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Editor's Journal May 13, 2018

Reflection: I love you Mom

Four years ago, I wrote the blog post below celebrating my mother, when she was almost taken from me:

It’s unfortunate that we never truly know how much a loved one means to us until we’re faced with the risk of losing them. I of course love my mother beyond words, but it wasn’t until a few days ago while driving home from work and I received a text from my dad that read “Call me A.S.A.P on my cell or at home” that the reasons I love her flashed through my mind. My blood ran cold. First of all, my father is a hard working man who would not be at home at 4:30 p.m. on a Monday afternoon. He works until 8 on Mondays. Secondly, he rarely texts and never asks to be contacted on his cell. He only ever uses it for outgoing calls. I knew something was wrong.

I parked in my condo’s parking garage, raced to the elevator forgetting half of my belongings in my car trying to get to an area that had full phone service. I took a deep breath while attempting to push the negative from my mind, then dialed.

“Jess”, he said as soon as he picked up, “You’ve got to book that flight. That one Mom talked to you about last night. The deal ends today and she wanted me to remind you.”

“OK” I replied, feeling a bit relieved that this was all he was calling about, but something in the back of my mind told me there was more. See my mom is an angel who does everything to help others before even giving a thought to herself. If she wanted me to book that flight and was able to call she would have called me herself.

“You have to do it, Jess,” he said again. “Mom’s in intensive care. She’s very sick.” My heart felt like it had been ripped out. I couldn’t understand. I had just talked to her the night before. She was fine aside from what sounded like a chest cold. “The Doctors say they are hopeful they can reverse it. She’s gonna be fine but she needs our prayers.”

Naturally I crumbled. My dad said, “Don’t do this. She’s going to get through this. You go book that flight.”

“Tell her I love her,” I said through heaving sobs while moments spent hearing her over Skype the night before when she told me how proud she was of me, replayed in my mind. All I wanted was to be next to her. Her, the woman who does for others before she ever gives a second thought about herself. All those reasons that I love her beyond words began flooding my mind and I became completely undone at the thought of a world and a life without her in it.

Dad said to book the flight for my trip home to Ottawa at Christmas and say prayers. I did. But the feelings bouncing around my core, like electricity attempting to escape with no outlet, drove me nutty all night. I felt completely helpless, not knowing the true scenario and what sort of chances she had of recovering. I got the feeling that my dad was in a bit of shock and perhaps was doing his best not to divulge full details to avoid me becoming frantic. I later found out both were true.

Had my doting father, also a wonderful and loving husband, not had his late start day that morning, my mother would have died. An extreme and vicious case of pneumonia that went septic, poisoning her blood and threatening her vital organs, almost took her from us. But she’s a fighter. She pulled through.

My mom, is such an incredible woman in so many ways and is an amazing support to me and my brothers. She steadies me, knocks sense into me with her wise advice, encourages me in all that I do, and motivates me to be the best woman I can be while reminding me that there truly are no limits. My mother is a wonderful and talented person with a beautiful soul and the most giving nature. I only hope that one day I’ll be half the woman she is.

I always reflect on Mother’s Day. I give thanks to my mother for all of the ways she brightens my life. This year, more than any other, when I say “I love you Mom” it will be more than an acknowledgement of her success in fulfilling the role of mother to perfection, it will be a reminder to me that without her in my life, there would be a gaping void in my heart and soul.

She’s getting a bit stronger every day, and I have complete faith that she will be back to her cheerful self in no time. She’s receiving wonderful care while in hospital and the doctors and nurses have been unbelievable to both her and my father throughout this hardship.

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She pulled through, but this experience and horrendous ordeal reminds me about how lucky I am to have my parents. It’s easy to forget the impact family and loved ones have and to take for granted the place they hold in your heart, when so consumed with the busy day-to-day. I vow to remember and appreciate every day, not just on Mother’s and Father’s Day.

News January 19, 2018

‘It’s what ladies do’, New Zealand PM mic-drop

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced Friday she was pregnant!

