you are provided ongoing opportunities to fall in love with each other again and again throughout the marriage journey.

Who knew when Bill and I chose this love song 14 years ago that it would hold even more meaning for me today – “Take my hand, take my whole life too, for I can’t help falling in love with you!”

We would like to congratulate Kelly Petersen as the winner of the
Send A Mom A Smile $100 Gift Certificate Mother’s Day Drawing!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Send A Mom A Smile campaign by sharing the sweet video and telling all of the moms you know and love, “You’re doing a great job, Mom!”

Although the drawing for the $100 Gift Certificate is over, we will continue to make the other Free Mom-Gifts available through the end of May!

So, please keep sharing the love with Moms everywhere, and let’s celebrate Mother’s Day for the rest of May!

Click Here Now to Send More Mom-Smiles!

As a Mom, you are constantly on the go. The last thing you have time to worry about is what to wear. Arm your closet with five stylish wardrobe pieces and you’ll be sure to look and feel great.

1. The Fancy Tee

At the heart of every stylish wardrobe there is a fancy tee. This comfy t-shirt is stylishly disguised by its visual interest and flattering seaming. It not only looks great, but is perfect for the who knows what will end up on your shirt Mommy lifestyle.

2. Dark Denim

A dark denim jean or skirt adds instant sophistication to any outfit. A great pair of dark jeans will remind you of the chic woman you are, even while playing in the sandbox. Dark denim is available in a multitude of fabrics. Look for ones with enough stretch and give to take you through the day comfortably in style.

3. Lightweight Jacket

The easiest way to become instantly chic and put together is to put on a jacket. It acts as a finishing piece to an outfit. The jacket is beneficial because it can also hide a multitude of sins. Cover up that spilled juice from lunch with a great jacket, or feel more confident in a jacket that instantly slims and flatters you. Choose a jacket in a great neutral color that can be worn with everything. Keep it in your car and throw it on whenever your wardrobe needs an instant update.

4. Spunky Flats

Nothing takes an outfit from fab to frump faster than an ugly shoe. A great flat can bring both style and comfort to your wardrobe. Look for a well constructed flat that offers both style and support. Brands like Kenneth Cole Reaction, or the comfort brand Soft, offer many great styles that look and feel great. Consider a flat in a bold color or even a pattern for a fun wardrobe addition.

5. Big Bold Day Bag

If “Can you carry this?” is a phrase you hear often, you need a big bold day bag. A day bag is a great way to showcase your personal style in a functional way. Look for a bag you love in a pseudo-neutral color like yellow, turquoise, red, or metallic. These fun colors can be worn with anything so you never have to worry about whether or not your bag matches what you are wearing. When choosing a big bag, take all the stuffing out of it to make sure it isn’t too heavy. Next, wear it around the store for a few minutes to make sure the handles rest comfortably on your shoulder. Once you’ve found the perfect big bold bag you’ve got a stylish wardrobe addition for a stylish on the go lifestyle.

About Lee Heyward:

Lee Heyward is a style coach and owner of Charleston Style Concierge, LLC, a company which specializes in teaching women how to achieve easy and effortless style. Lee works with clients one-on-one, virtually, and hosts monthly seminars. She also runs a monthly Stylish Inner Circle. Lee believes anyone can have great style with a little knowledge and an open mind. Charleston Style Concierge is located in Charleston, South Carolina.

HelloEveryWear is a custom-design, made-to-order, T-shirt and gift company. Their original designs, by mom-owner Robyn Diamond, create smiles, bring people together, and celebrate ALL of life’s moments, with a little honesty and a lot of humor.

Get people talking, laughing, and celebrating with these and more fun designs!  Visit http://www.hellobabywear.com/ to create a design that is just right for you and your family!

Looking for a last-minute April Fool’s prank or gag-gift idea? Check out this site that is all about all things April Fools:

http://www.april-fools.us/about-us.html

Have fun, and don’t be fooled!

Live Positively Fulfilled!

Lynn Ely
MomEvolve
Inspiring Moms to Evolve TM
www.momevolve.com

Want help making your Self a priority in your life? Reconnect with your Self and reduce stress when you sign up for MomEvolve’s ME-zine.

You may know Terry Haas from HGTV’s hit show “Designed To Sell”, where she shows millions of viewers how staging a home and making low-cost improvements can help to sell a property at top dollar. Well, Terry has combined her real estate and home staging expertise with that of top-notch real estate expert Julie Chalupsky to create the You Win! Guide – an on-line “green” E-Book designed to assist you in selling your home quickly, rather than having it sit on the market for months.

We all know that, when planning to relocate, the faster we can move our home toward a successful sale, the faster we can move forward toward the new and exciting opportunities that await both ourselves and our family! The great news is that you don’t have to be overwhelmed or worried with trying to figure out how to do this on your own – Terry and Julie are here to support you with their honest, “cold, hard truth” advice! The You Win! Guide tells you what to fix, replace, and focus on to make your home shine and stand out, so you can get it moving toward the highest value sale. Terry and Julie have laid it all out for you, step by step, including over 100 tips & secrets, FAQ’s, facts & figures, a room-by-room notebook guide, and a checklist for organizing your home-selling to-do’s.

Save yourself precious time, heartache, and money (Oh, and did I mention your Mom-sanity?!), and visit http://www.youwinguide.com/ to get all of Terry and Julie’s expert advice on preparing and staging your home for sale. Now, let’s get moving!

Live Positively Fulfilled!

Lynn Ely
MomEvolve
Inspiring Moms to Evolve TM
www.momevolve.com

Stress-Taming Tips and Insights to Help You Have A Holiday Season Filled With Peace & Joy

Build in some “wiggle-room”.

Even for the most jovial of Holiday Fa-La-La-ers, every mom knows that the best laid plans usually include a few potentially stressful, unanticipated delays and/or interruptions. We’ve all been there…Your kids are in their holiday finest, looking perfectly pressed and angelic (or close enough!), and finally all buckled into their car seats to depart for a holiday photo appointment or a party across town… and before you can even put the car into reverse, you hear those dreaded words, “Mommy, I have to go potty!” Whether it is this age-old insta-frustrator or some other inconvenience that pops up when you can least afford it to, they are all part of a day in the life of Mom.

So cut yourself some slack and try not to book holiday plans too tightly into your calendar. Shoot for leaving the house 10-minutes before you normally would, so you already have some built-in leeway for lost socks and 9 year-old bad hair days. And then, when you likely still roll in a few minutes late, pat yourself on the back and remind yourself that you are doing the best you can, and that, in and of itself, is pretty amazing!

Live Positively Fulfilled!

Lynn Ely

MomEvolve

www.momevolve.com