5 Minutes with a Local Mom: Angela Rose (Liv’s Run for Life)

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We wanted to share this amazing story with our momma’s once again. The Liv a Life of Love Foundation has such meaningful, heartfelt and emotional story behind it. This year marks the 4th Annual Liv’s Run for Life 5k. This will be held on Saturday, April 21st.  Thanks for sharing your story with us Angela!!

familyName: Angela Rose

Kid’s names and ages: Olivia Lauryn 17, (7.4.96-6.27.14), Alexander Lee 16, Emilee Grace 13, and Stella Rose 3 1/25

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Southwest Missouri? A lifelong resident of the Show Me State. I was raised in Springfield and moved to the community of Republic in 1999.

8What is the most enjoyable thing about being a mother? What I enjoy the most about being a mother, is the front row seat I’m blessed with to observe the successes both great and small of my children. Watching them grow into determined, creative individuals with a great sense of humors reminds me that the blunders I’ve made and will continue to make in raising my kids will mean very little in the end.

What is the most challenging part of being a mother? As a mother to both a preschooler and teenagers I have to remind myself, and be willing to, let go as they grow from needy toddlers who attach themselves to my pant legs, into capable self sufficient adolescents.

Loving abundantly while simultaneously giving them the freedom to experience their own life lessons.

We understand you have established a 5k run to remember your daughter Olivia. Tell us about Liv’s Run for Life:  Liv’s Run for Life annual 5K event will be held on Saturday, April 21st in Springfield. The run was created to help fund both the Liv a Life of Love Foundation promoting organ donation awareness through community outreach and offers financial support for transplant recipient families.

Liv a Life of Love Scholarship Fund annually offering  a one time financial gift to deserving graduating seniors.

How can others get involved in Liv’s Run for Life? Register to run/walk at this year’s upcoming event, sign up as a volunteer, sponsor with a tax deductible monetary gift or in-kind donation. If you know a donor or recipient family, encourage them to participate in honor of their loved one.

Click here to learn more about the fun on Facebook.

Click here to register to run.

rose friendsHow does this run inspire others to sign up for organ donation? My hope is that by bringing our community together, sharing Olivia’s gift of life story, educating and dispelling the myths behind organ donation others will choose to follow Liv’s altruistic lead. I believe as she did, that each of us has the power and potential to save a life.

livWhat do you want the world to know about Olivia? Olivia lived a life full of purpose and exuberance. She was genuine, kind hearted, and no respecter of person. Liv was uninfluenced by consideration of someone’s popularity, but was rather a friend to all. Those blessed to know her, love to recall memories they shared and have spoken not just of her outer beauty but also of her contagious laughter, sweet spirit, and vibrant personality.

She made the personal decision to register as an organ donor at age sixteen. In her passing she selflessly saved the lives of five individuals. That precious gift required  monumental heartache for those who knew and loved her in exchange for joy to those she offered life.

The unfathomable grief of loosing a child holds as much power in it’s ability to change our lives as love. I’m forever grateful for Liv’s selfless decision to be a life giver. By choosing to Liv(e) Twice she afforded me the opportunity to channel my personal heartache into hope for other families. Remembering daily that her big beautiful heart continues to beat, helps mend my own that is still broken.

7Advice for other moms and families that may be dealing with loss: There is no time limit on grief. Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel, and don’t tell yourself how to feel either. Don’t stifle it, but allow it to heal you and make you stronger.

One word that best describes you: Unwavering.

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How to find the perfect bra

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Do you struggle to find the perfect bra? Do you constantly tug on it throughout the day? Is it the first thing you take off when you get home and breathe a sigh of relief? *sigh*

Let me ask you this question: Would you wear a pair of shoes that didn’t fit? NO! Then why do you were a bra that doesn’t fit?

Well, we feel ya ladies. But! Have no fear we do have some tips on how to find the perfect fitting bra.

A lot of you probably don’t know this but I, Kelli, used to be a store manager for Victoria’s Secret. So you could say I know a thing or two about finding the perfect fitting bra.

Let’s dive into the mistakes most of us make when buying a bra:

  1. You’re choosing the wrong band size. The myth is that you are supposed to wear your bra on the tightest fitting hook. FALSE. You actually want to wear your bra on the middle hook. This allows for you to have slack if you ever gain weight, the bra shrinks or you lose weight.
  2. Choosing too small a cup size. Stop worrying about the size ladies. Who cares what letter of the alphabet you are wearing. Just worry about if it fits. Most women are wearing 3 cup sizes to small. You might actually need a larger cup size to avoid unattractive lumps.
  3. Tightening your straps up to high. Yes, we do need to tighten the straps up once in a while. However, if the back of the bra isn’t centered on your back, you’re wearing it wrong. You have the straps way to tight girl.
  4. Choosing the same style. Venture out. Try new styles. You may have once hated a push up bra, but you may just surprise yourself and fall in love with it. Also try different brands. Bras are always changing as the styles and seasons change.
  5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Yes, it can be embarrassing. But, take it from me no one cares but you. Ask for a measurement not just once in your life, but often. You change bra sizes quite often throughout life. Who out there has had a baby? Hello! Umm those ladies aren’t the same as they once were. So don’t be afraid and ask for a measurement.