She made the announcement on live television while being grilled by reporters about her intention to remain in her position. One reporter even asked how she managed to set up a government while experiencing morning sickness. Ardern’s response? “It’s what ladies do.”

Insert mic-drop here.

Ardern’s husband will be acting as a stay at home dad after the birth of her first child. She went on to tell the press that women get pregnant while they are working all the time, and this is no different. Her off-the-shoulder behaviour towards this news is refreshing. The questions from the reporters — not so much?

A woman’s capability to do her job has nothing to do with whether or not she is pregnant, or a mother. To ask the question makes that correlation. In a Facebook post, Ardern makes it clear she knows more questions about her pregnancy will be coming.

Instead of asking how she is going to run a government or country, why not simply just offer your congratulations!

Fashion July 6, 2016

Morning makeup routine for moms on the go

Between errands and the kids, life can get a bit hectic— but your makeup routine shouldn’t have to be. Whether you’re stuck with morning eye circles or a pale complexion, you can learn a simple beauty-boosting routine which takes less than 10 minutes. So, even if time isn’t on your side, you can still feel fresh-faced and confident before heading out the door. Want to know the secret? Here’s a quick and easy morning makeup routine for moms on the go.

Fake Awake

First thing in the morning, we’re often groggy and grumpy—boo! In order to melt away the morning blues, there are great ways to perk up your complexion and get the juices flowing. If you’re a mom on a budget, you can try some DIY methods to boost the colour in your cheeks. First, you can apply caffeinated tea bags to the under eye area, which stimulates blood flow to brighten dark circles. Wakey, wakey!

Another fantastic trick is to mix cinnamon and honey together and apply it to dark circles. The cinnamon contains powerful antioxidants, which promote healthy skin and fight against wrinkles. The honey acts as a natural moisturizer. When combined, these ingredients form the ultimate perk-up potion. You’re welcome.

Face Primer Before Foundation

These days, applying makeup without a primer is like leaving your house without a bra. Without it, you just don’t have the same boom-factor. Currently, primers stand as one of the hottest beauty must-haves in the industry, so of course, there are dozens of different versions available on the market. When choosing the best ones, it’s best to look for two factors: wrinkle-smoothing and softening. This means you’re looking for a product that will reduce the appearance of lines, while also prepping your skin for a smooth makeup application.

You can create a sensational DIY primer by blending a tiny drop of Rosehip oil into water and massaging the mixture onto your face. The effects are lovely, working to soften fine lines and hydrate your skin. Once you’ve applied your primer, you can layer on makeup more seamlessly.

BB Cream over Powder

Powder is quickly becoming an age-old artifact — something to forget along with other fazed-out trends like jelly sandals and poodle perms. Goodbye to you all and thank goodness. Right now, it’s all about dewy, healthy-looking makeup. Since powder is quite drying and cakey, it lacks that flawless finish that can be found with today’s leading beauty balms. What is beauty balm, you ask? Known as BB cream, it acts as a high-coverage moisturizer that also smooths out fine lines and hydrates the skin. Most mainstream cosmetic companies are replacing their powders with BB creams, catering to the huge demand for this effortless light-weight coverage. It’s an absolute godsend because it provides that beautiful high-maintenance look without all the fuss and time—perfect for busy yummy mummies.

Finish with Blush and Mascara

The last steps are relatively quick and simple. Once you’ve applied your bb cream, you can dust on some blush to the apples of your cheeks to pump-up your complexion. Blush is important because it’s often the difference between looking like a pale zombie and a living, breathing human. So, don’t underestimate the life-infusing powers of blush— it’s CPR for your complexion.

Finally, add a couple coats of mascara to your lashes to open up your eyes. Ideally, you’ll want to use a mascara that specializes in creating a lengthening effect. Not only will your eyes look brighter and more attractive, you’ll actually look younger as well.

With this quick and easy morning makeup routine, every mom can easily get her groove on and hustle out the door. Ultimately, we all deserve to feel happy and healthy-looking — so use this regimen to get that extra boost of confidence to take you through the day!