While I was away at a Mother of the Year Conference

Last Saturday night, while in New York City at the American Mothers Inc. 75 National Conference with amazing moms from around the country, I was awarded the title 2010 National Young Mother of the Year. Please don't stop reading there because the next lines are crucial to understanding why we all do...and feel we do not...deserve such a title.

While I am accustomed to some stellar moments when I have thought to myself "There goes my mother of the year award" (not knowing such an award actually really existed until recently) there was never one more obvious than the one that took place last Friday.

My husband and I were on the train to New York City when my cell phone rang. I picked it up to hear the voice of the principal from our youngest son's school. "Hello Mrs. Carlstrom," without a breath she went on to say that she knew I was out of town and that in fact I was on my way to receive an prestigious award, (did she know something I did not?) but that she had my son in her office. Of course you do. I thought. She went on to tell me the many consequences that he was facing, when I finally got a chance to ask her what he did, she graciously left out details and simply said, "Several things."

My point in telling you this is that we all have moments when the world appears to be looking at and possibly even judging our parenting, and just then it seems to all come apart. But there are moments when we shine, when we get it right, when we say the right thing, do the right thing, and don't give up. That is Mother of the Year stuff right there, and in those moments, we all share that title.

Stay tuned to the tale of the other three children in Part 2 of While I was Away.....