Meet Sarah Clover

Sarah Clover

Becoming a contributor for Austin Moms Blog was on my long list of personal goals for 2017.  Life happened though and got in between me and some of those ambitions. To be perfectly honest, why should this be any exception; my friends and family will tell you I’m late to nearly everything?

Regardless, here I am, tardy to the party but making my entrance with AMB and refusing to give up on my personal objectives. I should probably state, for the record, that I believe wholeheartedly in rollovers…. this includes rollover minutes, rollover daily carbs, rollover health savings account balance, AND rollover goals. All good things take time and patience and I reckon that there is no better time for me to share my journey of motherhood than now. Hello! I am Sarah, the author of my life and it is an honor to join this amazing community of mamas and readers.

I am a single mother of two incredibly beautiful, naturally-tan, curly-haired cuties. Having biracial children has already presented me with so many unique challenges. I’m constantly striving to help my children accept their mixed features, speak confidently about their family, understand proper police etiquette, speak up against racism, and always do their part to help the world notice their most important qualities-the ones associated with their character, personality, ideas, strengths, talents, and skills rather than the color of their skin.

My ten-year-old son can best be characterized as a double-edged sword. He loves me the most and challenges me the hardest. We are so much alike that it is hard to be anything but compassionate. The major difference between us is that I am compliant, whereas he is defiant. My guy has amazing gifts. He’s a smart cookie, resourceful, respectful, athletic, and artistic. He’s going to do something BIG – I just know it.  Being his mama is so very rewarding, even when it’s impaled by worry and angst.

My daughter is my anchor. She just turned five and we share a birthday month, both Capricorns. She is strong-willed, independent, and sassy beyond belief. She proves to be strong for our family even in the toughest of times. She is wild like the sea and yet her love is solid and steadfast. She forgives easily, is full of empathy, and has the heart of a servant.  She’s also clingy, emotional, and requires a lot of my attention “High tide or low tide, I know she will always be by my side” … and for this I’m grateful.

With a 5-year age gap between my oldest and youngest, I felt like I forgot nearly everything about the first pregnancy. With my first, I wanted everything to be done perfectly right. By the time the second came around, I wanted everything to be easy. Life sure has a sense of humor though and what I’m left with is a son who wants McDonalds and electronic devices 90% of the time and a daughter who chooses hummus, snap peas, and board games on the regular. These two children are quite different and parenting them has required finding that delicate balance.

In the last few years, I made some major changes that would alter my family’s future. I left my teaching job as a Master’s Degree teacher and opted to open my own licensed home childcare. You can check out my Reggio-inspired preschool or follow me on Instagram @honeysuckle_schoolhouse.  This little dream of mine was our ticket. We traded the hustle, bustle, and crazy commutes of the city for a much-needed reprieve, just 20 minutes outside of Austin. 

We are now enjoying the solitude of beautiful Bastrop county, nestled on 5 wooded acres. We have been successful in implementing many slow living practices in an effort to be more mindful and present in our everyday lives. We work towards making healthy eating choices, focusing on our behavioral health, embracing our small community, caring for our little farm of animals, coloring often, reading daily, listening to calming music always, exploring nature regularly, and taking naps when possible. Getting to this point may sound like sunshine and rainbows but it certainly has felt more like torrential rains and flooded property. If you don’t believe me, just ask my mortgage company and insurance carrier.  

They say that anything worth doing comes at a price, and this is one I’m currently willing to pay… And when things feel too hard to handle or I’m unsure about whether I made the right move, I turn to my trusty supports. It seems I can always count on my faith, my sister (also my best friend, biggest supporter, and business partner), dark chocolate covered almonds, and cheap sweet red wine. It has been my experience that these tools can help me out of nearly any funk, no matter how big or small. It seems that for the last several years I’ve been trying to crawl out of the trenches. I’ve been in the valley of life and fighting the good fight. This year feels different, however. I am finally on the mountaintop, standing tall and shouting with praise, more grateful than ever for each opportunity to share my journey. Thank you, Austin Moms Blog, for seeing my potential and giving me a platform.