We are SO excited to announce the winners of our 2019 Moms of the Year Campaign.
ABQ Moms Blog received many nominations this year and feel so lucky to have such amazing women in the Albuquerque community. We received nominations from children, husbands, and friends. While we are only able to award 4 moms with this honor, we hope that each mom will feel loved and special on Mother’s Day this year.
This year, we are honoring 4 amazing local mothers. Each of these women are dedicated to their families and the Albuquerque community. We are so excited to introduce you to these wonderful, inspiring women!
Thank you to our 2019 Albuquerque Moms of the Year Campaign Sponsor, Cottonwood Mall. Cottonwood Mall is a great place to shop for that special mom in your life or to treat her to a great meal or family fun.
Ashley Guerra
Ashley Guerra has lived in Albuquerque most of her life. She married her high school sweetheart in 2007 and is a mom to two beautiful children. After being a mother and seeing a need to encourage and build up other mothers, she began a program called A Mother’s Mission. She wrote and led these classes for other mothers, through her church, in 2015 and 2016. Her goal in this program was to let each mother know how special they are and how uniquely wonderful their role and purpose is as a mother.
What’s the most unexpected thing about motherhood?
In my opinion, the most unexpected thing about motherhood is how much it transforms every piece of your heart. There is no aspect of you that is not fundamentally changed by the gift of motherhood. Change can be challenging, but the change of motherhood creates a beautiful pathway that allows you to appreciate new perspectives, and provides you with the opportunity to grow into the fullness of who God has created you to become.
What advice would you give to other mothers?
The hard work of motherhood is not in vain. You are molding precious souls who will grow up and do great things to change this world. What you place into the hearts of your children will be revealed as they mature, so make those things count! Instill within them the imperishable qualities of faith, hope, and love. These qualities will help them weather the storms of this life, guide them to persevere through every situation, extend gratitude for daily blessings, and find a deep appreciation in the truth that, ‘they are special’!
What inspires you?
I am inspired by the love of my husband, the hearts of our children, and the unexpected beauty of simplistic everyday family moments. You never know when a mundane daily activity can create a treasured memory or reveal a purposeful reminder of truth. These moments are God’s greatest gifts!
Judy Key
Judy is the embodiment of motherhood and was nominated by her daughter Jordan. She cares deeply about anyone that comes into her path as if they are apart of her own family. Judy has successfully and lovingly raised 3 grown children into adulthood and now helps raise her 5 grandchildren. She is always willing to help anyone in need.
Beyond loving her husband and family, she works as a doula for New Life Birth Services. Judy goes above and beyond to love her clients long after the baby is born. She brings her mothering presence to so many women who trust her to be at their birth. It is more than a job. It is a work of the heart.
What’s the most unexpected thing about motherhood?
The most unexpected thing about motherhood for me are the recurring emotions. When my children were little, and even now that they are grown, the emotions of my love for them is still as strong. “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” #TRUTH
What advice would you give to other moms?
Be prepared to make mistakes (It’s ok.) Ask for forgiveness and love unconditionally. My favorite Biblical promise is Proverbs 22:6 -“Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he won’t depart from it.” (The same is true for girls) This gave me hope for their futures.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by trying to make a positive difference every day and the fact that, thankfully, tomorrow is a new day.
Lindsay Vernon
What’s the most unexpected thing about motherhood?
The most unexpected things about motherhood is how much these tiny humans teach me about life. They are constantly showing me what joy, grace, faith, and love truly look like. We underestimate this too often, believing that what we have to teach them is far more important…Not the case! All that they show and teach me makes me a better mother for them!What advice would you give to other mothers?
The advice I would give to other moms is to learn how to laugh at the days that come. There is so much we can not control. There is so much we have to endure and persevere through. You never know what paths the road of life and motherhood will take. Take each day and each twist and turn with laughter and joy because worry and stress will not change the outcome of anything. Where you choose to set your focus is how well you will face the days that come. So face each day with joy and laughter, rather than fear and stress.What inspires you?
My number one inspiration is my faith in Christ Jesus. Everything I do is grounded in the grace of Christ Jesus and His love for me which spurs me on to love Him with everything I am and have, and then to take that love to the world and love all the people I encounter as I am loved. I truly believe that none of us have ever met a “mere mortal.” We are each called to make a difference in the lives of everyone we encounter and interact with by loving them well. My other inspiration is my husband, Breck, who stands next to me, supports me, cheers for me, and goes with me on every journey, endeavor, and undertaking. He is such an excellent father, that it makes me a better mother.
Borca Dodson
Borca is mom to 6 girls (twins 19, 14, 10, 5 and 3). She went back to school and received her BSN in Nursing at the age of 32. Now she works as a Labor and Delivery nurse ?. She homeschools with her twins graduating last year. They will be starting nursing school this year. Working full time and homeschooling isn’t always easy, but she says it’s completely worth it!
1. What’s the most unexpected thing about motherhood
You never know how much love you can have for another person until you have a child. But the shocker is, even though you can’t always see it, you receive too, tenfold. You’ve heard “It is more blessed to give than to receive” and one day it suddenly begins to make sense.
When your child brings you that special craft or project, and you look into her eyes and become aware of a deeper and purer love than you’ve ever known before. When your child does something noble, brave or selfless, and you realize you’ve been gifted with the profound blessing of nurturing a soul.
I have so many things I would never even have thought to ask for but that enrich my life more than I could have imagined. Unexpected blessings!
2. What advice would you give to other moms
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Everyone’s journey in motherhood is going to be different then yours. Don’t compare yourself to other moms but rather embrace the journey that YOU’RE on!
3. What inspires you
My husband inspires me. As the leader of our home, he never ceases to amaze me. When I don’t have the words, he does. When I feel like I want to give up, he pushes me farther. When I start to question my worth, he shows me what I mean to my family. He is my inspiration.
Congratulations, ladies!
