We have loved sharing our finalists for Alamo City’s Amazing Mom contest with you this week. You can see our first six finalists here and here. Today we continue with our next set of incredible and inspiring women.
We will be introducing our finalists to you each day and on Friday, voting will open up to YOU! We want our readers to help us determine who will receive the title of Alamo City’s Amazing Mom.
Brittney Yost
Nominated by her friend, Elizabeth Nichols
Elizabeth’s Words: Brittney has been an inspiration to me because she is a remarkably busy mom yet refuses to let the chaos interfere with her focus on her family. In the course of a year, she has left her job (doing so because she wanted to have more time and flexibility with her family), started Burlap Trading Co. (www.burlaptradingco.com), a new successful online boutique, moved, helped her husband launch his career as a partner at a new firm, become pregnant with her second (due in May) and remained a doting mom to her 2.5 year old daughter Reese.
Brittney is active in her church and community and as an indication to how many people’s lives she has touched, she had NINE hosts for her recent baby shower. She always has a smile on her face despite her frenetic schedule, and her love for her daughter and husband shine through in all that she does. Brittney was recently featured along with her sister in an article on Drivelivestock.com which you can read here.
Ranka Washington
Nominated by her daughter, Christine Kolbeson
Christine’s Words: My mother is the epitome of strength and courage. Approximately 6 years ago, my father had a massive stroke at a Dallas Cowboys game my father and mother were attending. The retired Naval Master Chief was reduced to a child like state in which my mom had to step up and care for which includes feeding (his entire right side of his body is paralyzed), bathing, physical therapy, etc. My mother is 5’4″ and my father is 6’4″ so getting him in and out of the shower and dressing him is not an easy feat, especially when only half of your body works. She also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and works a full-time job as an Underwriter for USAA, but never skips a beat when it comes to taking care of my dad and loving her two grandchildren. She is constantly on the go, putting everyones needs before herself.
Every ounce of energy she has goes to my father and her grandchildren. I had to force her to get her hair cut and colored a week ago (my treat) because she doesn’t allot any time for herself. When she was done getting her haircut and colored she came to me crying that it felt amazing to feel special again because she hasn’t felt special in a long time.
She is beyond special – she has helped our family survive during such a horrible tragedy. She grins and bears through the pain of her illnesses to provide the best care possible for my father. She refuses to put my father in an assisted living facility because she swore to god that she and my father would be together until “death do us part” and she lives by that promise every single day. She has shown me what it is to be a mother and a wife and I am ever so grateful to be inspired by her and have my daughter grow up around such a selfless and strong woman. She is only 50 years old and has sacrificed her life to care for her husband and she promised she would during their vows. I would love for her to have the opportunity to feel special again.
Carrie Lane
Nominated by her sister, Kelly Anderson
Kelly’s Words: My little sister, Carrie, is an amazing mom. For so many years, our lives were parallel. I graduated from high school and attended the University of Texas, she followed me there. I went off to law school in San Antonio, she went to law school in Lubbock. I got married and had babies pretty much immediately, she got married a few years later…but it took her longer to have babies. And our paths kind of diverged at that point. I had two easy pregnancies that produced two healthy baby girls, two and a half years apart. Carrie and her husband decided to wait a year after getting married to start their family.
Carrie’s first miscarriage was my first real indication that she was on a path that was distinct from mine, because it was the first time she came to me with something that I couldn’t personally relate to. I couldn’t tell her, “Oh, I’ve been through that. You’ll be fine!” I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know what to do.
Eventually, Dawson was born, and I felt like we were back on track. Although I didn’t have boys of my own (I’m a stepmom to twin boys), I could relate to that precious little bundle, and I could talk to her about post-partum woes and the best diaper creams. I could give her advice.
When she started to try to expand her family again and had more heartbreak and more miscarriages, I was thrust back into the reality of how different our lives were. When she finally became pregnant with Wyatt, my family and I were all so relieved—back on track again! None of us were prepared for the difficult days ahead. Carrie went in to preterm labor at only 25 weeks pregnant. When she called me from the hospital early in the morning on May 18, 2013, she sounded so scared and so alone. I tried really hard to be strong for her, but I found myself floundering—I had no idea what to say or what to do. I ran to Target and bought her magazines and candy. I drove to the hospital and tried, unsuccessfully, not to cry.
My sister was on hospitalized bed rest for an entire 9 weeks, using all of her waning energy to keep Wyatt safe. He was born at 34 weeks by scheduled C-section on July 17, 2013, and is happy, beautiful, and healthy today. I can’t look into his sweet eyes without seeing my sister, who was bound and determined to keep him well and secure inside of her body. The selflessness, faith, strength, resolve and courage she embodied during that time period was awe-inspiring to me. And now it’s my turn, the “experienced” big sister, to learn about amazing love from my little sister. I’m looking forward to learning more from her as we raise our children together in the years to come.