Are you ready to go out and try on new bras? I know I am! A new bra that fits perfect can be a game changer ladies! Let’s ban together and say NO to the ill-fitting bras. Let’s lift our ladies high and be proud of what our momma gave us!

5 Minutes with a Mom: Jill LeCompte (Valentine edition!)

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This month, we wanted to feature a local mom with a neat love story (in honor of Valentine’s Day, of course!). Meet our friend Jill LeCompte!

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Southwest Missouri? 

I was born and raised in Cassville, Missouri where I also attended school.  I was senior class president and cheerleader captain.

Kid’s names and ages: Victoria is 25 and teaches kindergarten at Eunice Thomas Elementary in Cassville.  Zane is 24 and is finishing up at Missouri State University.  He works at our hardware store, Michael’s Hardware, in Cassville.  Jillian is my youngest child and she is 13.  She is a seventh grader at Cassville Middle School.

When did you and your husband, Michael, start dating?

Michael and I were in band together when we were in junior high.  I played trombone and Micheal played the trumpet in the row behind me.  After Christmas of my seventh grade year, I noticed that Michael, who is a year older than me, was constantly blasting his trumpet in my ear.  I told the teacher/band director and he got in trouble, however he continued to play his horn as loudly as he could without getting caught.  I just thought he was a really poor trumpet player.  One day, after band, I was turning the corner, heading to math class and Michael came up to me and knocked my books out of my hands…laughed and ran away.  The next thing I knew, Carol came to help me pick up the mess and handed me a note stating: “Michael wants to know if you will go with him.  Yes or No?.”  I have been in love with him ever since.

We were boyfriend/girlfriend until he went to ninth grade and then he broke up with me.  🙁  We both dated other people, but remained, “friends.”  We really just annoyed each other and we were really unkind to each other.  We were both very active in student council, band, jazz band and he was in football and I was a cheerleader, so were were together several periods of the day because of our class schedule and activity choices.

My junior year/his senior year, I was on a date with someone else…at a party….with other kids who were doing things they shouldn’t.  Well, my date became extremely intoxicated and was sick in the restroom.  Michael came to the party.  He began teasing me about how well I picked men to date… and I said, “I don’t care what you think… I’m just worried how I am going to get home….  Michael instantly said, “Hop in my car.  I’d love to take you home.’  I left my date puking on the bathroom floor and got in Michael’s car.

We have been together ever since.

How long have you all been married? 

On May 15th we will be married 31 years.

What do you and Michael most have in common?

Being from Cassville is probably the thing we have most in common…The people, the community, and  the community’s  well being is a huge part of our lives. Of course our three children consume nearly our every thought, decision, and lots of energy…we have that in common since 1992.

We both attended the University of Arkansas, so we both love the Razorbacks and we love to go to our old “stomping grounds,” visit friends and eat out.

We both love to drive.  We love to get in the car, and drive around and explore other towns and look at the scenery!  Family is HUGE for us!  We have monthly birthday parties we attend and all holidays are spent with them!

What do you and Michael mostly disagree about? And how do you work through that disagreement?

Michael and I are different.  I go to bed early and he goes to bed late.  I get up really early and hit the floor running…he barely climbs out of bed and stumbles around lost.  I am a strong republican and he is a strong democrat.  We really don’t disagree much.  We are both very easy going.  I think we know each other well enough that we can read each other’s body language and we have enough respect for each other to not push buttons, provoke or intimidate.  We learned very early on that outside influences like politics, family, religious affiliations, and money can KILL a marriage and we both REFUSE to let any of those affect us.  I approach “problems” as questions to him and we work issues out together.  I respect him and he is ultimately the boss.  Folks may think that I run the show, but NOTHING going on unless he knows and approves.  AND he is the same with me.  We don’t bring up silly issues to get a rise from one another.  IT’S not worth it to us!

When we don’t communicate; when we try to hide problems from each other; when we don’t spend enough time together, our relationship gets very volatile. We try to get away…date night… once a week or every other week to visit, recap, and discuss what we need to.  We will drive to Rogers, Shell Knob, or somewhere to eat and talk the entire way there and back.   God has been very good to Michael and I.  We have so many blessings we don’t really even realize what they are!  When we get overwhelmed, we turn to our Lord and he never fails us!  He is good to us all the time, even when Michael and I don’t deserve it…  We realize it is HIS plan and HIS control….. not ours.  Communication between us and communication with GOD is the  key!

