1.) My Grandma Mabel. Without her, I wouldn't be the woman I am today. She is the other half of the whole that raised me well; With good old fashioned manners, with love, with respect, with intelligence and with the passion to do my best in whatever I put my heart to.
2.) My Mother Darlyne. In my younger years she struggled to find who she was, which in turn made it difficult for her to guide me into who I needed to be. Lucky for her, I had some strong bloodlines that helped to keep my head above water. Now that I'm an adult, and I see how hard it is, I admire her for overcoming the years in her life that dragged her down, and staying strong through the saddest part of her life. She's proof in the pudding that addictions can be overcome, and inner strength is much more inspirational that physical strength.
3.) My sister Bobbie. In our younger years, together, we found the thrill in discovering things outdoors. It was her reckless abandon mixed with my fear of getting in trouble that helped me to discover that, without just doing it, you'll never know what the outcome might be. In light of that, I wonder how many times God has rolled his eyes at her when she's decided she's going to do something.
4.) Mariah Carey. Yeah, that almost seems juvenile. But, she was part of the reason that I fell in love with singing. Her five octave voice, and impeccable vocals were something out of a storybook when I was a teenager. Her music wasn't vulgar, and her songs were inspirational. To an impressionable girl like myself, she was everything. And that's probably why I still admire her today.
5.) Amelia Earhart. A woman who could fly. What else is there to say? Her person stands for much more than a woman in the cockpit of an airplane. She brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "You'll never know if you never try."
6.) Michelle Obama. No, I haven't known of her for long, but what a woman she is! Not only can she dress well, she is not just about the inside lines of politics. She's out on the front-lines being a mom, and one hell of a spokesperson for schools to promote good health choices in children. It's nice to see her doing what she does. And, aside from the fact that she faced unknown amounts of criticism, you know, with her husband being the first black president and all, she has made every effort to ensure that their children have not been put in harms way of paparazzi. They have two daughters, right? :)
7.) Princess Diana. Her daughter in law is headed in the right direction, for sure. But, who can say that whenever they look at any picture of Diana, there isn't a natural ambiance of royalty? She oozed royalty - And she acted it, too. In every story, in every picture, in every tale told of her, she is what all us girls ever dreamed of being. And, despite the scandalous royal divorce, she was as graceful as any woman I've ever seen in such a circumstance. Divorces are tough, I know....But she never faltered in the spotlight. And that takes one strong woman.
8.) Lizzie Lehmer. She and I met in the 4th grade at Boise/Eliot Elementary school in Portland. I was a poor kid, new to the area and pretty weird to most. In fact, I had a hard time making friends that first year - It was when the gangs, the Bloods and the Crips, were as present as air in the neighborhoods. It was uncomfortable for me to be around such a thing....But, Lizzie became my friend. She stood up for me when I was picked on, and she welcomed me into her home, into her family - She didn't have to, but she did. Not all friends last a lifetime, but, some are so important to hold on to, and she's one of them. Without her, I might not have done nearly as well as I did. We are still friends today, and I'm so glad we are.
9.) Maija Yasui. I'm fairly certain that this woman is not just an inspiration to me...She's got a long history of being there for a lot of people, for a lot of reasons! Most women fear even the words "mother in law." But, she makes it easy not to. Without her, many days of my past 5 years would not have been doable. And, she's not only been there in a physical sense, but an emotional sense too. The night I found out that my sister was missing she came to the house and found me in worst shape than I've ever been in; Delirious, empty, non-present. She hugged me and consoled me like a mother would. I've always remembered that moment.... I'm so glad that I have a mother in law as wonderful as her. I wish every woman had such a gift.
10.) Stephanie Meyer. I am not ashamed to say that I fell absolutely in love with the Twilight Saga. I know, you're probably thinking "Really? Stephanie Meyer?" But, hear me out. Here is this stay at home mom, plugging along every day doing her thing....you know, the cooking, the cleaning, the butt wiping....and she has a dream. A dream about a girl who falls in love with a vampire. And she made it come to life in her books. In the past 5 years as a stay at home mom, I have had all sorts of dreams that could have easily been put into story. But, she made it happen. And, like any stay at home mom, it's the desire to have your silent dreams come true that makes that woman all the more inspirational to me.
As you can imagine, there are more than just ten inspirational women in my life. But, I thought these were the ones to share. All of them have made an impact on me that have made , or could make, my life all the more interesting. So recognize women today. It's our day. It's your day.
