All DAWGS aren't (Wo)Man's best friend...

 I'm sure we all have people we consider "Best Friends".... That's my dawg, ace in a hole and that person has my back. As I've grown older and matured, different lessons in life have shown me, that ( as the saying goes) " Everyone can't sit in your front row". Each day brings forth space to grow : and yes, even with being in my 30's, daily lessons in life exist.

While on this journey of becoming GREAT, some awesome people have been put in my path. If I sat and named them all, my laptop would stop working because I'd be dropping monsoon tears as I recollect on each of their importance to my life and my family's. Moving from my area of comfort(Boston) to a place where NOBODY knew my name(Georgia) was hard. But, the people made the transition great. and I can never forget, God had (and still does) had my back. I must admit, when your level of comfort has been removed, you learn where your true inner strength comes from.

However, today's lesson has shown me that, just because you have that one" dawg" sitting on your lawn( circle), doesn't mean they always have your best interest at heart. What good is it to have a beautiful lawn full of holes( missing people who have added to your life) because that ole ugly mangy "dawg" has dug everything up? You can't sit in my front row and attempt to be my "dawg" when you're behind my back trying to play Mr/Ms cut throat and knock people out of their positions.

It's clear, we all need to know our positions...Whether it be a personal position, business position or professional position, know it and play it well .  Yes, there'll be some big dawgs( my ride or dies) and some little dawgs( people who handle the light work but still represent). While each carry a different type of importance; if you're my true dawg, you will NOT undermine the decisions I make and go behind my back like a sneaky snake. If you're my dawg be my dawg, don't change up your disguise to mastermind my demise. It would be a sad day in HELL to wake up and the people who have added luster, helped me to shine are all gone and I'm stuck with just you... Still digging away until nobody wants to stay...

Good true dawgs exist whether big or small: but still be mindful because the dawg with the biggest bark can just as well be the smallest dawg filled with the most spite....

Signed,
A Good Dawg, without a Leash~

We attract what we ARE ... Truly

I cannot express it enough the importance of being true to you. Once you find out what works for you, there are no things that will God will keep from you. It's just a matter of 1st being TRUE to YOU.. We go to school, we earn degrees: We work jobs, we receive promotions: We write books, we gain the title "Author"..
And so on and so on...

Well, whatever happened to just being happy with being you? I was born Cheneka T. Hobbs.  And although I've shortened it and go by Neka, its still who I am.. Yes, I'm a business owner but I don't want to be known as just the owner of KISS. I want people to hear my name and automatically associate me with the good I've done. Yes, I'm co-founder of a wonderful Women's Organization( Women Who Network) but I want us to be known as the women who are constantly looking for ways to give back.

 On yesterday, I was able to support a photo shoot launching the line for Ms. Sonya of Lady University. I met Sonya at church during one service( dReam Center Atl produces business owners) and instantly we connected. It's true, when you think with thoughts of moving forward and becoming better, you truly attract people who think as such.

Sonya, is a young woman who like many of us, felt we were going no where fast. She went from job to job, still feeling there was a void in her life. She experienced an AHA moment and got her life. Sonya is a piano instructor here in Atlanta and she's founder of Lady University, where through daily affirmations, she reminds women to be a LADY and good wholesome GENTLEMAN will come to you.
SideNote: Want to see some beautiful natural curls, Sonya's tress is amazing :-)

Yesterday, during the shoot my daughter was Sonya's mentee. It was awesome watching how well everyone interacted. Not only was I present to support but I was also able to mingle with other moms and women on the move. We chatted about various topics, from parenthood too where we attend church, life stories to making lifelong connections.

I'm excited about Sonya's Journey and I'm glad we were able to connect...

The more I position myself to just be me, the more others will and embrace and receive the true ME...

There's only one you.. Others may try and succeed as just a carbon copy BUT only YOU know YOU~~

Signed,
Great is followed by GREATNESS~

Opening Night.... M-I-C-K-E-Y, MO-US-EEEEEEE!!!

This has been the year of Disney for my household! We experienced Disney World in April and lastnite, we participated in Rockin' Ever After( presented by yes, Disney on Ice) through the Mommy Blogger Network. It was such a cool event and the seats were GREAT too.

 It's always so easy to become childlike when Disney is concerned! I found myself rocking, singing and swaying to the beat of a number of Disney Classics... " Be Our Guest" and of course " Mother knows BEST"( only because we do)... As I sat with my mommy friends( even met a new Mommy Blogger Carlene), we realized we were having just as much fun as the kids. There were smiles on EVERYONE'S faces even my one year old son( who had to attend the event by default because daddy is out of town). To see all the little girls in their princess attire, with wands and crowns was the highlight of my evening. Dads walking around with Flounder hats from their cotton candy, grandmothers in line buying snow cones. Disney has a magical way of uniting families and bringing out the best in everyone.

I must admit, Beauty and the Beast will always be a favorite of mine( shhhh don't tell my daughter because she loves Sleeping Beauty). There's something magical about a Beast having a heart of gold and kitchen utensils singing to you as they serve your dinner!!

I was also introduced to a new warrior Princess BRAVE. Guess that's a new DVD to add to our collection!

As the show came to an end, so did the magic. As we left Philips Arena, reality hit. We had to walk through the crowds of people to get to the car, jump on the highway to make it home, get the kids in, bathed and ready for the following school day and find a minute to unwind from the day's activities. Would I do it all again? In a heart beat. There's just a feeling you get from being apart of the most magical place on Earth no matter where you are!!

