Moms of ECAC



For this special edition of our newsletter, we are celebrating the moms of ECAC. Every day these women embody the ECAC mission of improving the lives and education of all children in North Carolina. Their knowledge and personal experience help to assist families in becoming their child's best advocate. We thank them for all their hard work and dedication and wish them a very Happy Mother's Day!

I am a single mom with a beautiful three year old. Aleksander has complex medical needs, but he enjoys looking at new colors, looking at books, and music. 

Tell us about a special mom moment you have experienced with your child/children.

The first time Aleks took a step in the gait trainer, I cried. 

How do you make time to take a break from all of your mom duties to relax and refuel?

I like to read books to practice self-care. When I have a nurse, I like to take myself out to restaurants and eat fancy food. 

We are a silly blended family that loves to spend time together. I can be honest and say I have more fun with my kids (most of the time) than I do with other people! Lyiam is 12 and Isabella is 7. They are so different but so similar at the same time. Lyiam is my protector and sometimes I'm not sure if he is my husband or my father and Isabella is my sweet and very sassy girl. They both have the biggest hearts and make me proud every single day to be able to be called their mom.... even if sometimes my name is just "bruh." 

Tell us about a special mom moment you have experienced with your child/children. 

There are many of these but If I had to pick one, I'd have to say that once every two weeks my kids and I have a "slumber party" . We kick my husband out and the three of us snuggle it up. Although my son won't like to admit it outloud, he loves it as much as his sister and I do. 

How do you make time to take a break from all of your mom duties to relax and refuel?



I have to say I am guilty of not doing this very often or at all BUT It's clear that I need to start, haha!

We are a family of seven. We have 2 adult children, 3 grandchildren and five of us live in the same house. With so many loved ones under one roof, chaos can indeed reign supreme, but it is often accompanied by lots of laughter and love.

Tell us about a special mom moment you have experienced with your child/children. 

There have been so many special moments that it is hard to pick one. My favorite is when the family is all together sitting around and laughter fills the house.

How do you make time to take a break from all of your mom duties to relax and refuel?



Taking care of yourself looks different for everyone. I like to craft or read a book. I also go to the lake with just my husband to take some time for myself and recharge my batteries.

I have a wonderful family, that includes my hubby who was my high school "sweetheart", 2 daughters, 1 son, 2 sons in law, 3 granddaughters, 1 dog, 3 granddogs, a grandcat and a grandbird! My son, who is on the autism spectrum, is what brought me to ECAC. He is the "why" behind my work. His journey also led my oldest daughter to become a Special Education Teacher (the best one I know!). Her husband, a former Army Ranger, is a double amputee. 

Tell us about a special mom moment you have experienced with your child/children. 

If there's one thing I love, that can make my heart burst and tears well up in my eyes is hearing others share wonderful things about my adult children. I will meet their colleagues or customers or those who receive services from them and hear so many complimentary things about their demeanor, their selflessness, their talents, their kindness, you name it. These are things I already know but to hear from others just gets me every time. I'm super proud of all of them. 

How do you make time to take a break from all of your mom duties to relax and refuel?



I live on Diet Coke and enjoy yard sales and frequent trips to the Goodwill. My kids are all adults now so my mom duties are pretty minimal but my role as "Grams" keeps me busy. Hubby and I are currently relaxing and refueling by watching This Is Us as we eagerly await the return of Virgin River, Outlander, and Ginny & Georgia. We are looking forward to our annual summer vacation to Holden Beach in June with the whole family.

I have been married to my husband, Jay, for almost 20 years. We have two smart, strong, and resilient daughters, Katie and Kelsey. I am also the mom to a fur son, my sweet 2 year old pit mix rescue, Cooper (AKA Coopy Boopy or Coop Doggy Dogg). He may or may not be my favorite child on occasion . . . .

Tell us about a special mom moment you have experienced with your child/children. 

Watching my oldest (18) excel at her academics, volleyball and doing "adult" things on her own like applying and interviewing for jobs and applying for college. My youngest (13) working hard at learning to play piano despite fine motor difficulties, working hard to memorize lines of songs, and performing on stage in front of lots of unfamiliar people despite having tremendous anxiety. I'm proud of my brave, hard-working girls! 

How do you make time to take a break from all of your mom duties to relax and refuel?



I probably could do a much better job at taking time for myself more often, but I am lucky to have a great group of friends that I hang out with pretty often. They are amazing, supportive women and I am super grateful for them! 

It is hard not to feel alone and isolated when managing life as a mom, and even harder for a mom with a child who needs extra care and attention. You aren't in this alone, we are in this together.