Year 2, Day 100 (Guest Blogger: Blanca Raygoza)

My Monkeys ... My Life

The Dallas/Fort Worth area was hit with a bad storm with several tornado sightings. Bad weather normally doesn't bother me, but today was different because the bad weather was too close for comfort. Tornados were spotted very close to my kids' schools and near the sitter's house.


I'm a single divorced parent of three awesome boys (My monkeys as I like to call them) I have a dental assistant job during the day and a second job as a Zumba instructor a few nights a week.
Parenting is a hard job and having three monkeys to raise with little or no help is sometimes overwhelming..

It was nerve wrecking to be at work during the storm. The worst feeling to have as a parent is guilt. Guilt, for not being the one to hold them when they are scared. Guilt, for not being able to be at three places at once. Guilt that doing your best isn't good enough.


Minutes seemed like hours and hail hitting the windows at work with the tornado sirens going off nearby, did not make me feel any better. In my heart I knew everything was okay, but I still needed reassurance. I was able to talk to my monkeys as soon as the afternoon patients cancelled their appointment, I was able to breathe better once I knew my monkeys were okay.

My 5 year old monkey: "Mommy! I didn't have to do my ABC's because of the motatos!" (as he smiled from ear to ear)

Me: "Motatos? What's that?"

Monkey: "You know! The scary black wind thingy that sucks you up!"

Me:"That's TORNADOS!"

Monkey: "Oh! Tornados! Ha! Ha! I'm silly right?"

My 9 year old Monkey: "Mommy, no homework tonight, I left my backpack at school because of the tornados ....it was a worthy sacrifice!"

I rolled my eyes trying hard not to laugh at their silliness and turned to my 13 year old...."Nope, no homework" no excuses just facts.


This was the conversation I had with my monkeys after I picked them up after work...and all was right with the world!

Blanca Raygoza is a proud mother of three handsome boys. She works as a dental assistant and she has a job as a Zumba instructor a few nights a week.
She is trying to live life to the fullest while raising her boys to become true gentlemen, all while sharing joy and awesomeness to those around her.

If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, sign up for her Zumba classes (you can visit her website for more information). You can also find both her and her class on Twitter.