If you could have an entire day with just you and Michael, how would you spend it?

Spending the entire day… We were so fortunate that last summer we celebrated our 30 years of marriage by a 12 day road trip that took us 5000+ miles west!  We visited 8 national parks.  It was the best time EVER.  Just he and I driving down the road, making comments about scenery, making plans on where to stay, what to eat, what to see, listening to old music!  THAT is my perfect day… just driving around, visiting, holding hands and just being with Michael.

 

Any advice you could offer to a fellow momma that may be experiencing a “bump” in their marriage?

Michael and I have had a couple of bad bumps in our 30 year marriage.  I blame it on ego, lack of communication and a lot of disrespect.  When we got to those places in our relationship, we looked to GOD to guide us; we put our egos aside, we spent LOTS of time together and we BOTH had to give in!  Compromise is HUGE!

Reflecting over the span of your dating and married relationship, what memory do you treasure the most?

Favorite moment… there have been SO many good times with Michael LeCompte it is really hard to pick!  It sounds sappy, but my wedding day was probably my favorite.  I had waited for eight years to marry him and I was so happy on that day!  We even honeymooned at Disney World… we were just kids I guess!

A dating memory that stands out is when I was a senior in high school and he was at the University of Arkansas… with a great amount of begging and pleading, my parents finally allowed me to travel to Little Rock to watch the Razorbacks play football. Up and back in one day of course!  It was just Michael and I… I felt so special and grown up!  It was a wonderful day…I ate Mexican food for the first time…LOL!

Another awesome time was just this past December when he took me shopping, but had secretly made arrangements to go to Kansas City for the weekend.  It was so nice to DRIVE up there, and just be with him.  NO kids, school or hardware store bothered us!  Before we had children…married 5 years before Victoria came along,… we went on long driving vacations to Texas, and Florida.  Those were awesome and special times for us as a couple!

Do you and Michael have any special Valentine’s Day plans or traditions?

Valentines day for us is usually busy…  I am queen of Christmas, so Michael is “in charge” of Valentine’s day.  He tries to purchase something for the kids and make arrangements for dinner… whether it is a meal out or he might cook and he is an EXCELLENT cook!!!!  He cooks and I clean up the mess… It works out really well!

Mom Talk: #MomGoals

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Hey there mommas! Did y’all make any New Year’s resolutions this year!? Are you still sticking with it, or have you already fell short of your goals?

I typically try to make New Year’s resolutions and set new goals for the new year. I would say I make the typical ones we all make, work out more, eat better, save more money ect.  However, this year, I decided to just be my best self possible. This New Years Eve was also a little different than most. We typically have our friends over to our home to hang out, play games with our kiddos and eat a bunch of food. This year we spent it with just US, the fab five, Me, Jake, and our three wild and sweet girls. We seriously had the BEST time. It was simple, sweet and totally amazing! We danced, giggled, cuddled, watched movies and danced some more all in our pjs. It was the time we needed as a family to get lost in ourselves, invest in ourselves and be a family.

We, as all families do, get so busy during the holidays with traveling, cooking, shopping, and stressing over the small stuff, we forget to spend down time with our family. This New Years Eve for me, was magical. It made me truly get lost in my family and realize that THIS is what’s important. Life is about all the small moments. Those little moments in between the hustle and bustle of everyday life is what truly matters.

Then and there in that moment I decided this is all I need. I just need to sit back, enjoy the life I’ve been blessed with, and be my best self possible.

Below are some tips that will help you to enjoy life a little more and simply be your best self.

  1. When life hands you lemons – make lemonade. Ha! Yeah, ok… but seriously make the most out of every moment. Take a negative and make it a positive. For Exapmle, if you got a speeding ticket on your way to work, it could be because you are being saved from a wreck up above, or it could be to remind you that your life is important and you need to slow down.
  2. Pray, then pray again. When you feel yourself starting to anger, or feel defeated, or sad, or not enough, pray and continue to pray.
  3. Pray for others. When you do things for others it actually makes you feel so much better. So when you say you will pray for someone, actually do it.
  4. Say no. If you simply don’t want to do something or don’t have the time. Say no. Set boundaries for yourself so you don’t overtire yourself for the ones that are most important.
  5. Spend time with your kids. Real time, not doing things or doing activities. Ask them questions about their favorite things, their dreams, what super-power they would like to have, ask them anything and everything. They want to talk to you, you just need to start the conversation.
  6. Hug. You can’t hug your people enough. Even when they don’t want a hug, hug them anyway. A hug says more than any words could ever say.
  7. Smile and make eye contact with a stranger. Ok, this might be weird at first, but that person may be having a bad day and you may have just given them a littler glimmer of sunshine in their day.
  8. Send notes of encouragement. I love receiving secret notes. My husband is exceptionally great at this. I always find little notes in my purse, makeup bag, under my sheets, in my car ect. This makes my day and I smile for hours. Do this to someone and see how good it makes you feel.
  9. Turn the music up. Music speaks to my soul. I love it, I love to sing and dance all day long and listen to my music loud. If I’m having a bad day I can turn my playlist on and it brightens my day.
  10. Worry about loving yourself instead of loving the idea of other people loving you. This all day! We need to stop worrying about what others think of us. Stop worrying about pleasing everyone around us. Stop overthinking everything. You are enough. You are awesome just the way you are. God created you to be the only you there is, so embrace it!

