This interview is about mothers. A mother is a sacred person to all ethnic groups. She holds a special place in all our hearts. A true mother is awesome and there is no one like a true mother. She is a nurturer, a peacemaker, a meal planner, and all round special.

Most people hold mothers up to a very high pedestal which no one can touch. You can talk about anybody but someone’s mother. The word mother is the closest thing we have to perfect on this earth. I Googled the word mother and I found several different definitions. Here are some of them.

To give birth to a child. To produce, supplied the egg. Raise a child. Maternal tenderness or affection.

Mother is a woman who has the responsibility of physical and emotional care for specific children. Mother is a woman in authority, a superior in a religious community of woman. What is your definition of the word mother? Mother is someone who loves unconditionally and places the needs of the children above her own. I was so surprised by some of the definitions but my favorite definition is what your definition of mother is to you.

When I thought about it for many days, my definition of mother is someone who takes care of her family.No matter what her family looks like. Also no matter if she has to give tough love, she is willing. If this helps her loved one to make better choices. She gives her love unconditionally. If a mother has to give up her life she will, if she needs to give advice or be a counselor then she is. A mother is not just a person who gives birth because we all know some women who have given birth and are not mothers.

A mother comes in many forms, she could have given birth to the child, she could have adopted a child, she could be the mother of the church, or she could be a female who loves children and does everything she can to be a mother to all children who will let her. I have run across so many women who naturally have the instincts of being a mother and some have to be taught how to be a mother. But what they all have in common is that they want to be a mother from their heart. I interviewed four mothers. They represent what we term as mothers.
Here is my first interview.

The first mother I interviewed is Carrie Rand. She is married and a young mother of one little girl. She is a Lead Educator at a cosmetology school. She works a full time job and a part time job in a salon near her home. Carrie spends as much time as she can with her daughter and she doesn’t go to work until 1:30 p.m. and leaves at 10:15 p.m. four days a week. She has a very busy schedule like most parents but every time you see Carrie she is sharing stories or pictures of her daughter.
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Joyce: Carrie when you found out you were expecting what were your feelings?
Carrie: I was in complete shock! I had always imagined what this day would feel like and I couldn’t believe someone choose me to be their mommy!
Joyce: Carrie, as a new mother can you tell us something that surprised you about being a mother?
Carrie: I was surprised, no matter how little bit of sleep I got; I always was awake when I was needed. I feel like when you’re a new mother your body knows you have to have energy to push through each day.
Joyce: Carrie now that your daughter is one what has it been like between you and your husband?
Carrie: We don’t take time for each other like we used to, but I would say that we are much stronger. We have become more of a team. We are very opposite, so we balance each other out.
Joyce: Carrie can you tell us what you like about being a mother?
Carrie: I love the simple day-to-day things. Picking her up from day-care and she squeals and runs to me or when she is tired and she only wants her mommy. I think my favorite thing is watching my husband with her. The love you feel as a mother watching your husband with his little girl takes my breath away.

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The second mother I interviewed is a divorced mother name Joyce Reeves with two children. She was married and divorced when her children were 4, 8 and 2 years old. She has been divorced since 2003. She also work part time as a receptionist and works every Saturday.

Her ex-husband lives in another state. She has to make sure her daughter who is in a lot of after school activities get to the activities and bring her home this type of responsibility she does on her own. Joyce has a bachelors degree in accounting. She wants to get a job in what she has a degree for. Times may have been hard for her without the support of a loving husband but Joyce did what so many other single mothers do,get an education to improve her situation. Here is some of her reality of being a single mother.

Joyce: How old are your children now?

Joyce Reeves: I have a nineteen year old son and a twelve year old daughter.

Joyce: What do you like about motherhood?

Joyce Reeves: One thing I find gratifying about motherhood is the bond that was created with my newborns. I also enjoyed the laughter that came when my children were in preschool. I believe the greatest adhesive to mother hood is love and inspiration. I watched my children develop and grow into their very own unique characteristics.

Joyce: What do you dislike about motherhood?

Joyce Reeves: The thing I dislike the most about motherhood was watching my son become a young man and move away to college. It’s a bittersweet crossover into the next realm of motherhood.

Joyce: Do you find yourself being like your mother?

Joyce Reeves: My mother grew up in an era “where children were meant to be seen and not heard”. She was a very strict mother. My brother, sisters and I were very disciplined. I am the baby in my family and I always believed that children should be reared, molded and shaped through love.

As I grew older I began to understand that my mother only raised us through the knowledge that was passed on to her by my grandparents. The only time I find myself being firm like my mother is when I feel my children are putting themselves in harm’s way.
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Our third interview is with a young lady name Carolyn Quinn-Allen who is a mother to any young person she meets. She also takes a personal interest in their lives. She is the director of the Youth Choir at Messiah Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She works in a lot of youth programs in her church. Carolyn is currently working on obtaining a masters degree.

