Mom of the Month: Jessie Dolezal {May 2018}

We are loving our Mom of the Month series!  Do you know a special mom in our community who deserves some special recognition? Fill out the form to nominate a mom you know here. Thank you to Whole Foods Market Oklahoma City for partnering with us to provide a special gift for our Mom of the Month!

We are excited to introduce you to our May 2018 Mom of the Month, Jessie Dolezal!

Jessie was nominated anonymously.  Here is what her nominator had to say about this amazing mama! 

“”Miss Jessie” is a treasure to her own family and many others! She’s a true “momboss” who owns a studio and teaches dance classes in Midwest City. She not only gives her students a love of dance and learning, but she makes each of them feel special while promoting positive self esteem and a good attitude! Above all of that, though, she’s a super mom of two! She does a wonderful job of homeschooling them and raising them to be smart, kind and loving little people who care about and want to help others – she has even helped her little girl to organize a sock drive and fund raiser for the homeless this past year. Our whole community has been blessed by her loving and giving spirit and the compassion she shows others. I would love for her to be recognized for her efforts!”

Let’s get to know Jessie!

How many children do you have, and what are their ages?

Ember, 7

Rhys, 4

What is your favorite thing about being a mom?

I love that parenting forces us to grow. It’s the most selfless thing we can do – to spend our every waking moment taking care of someone else’s needs and putting them first. That kind of sacrifice is difficult but so rewarding! Parenting challenges me more than anything else in my life. I both love and hate that about it!

I love that in educating my children, I often have the opportunity to expand my own knowledge, and that teaching them to love to learn means I get to spend a lot of my time learning too!

Most of all, I love those moments when something I have been trying to help my kids understand suddenly becomes clear. It might be a character lesson, a life lesson, or a school lesson, but when the light-bulb goes on and I know they finally get it – that’s the best feeling. I wish I could list all of those moments on a sheet of accomplishments. I’d treasure that more than all the work successes!

What is the most challenging thing about being a mom?

“Mom guilt” is the worst! It’s probably the hardest thing about being a mom (besides the sleep deprivation!). Moms make thousands of decisions an hour, and it’s hard not to feel awful about some of them later. I have my moments where I feel like I’m failing at everything – and it can be hard to climb out of that hole and get some perspective. 

Not knowing which decision to make. Every situation with my kids requires a different approach. Something that’s working for our family one minute might not be working at all the next. There is constant change, and when my brain is overwhelmed it can be really hard to juggle those changes effectively.

What could you not survive without as a mom?

My support team – which includes my family and close friends. I was feeling like an awful mom just a couple of days ago. Like some of my decisions had poorly affected my children and I was so upset about it. I messaged a friend – she listened, she gently encouraged and I was able to get some perspective. I’m lucky to have a few people who can see my mess and love me anyway!

My husband who partners with me in everything. He knows when to “tell me he loves me and feed me tacos”. We’ll be married 13 years in August (wow!) and we’ve walked very difficult paths together in those years. It has made us stronger, and it makes us less likely to sweat the small stuff – because we know we can handle the big stuff. 

My mom is a saint, ya’ll. She home educated all five of us and is an inspiration. I’ve said it before but if I end up even a little like her as a mother, I’ll be so happy. You can’t parent effectively without a team – sometimes you need to tap out!

What is your proudest mom moment?

How does anyone answer this!? 

I think. . . I’m most proud of my kids when I see them making the right choices – the ones that have nothing to do with personal achievements. Like when my daughter decided to do a sock drive for the homeless – and that was completely her own idea. This year, we did an event to raise money for a family who lost their home in the hurricanes – again, her idea. 

When I see one of them include someone who is being excluded, or act selflessly. When I see them approach a hard situation and turn towards the compassionate, wise, selfless choice – THAT is a proud moment.

Jessie, we recognize you as an amazing mom! We hope you enjoyed your goodies from Whole Foods Market Oklahoma City! Congrats on being our May Mom of the Month! 

Whole Foods took the “flowers for Mother’s Day” theme and turned it into a gift of yummy snacks! Granola and cookies with lavendar, floral sparkling water, hibiscus tea, and violet marshmallows makes for a bouquet of delicious treats! They bundled it up in a super cute hot/cold tote bag! We love this take on a classic Mother’s Day gift! Thank you Whole Foods Market for helping us honor our Moms of the Month!

 

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Becky Walker
I fell in love with my husband, Dustin, when I was a wide eyed 15 year old. I have been a mostly loving wife since June 5, 2010, and a mom since February 16, 2012. I live right by Tinker AFB, and I have three little ones- Lyla, 6, Karrick, 2, and our bonus baby Juliet, almost 1 year old! Along with serving as Community Engagement Manager for OKCMB, I work part time from the closet under our stairs teaching English to Chinese students early in the morning! The most relaxing part of my day is when I drink my whole cup of coffee -HOT- while it’s still dark, and the rest of my house is still and quiet. During the day, the kids and I are out and about, exploring the city and avoiding the laundry. I do my very best to run a happy and healthy household for my husband and the little people God has entrusted to me.

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