I hope we all find the time to be our best self yet!!! Happy New Year Mommas. I pray this one is your best year yet!

Five Minutes with a Local Mom: Bri Reitzner

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Name: Bri Reitzner

Kids names and ages: Jack (9), Ryan (7), Eric (5)

Where are you from, and how long have you lived in SWMO? I’ve been in SW Missouri since the age of 3, I graduated from Joplin High & have been in the Springfield area since 1999 when I started college at SMS/MSU… I never know what to call it as I graduated undergrad from SMS & then it was MSU a few years later when I graduated with my Master’s (Physician Assistant Studies)

What is your favorite family activity to do in SWMO? My favorite activity to do as a family in SW MO would be hanging at the lake!! Boating… Tubing… Watching the boys fish. We also love to hike as a family! …..Really if we can be outdoors we are happy campers!

What is your biggest challenge as a working mom: Honestly fighting the feeling of not having enough to go around, feeling drained & stretched way too thin! I remember when I worked full-time, I felt I didn’t have enough to pour into my family like I wanted. I’ve since switched to part-time in clinic working just two days a week. Making the shift to working outside my home just two days a week has made a HUGE difference! I feel like I’m finally the wife, the mom, the friend & the daughter of The King my heart desires!!

How do you balance being a mom, Physician’s Assistant and a very successful Rodan & Fields Consultant? Honestly I find it pretty easy now that I’m in control of my days..Switching to part-time as a Physician Assistant (PA) opened up my schedule & allowed me to step away from a schedule that was overbooked & filled with stress! It also opened my mind/my heart to other opportunities in front of me! Don’t get me wrong I wasn’t looking to add anything to my plate when I felt the Lord prompting me to start up my own R+F biz! The Lord literally dropped Rodan+Fields in my lap! I did not know why but I knew it was from HIM & I was obedient to His prompting! Now I am seeing the why behind it everyday! It is a business I can truly let The Lord lead! It is a business where I can pour into my friends/customers and help them see themselves with Christ-like eyes. A business where I can speak life to family and friends by reminding them that they are ALREADY enough! It is an opportunity where I can speak HIS name to all and HE can have all the glory! It is an opportunity that has brought both balance & joy to my heart. It is an opportunity that allows me to provide substantially for my family without “missing any moments” my momma heart desires! …and it gets even better than that as He has positioned to lead others as they chase this balance/this joy….as they chase the things The Lord has in store for them!

What is the most enjoyable thing about being a mother: Getting to love on the boys consistently in a way that builds them up and encourages them to build up those around them. Getting to help shape their character! I pray they grow-up to be great Godly men of unsurpassing character. Getting to arm them with with The Lord’s word/promises. Getting to help them see how they will be world-changers!

What is the most challenging part of being a mom: getting them up and out the door in time lol

Describe your typical day: Wake up, feed the boys, get conned out of the breakfast I made for myself because one of them is still hungry despite having just finished their own breakfast, a walk or bike ride to school, a play date with my youngest +/- other momma’s/kiddo’s, errands/chores, a trip to the neighborhood park after my oldest two get out of school, piano lessons or practice for whatever sport is in season, dinner, baths, books, prayers, snuggling with the boys, some quality alone time with my amazing Hubs, 10-60 mins of “work” and a late late bedtime. I am loving every minute of this life!

How do you relax at the end of the day: Typically by watching a movie with my hubby, movies are our thing however I may or may not remember any of what we watch once it is over…ok lets go with may not!

What is something your friends might not know about you: I was saved as an adult, I did not grow up with the Christian foundation I now know I desperately needed.

One word to sum me up: Servant! …I know you said one word but..I pray I’m seen as a Servant of The King working daily for kingdom purpose!

If you had one message for other momma’s out there what would it be: The Lord sees YOU and with you HE is already pleased!