Joyce: Carolyn do you have any biological children?

Carolyn: No, I have no biological children. I have godchildren and I have a lot of nieces and nephews.

Joyce: Since you do not have any biological children why do you believe you can be called a mother?

Carolyn: That’s a good question. I asked God that when I started feeling a maternal love for other people children. I guess my one concept of a mother’s love when my one sister had a daughter, her name is Patrice.

The first time I laid eyes on her I understood love in a unique way. I never felt that way about anybody in my whole life. How you can go out a do things for another person other than your mother or father. So that was real new for me understanding sacrifice or what you would do for yourself and others you love.

Joyce: Why do you believe you are the mother to so many youth in your church?

Carolyn: I am also a Sunday school teacher to the youth at my church. I believe God lead me to sit in this Sunday School class and there were only a few students there. All of a sudden the teacher left and went to another church, leaving them without a teacher. So I became the teacher for that age group and I believe that position called me. I fell in love with that age group.

So I just became the mother of the different age group. I believe the saying, “that it takes a village to raise child”. With the world the way it is we need every person who is willing to love and cherish our children to take a personal interest in them.

Especially with some of our children who do not have their biological parent raising them some may have their grandmother, another relative or someone else having responsibility for them. I try to help direct some young ladies with how to dress appropriately without making them feel embarrass.

Joyce: Why do you think the youth look at you as a mother to them?

Carolyn: Sometimes I don’t know why they think of me as a mother because they say I’m mean and a bully. But the core of it has to be rooted in love and you need to have passion for them. You got to love them like Jesus Christ love us and that’s with grace, kindness, and that is with mercy. I have worked with youth for 25 years.

Some of them are grown now with children of their own and some went on to college. They felt they had a safe place when they were with me. I never violated there trust in me. The young people’s parents respect me even if they did not like me because they knew I had boundaries.

Those boundaries protect me, the youth and their parents. Nobody judged anybody in my room. Whatever was said it had to be said in love and the young people knew this, so they felt the unconditional love here.

Joyce: Carolyn what advice could you share with mothers?

Carolyn: Remember nobody comes in this world with instructions on how to be a mother. There is no college that does a 101 f class for being a mother and if they did, I believe no one would graduate saying they were ready. Know that motherhood is a minister.

The Bible says in II Timothy 2: 15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”.

You ask what does that have to do with being a mother? When a child comes into your life it is your job to minister that child for the rest of their life. Once they turn 18 years old your ministry has not stop. Know that this will be the most important job you will ever do in this world.
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My fourth and final interview is with Marie Tolliver who is an adoptive mother of two children. I wanted readers to get something from all types of mothers. I believe I would have been remiss in this article if I had not interviewed an adopted mother. Marie is a college graduate and she had a master degree. She works part time and both of her children is grown and she is the mother of two grown children. Marie’s interview is interesting to me because I also am an adoptive mother.

Joyce: What was the best pieces of advice you ever received?

Marie: One of the best pieces of advice I heard was from my mother-in-law when she told me even thoughthey are children, they still having feelings like an adult. I admired my husband also because he had no problem apologizing to our children if he believes he was in the wrong. I know he learned that from his mother. That made me examine the way I thought that I had the right to treat children differently than adults by not taking their feelings into consideration when I had to punish or talk to a child.

Joyce: Marie when you were a young lady did you dream about being a mother?

Marie: Yes, I wanted to have 12 children because I was a only child and I wanted my children to have plenty of brothers and sisters. But that dream did not come true. I had to have a hysterectomy after a few months of marriage. At first I was devastated. When some of my friends and family members were having children, I wondered way I had to be the one that didn’t. Since then I know I was truly blessed like my friends and relatives but in a different way.

Joyce: What do you mean by that last statement Marie “but in a different way”?

Marie: I mean we all had children but just in different way. My husband and I adopted our children. Nobody could ever tell us that they are not our children.

Joyce: Do you feel like people treat you different then someone who had children naturally?

Marie: No, I would not let anyone treat me differently than any other mother. A true mother is just a woman who loves her family and tries to do the best for them.

Joyce: Marie how many children do you have?

Marie: I have two a sons and a daughter.

Joyce: What has given you the most joy being a mother?

Marie: I’m not sure Joyce because I just love every
aspect of being a mother. I even love having to discipline
my children. My children gave me so much joy when they relied on me for everything. But if I had to choose any particular time it would be when they were the ages of one year old to five years old.

Joyce: What advice to do you have for the next generation of mothers?

Marie: Wow! What advice do I have for the next generation of mothers? Trust your instincts and have a few mothers who have raised some children share their experience with you. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge you need some help. If anyone tells you that they never needed any help, don’t listen to them. It does take a village to raise a child.

I really enjoyed interviewing these mothers and I hope you enjoy them too.