So, thank-you for the midweek visit to Disney! Thank you Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Sebastin, Flounder, Ariel, Rapunzel(Tangled) and Brave. Thank you for the laughs, the songs and memories. Thank-you for allowing my little people and I to Be Your Guest!! We appreciate it!!

Signed,
Mommy Bloggers Bring the Magic~~

He Picked ME~

Sidenote: This piece is just me getting in touch with the writer in me.. Not necessarily how I'm feeling today BUT it is bits and pieces of my life over the years... I hope that you can relate to it in some way and understand that no matter the circumstance(even for my male readers) He picked you 2~

I once read that, when you let out the fear, upsets, highlights and lows of the day, it helps you to sleep better. I don't know accurate that statement is but here goes...

Today wasn't a good day. I felt like crying more than I smiled and sometimes just to hold it all together I had to take moments just to let it all out.

They say LOVE is blind but how do you overlook the LOVE you see daily that treats you as if you don't exist?

Water is free they say, Whelp if you have to charge me 25cent  to pour it into a cup, I'll let that cup pass from me...

You want to get ahead, but the cards seem to keep dealing you "Uno" draw 4's and Skips....

My turn has been skipped again, the call went unanswered and here I am left like a drying leaf waiting too to be blown in the wind AGAIN...

Please pick me, pick me... No!

The grass looks greener on the other side but once I jumped the fence to get a glimpse and maybe take a roll in it, there were patches of brown where it hasn't  been watered.... Gone untended...

My soul, my soul is weary...
I just want to feel like Jesus is listening but my mind keeps saying,
"Girl, he Ain't thinking about you"..
So, i keep searching in hopes that Jesus will see me
But YET I keep hearing my own voice saying
Please pick me~

But what I've failed to realize is that I was picked way before my parents thought of me.
I was picked way before the hurts, misunderstandings, lies and pains..
He picked me~
Little ole me,
The girl that was so misunderstood that even I was afraid to spread my OWN wings and HE gave them to me.
The little girl, who wanted a nose job so bad I fantasized about being called cute.

Pick Me, Pick me..
Love me like there's no tomorrow,
Hold me close to your heart to keep me from falling.
Respect me as I respect you,
Understand me when I'm not even making any sense.
Listen to my dreams,
Understand my journey.
Don't try to change me
BUT
Enhance what I've already been called to do.
Understand there can be no REAL us, until You become true to YOU...

He chose Me for this journey..
I opened my wings, that HE gave me and I began to fly.

So on today,
Although I cried just a little,
my frown was replaced with a smile.
although, I'm questioning where I am in life today,
I know new horizons and opportunities will await me upon opening my eyes 2morrow..
Tomorrow is so close, so near, I smell it
Nobody is holding me back but me and these fears...

I'm going to close my eyes and look for me..
Look for that Woman
 HE has created me to be..
She's there,
Waiting to be embraced,
and you know, the most FASCINATING part about being Me is....
HE picked ME~

It's harder than you THINK...

Life is a daily struggle. If you haven't yet found that medium in your life that gives you the strength to balance it all, you will surely drown.
I try not to relate much of my past to my blogs but sometimes, its the easiest way to describe how and what I feel. I've learned, while yes my road is different than yours and sometimes we take different routes HOWEVER; somewhere our paths will intersect and we will eventually face some of the same issues.

I listen to the stories of many of my married friends, dating friends and single ones and we ALL echo the same sentiments. Parenting is HARD.  I can only speak for myself but even with having support its still tough. A Father will never understand the full involvement and the level most of us mothers make where parenting is concerned.
YES, I get it. Most fathers play the role of a disciplinarian, while some are non-existent. Then we have another group of fathers who leave everything to the mom and then complains when we shut them out. Really dude, what do you want from us?
Honestly, the way many of us parent is similar to how we were raised. And although we try to break the cycle, it tends to come back until we have completely figured out how to break it. I have 2 bff's. One grew who with an involved dad and the other one grew up with a part time dad who was on drugs. Today, as grown women, we all relate because at some point we became mothers and our fathers were not there completely. It was a constant struggle for me not to repeat my cycle with my daughter. I never talk in full detail about relationship with my father. It's been rocky to say the least but  know he loves me. I stayed in a relationship to provide stability for my daughter( or so I thought). In the end, I had to find my voice and take the path that would better not only me but give her a better picture.
I listen to the stories of so many sister girls who are going through it with the fathers of their children. Should our children have to suffer because of the decisions we made? No, they shouldn't. A Father should be a father no matter WHAT. I was good enough for you to lay down and roll in the sheets with me, now let the love we once shared be good enough for you to properly love the child we made together.
There are so many horror stories my sisters are dealing with. Absent fathers seems to top all the list though. YES, they can be absent while physically present too.
Is this a blog to bash Fathers? Not at all, it's a blog to salute the women who still sow respect for the fathers of our children even when it's hard.. It's a blog dedicated to the fathers who are fathering without being told to do so.. It's a blog dedicated to the fathers who have stepped up to help children who are not theirs. Its a blog to the mom, who works 40+ hours a week and goes to school at nite, It's a blog to the mothers who won't give up on their child even though society has kicked them out of programs and labeled them.
I LOVE my children and nothing can change that. But sometimes, even through the smile, its harder than you think.
So, don't judge the mother at the bus stop with 3 kids running around acting a plum fool. At least she still has them and they are not wards of the state.

Signed,
A mom in her feelings today~