We have so enjoyed reading your nominations for our Mom of the Year contest that we are EXTENDING our submission deadline.  We will now accept nominations through this SATURDAY, May 9th. We know the world is full of amazing moms, but it’s so wonderful to read many of their personal stories and we want to read more!  We’re going to share with you a few quotes from some of the nominations we have received to help inspire you to nominate other deserving moms. For contest details, click here.

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“By Looking at this beautiful woman, with these two darling kids you’d never know the heartache and trials she has endured as a young Mom. Both of the sweet children have epilepsy. She’s held these little body’s in her arms for years as they shook, and cried. All the while keeping herself together as she went through a painful divorce.”

“[She] is one of those beautiful spirits who can joke through hard times, and hold your hand and have empathy for you as a friend. She became someone special to me when I married her children’s Father. She had every opportunity to be unkind to me, and she chose to open arm me.”

“She works a full time job in a CEO capacity of her building. Then she comes home and helps cook, clean, sew, can jams, jellies and meats, and if that’s not enough she has time to play with the kids before helping tuck them into bed.”

“It has been a physical/emotional roller coaster for our family over the past several years, but I would not trade being a mommy for anything in the world. I would do ANYTHING for my kids, including almost dying 3 times! … I would love the opportunity to share our story with other mommies and give them hope. No matter what the doctors tell you, our God is greater and can do the impossible.”

“My mom spent at least 3-4 nights a week at my house during the first 2 months of the twins’ lives, often showing up at 10pm after she put my 93 year old grandmother and 91 year old great aunt to bed (they both live with her & my dad).  She then spent most of those nights sitting awake on my couch holding a fussing baby.  She would change one while I breastfed the other.  As soon as I was done nursing she’d take whichever baby was still awake so that I could go right back to sleep.  She’d watch Charlie & Andy so I could take Jack to his doctor visits.  She’d drive me to Jack’s DOC band appointments so I could sleep in the car.  She takes Charlie to alleviate some of the chaos.  She invites us to her house for dinner and then holds a baby so we can actually try to sit and eat.  She folds our clothes and does our dishes.  She takes a twin or two so I can go to the grocery store or take a shower.  She buys clothes for our kids because I don’t have time to shop.  She shows up on my doorstep ready to help whenever I call. She is amazing and she is how I survived this year.”

“I think I deserve mom of the year because when I became pregnant with my son… I don’t think anyone would consider me even possibly being fit to be a mom. I was drinking & going to the bars all the time. I pulled my sh*t together and now my son is my #1 priority, there isn’t a thing that I would not do to ensure his health and safety in this world. I had to drop out of college after he was born, but I am doing online courses now to get my certification to be an Early Childhood Educator & I started a home business so that I can be home with him & still provide an income for my family.”

“From the start my little sis has been a go getter type of person. She has big dreams and a big heart. While in college she surprisingly ended up pregnant,  but that was just a blessing. She stayed focused and worked a full time job while attending college and after my godson was born she went back to college and got her degree! She applies herself 100% she gives all her love to her son, she juggles work, and school, while being a full time mommy.”

“[My sister] is a single mom of two girls.  [She] lives in Indiana with no family around to help her.  She has a giant list of fancy medical terms that make it near impossible to get out of bed in the morning, but somehow she does it!! She has been going to school for 10+ years trying to get her degree, but her injuries keep getting in the way.  She finally landed her dream job in January teaching inner city kids and their parents to read together as families.”

“[My sister] is just 18 months younger than me, but sometimes I wonder if she’s not the older one!  She has 3 children. When her oldest was two, she was diagnosed with autism. It was a huge blow for their whole family, but my sister chose to face it head on with an amazing attitude of strength and positivity. With all the therapy and help she could provide, her daughter has thrived. And she amazes me with the equal amount of attention she provides each of her children. They are so different from one another and I love that she knows that and recognizes parenting isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. She is an incredible example to me of how to have strength during difficult situations and make the absolute most out life. She makes no excuses for herself and holds herself to high standard without any concern for what others think of her or comparing her life to someone else’s. She’s her own person and is happy with herself.  I can learn a lot from her.”