Mission Statement: Here in our sweet world at Chocolate Blossoms, we are committed to bringing you style, elegance and great tasting creative cupcakes, cakes, cookies and more to any event, party, or occasion you plan. We love what we do here and want to make your event memorable above all others with custom flavors and creations tailored for you for your exquisite, historical day. When you want to stand out amongst the rest, call Chocolate Blossom and put us to the test!

My Story

It started with a simple, “Mommy can I help?” At the tender age of 4, I was under my mom’s feet, where she seemed to always be, in the kitchen. watched with a heart full of curiosity at how great my mom was at cooking and baking. For the longest all I could do watch, but eventually, she let me get my hands in the cookie batter and the rest was baking history. I come from a long line of woman who had secret super powers in the kitchen. My maternal grandmother was a domestic to a rabbi, a priest and a doctor.
The doctor’s wife was a socialite who lived having friends over. She was also an avid traveler and often called on Granny,Ms. Emily, to make things that she’d had in her travels.
After my granny let her know that there were some things she didn’t know how to make, she sent Ms. Emily to take lessons from hotel chefs and I got to tag along on many of those lessons, with some tips and techniques that I still use to this day. My paternal grandmother, Annie Mae, worked in the kitchens at Dayton Juvenile Detention Center and various kitchens around the city. But what Mama Grant, as she was affectionately called, was known for was her Scratch Batch Flip Rolls for which she had lines all day on every holiday for.
I was blessed to be glued to the hip of each of these women when they were in ‘bake mode.’ I learned and collected sacred recipes that are a part of the baking arsenal of Chocolate Blossoms. While I smile, now, Chocolate Blossoms was birth out of great adversity. I sold cookies and cakes in college, had always had good business around the holidays and people who would order cakes for loved ones for various occasions. For the longest time, I only did home-styled cakes-neat three layer cakes in a barrage of flavors. But in 2005, began a painful journey that would end in better days. After being on a career path that I once loved, I transferred into a position with an extremely manipulative and uncompromising boss. I had the pleasure of starting from the bottom and was promoted for 10 years straight until I landed in the last position. After an emergency surgery from stress and three years of the working with this supervisor, I walked off the job to save my sanity and health. One month later I was in the throes of a wicked divorce.

Once the dust settled, I went back to what I had done all of my life: baking. First it was a cakes for my girlfriend ZsaZsa Strozier with whom I catered with for 13 years. The it was cookies every now and then, and as the holidays came people start ordering cakes and pies. Zsa started bringing me pictures and saying, “Can you do this?” I was always up for a challenge and every time I was successful, it turned my creative buzz up on high. Then it was, “Do you do cupcakes? Do you do cake pops?” Sure I do! I figured if I do cakes, how could I not do cupcakes and cake pops? So I started with simple cupcakes and the rest is history as cupcakes became the rave for events. Cake pops had a slow start, but they are requested often as well. I am of the notion that, “We eat with our eyes. If the isn’t pleasing when you look at it, why would you want to eat anything off of it?” I learned that principal while catering with ZsaZsa and from the days spent with Granny at the various hotels were we learned start-to-finish application. The table should be a work of beauty, while their taste buds leap with satisfaction from all of the delectable treats. And because I had come from women who always made the table full and lovely to eat from, it wasn’t hard to apply the same notion to dessert buffets created by Chocolate Blossom. Each table is custom crafted after a very detailed consultation with the dessert client. Colors, decors, venue and purpose of the event all go into planning a perfect table that will be remembered for years to come. I could say this is all me and my feminine ‘life depositors’, but it would not be a true statement. I am ever so grateful to God for first giving me the desire that never died with time, age, or circumstances. I give Him praise for giving me great women to look to on the journey to Chocolate Blossoms Edible Creations. I thank my mom for my first Easy Bake Oven and then bringing me on into the kitchen with her when she realized my interest would not be contained to a toy. I will always love her for helping shape the gift she gave me.

However, I think the greatest moment came last year in September when my mom helped me with a wedding in Ohio. Since 2005, my mom had been screaming at me to get a job back in corporate America. I was too drained to go back and I had really started making good money baking. She always said it was not a real job and it used to eat at me, but I kept pressing on. When I went home to do the wedding, she watched me tear into the long list of things that were to go on this dessert bar and she started helping me. While my mom is great in the kitchen, she couldn’t see my vision for the buffet. I stood back, assessed my area, formulated the plan and went to work. She was more nervous than me! By the time we finished, she stood back and said to me, “This is a job!!! I could have never seen that from the perspective of just desserts. You really are good and I am really proud of you. Keep at it.” Every little girl wants the approval of her mom when she takes a learned hobby and elevates it to a business. When my mom gave me her stamp of love, Chocolate Blossoms Edible Creations went to a new level. I am now in search of the new stratosphere where I do things with desserts and buffets that are historical!!!! As God continues to grow me, keep your eyes on me as Chocolate Blossoms can’t do anything but get sweeter as the days go by.

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