lara-chapman-amb

Hey-hey, AMB readers! I’m Lara Chapman, the “veteran mom” at AMB. I’m the mother of two, the stepmother of one, and one of four siblings. I’m a high school English teacher, a published young adult and middle grade author, a Plexus Ambassador, and a grad student. I’m OCD, ADD, sleep-deprived, and love a good glass of red wine. Since I’m not in my 20’s… or 30’s… I’ll give you a quick rundown of the life-changing events that have made me who I am.

The Newlywed Era

At the very wise age of 19, I married my high school sweetheart. When he joined the Air Force, I passed on a full ride vocal performance scholarship to be by his side. I blame that fateful decision on Patsy Cline’s Stand by Your Man.

The Infertility Era

Six years. Hundreds of shots. Dozens of procedures. Thousands of dollars. Zero pregnancies. And that, my friends, is what you called a “God thing.”

The Adoption Era

After a particularly rough procedure (where I crocheted a baby blanket in the lobby while waiting for the nurse to bring me back, only to find out after an hour that none of the eggs had fertilized), my long-time infertility doctor asked me this: “Lara, do you want to be pregnant or do you want to be a mom?” Six months later, we adopted our son in an open adoption in 1995. Five years after we brought him home, we adopted our daughter in a traditional adoption in October of 2001. They’re my everything.

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The Losing Mom Era

Thanksgiving 1998. My mother showed up slurring her words. She’s a wine drinker; it happens. I fussed at her, she told me I didn’t know what I was talking about. You know… typical family Thanksgiving stuff. Seven months later, she called me and said, “I have ALS” Fourteen months after being diagnosed and exactly one week after Mother’s Day, she passed away. To be exact, she passed away the very moment I walked into her room at the nursing home. She was 59. My life hasn’t been the same since.

The Divorce Era

After being married 22 years, my world fell apart with one unexpected email from my husband telling me wanted to separate. Yes, he emailed me. Overnight, I became a single mom to my children, then 14 and 8. I was left holding the proverbial bag and had to tell my children about the separation and, ultimately, the divorce alone.

The Losing Dad Era

My father was a bigger-than-life man in my eyes. Like most lawyers, he thought he was always right (and often was). He’d fought alcoholism most of his life and it eventually led to kidney failure, which led to a couple of years in a nursing home (something he found demoralizing). He began dialysis (which he hated), then abandoned the treatment despite knowing he would have less than a week to live if he made that choice. He passed away four days later with a room full of family crowded around him.

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The Single Parenting Era

Terrified. That’s how I would describe how I felt about parenting my children on my own, especially now that I had no living parents. I’d like to think I did pretty good job. The bonds I formed with my kids during those years can never be broken. We healed each other. It wasn’t always fun, but I wouldn’t trade that time for anything.

The Getting Healthy Era

I’ve always fought my weight, but when I hit 198 pounds and was on meds for high blood pressure and diabetes, I had to make a change. With a combination of daily workouts at Koko, a reduced-calorie diet, and Plexus products, I lost over 55 pounds and 32 inches in 6 months. And I’ve kept it off for almost a year.

The Here & Now

I live in Cedar Park with my guy, a/k/a Bill, my daughter, and stepson. Teaching high school English in Lago Vista is a gift. My third book was released this month. My daughter is finishing up her last year at Henry Middle School and will be a freshman at Vista Ridge High School in the fall. *gulp* My son is a junior at A&M majoring in accounting. He works part-time, goes to school full-time, and still manages to have some fun (probably more than I want to admit). I’ve never been prouder of him (even if he isn’t a Longhorn).

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And that’s life, isn’t it? It’s beautiful, painful, rewarding, and frustrating. It can be a scary world, especially when you’re facing it alone. But I promise you… there is nothing sweeter than hitting one of life’s wicked curveball over the fence. You’re stronger and braver than you thought possible.

I can’t wait to share our parenting journeys together. Being a mom is tough. We need each other to make it through the worst and celebrate the best.

 

 

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