Being a shy, gawky junior high student, I could have chosen many celebrities and even teachers that have helped me come out of my shell. But to me, the strongest, most influential person in my life is my mother, Amy Riley. Working full-time, she has had to manage unexpected triplets since 2004 without a nanny to care for them. She is enthusiastic and excited that she has come out on top, saying, "Our life has been full and blessed and even more excited than I could have imagined."
My mom currently lives with me and everyone else in Roseville, California. She is a well-known OBGYN with Sutter Medical Group, and loves the fact that the work of physicians like her inspire and make an impact on others' lives. She feels very fortunate that as a young child, she grew up in a military family that moved often, teaching her to adapt. "I learned how to adapt, and making new friends has gave me strength and helped me to excited for change, not scared of it."
When my mom found that she was expecting triplets, she didn't let it turn her life upside down. She said, "I took it one day at a time and tried to keep myself as healthy as possible." She uses her interpersonal skills to her advantage, and when the biggest challenge of being a mom of multiples, she replied, "The biggest challenge is to find time for each child, and making sure that I make an individual impact on each child's life." Stating her opinions on motherhood, she says, "a mother's job is to love them, and help them build self-esteem and independence, and guide them to the right course but leave the decisions to them." She says on her children, "I like to see my children work through decisions and thought processes that show that they're maturing."
My mom is a model of patience and courage to everyone who knows her. She has persevered through the challenge of a perilous multiple birth, a duty that I believe she was chosen to do. I may be very young and have most of my life's story still unwritten, but I do know that everything happens for a reason, and God only gives out challenges that He believes we can handle. My mom was even chosen to be interviewed for the Sacramento Bee in 2008 as a representative power mom. I am honored and glad to be my mom's daughter, and although it may seem repetitive, people often ask, "How on Earth do you do it?" Even though she could give all the credit she deserves to herself, she simply smiles and says that she couldn't have done it without my dad and I.
I know that a lot of people feel the closest to the lyrics of songs when their life is crashing down, because their parents are their biggest enemy, but for me, my mom has been the one who has kept me from falling when I'm in a state of social distress, while still balancing the task of keeping up with my siblings' problems. She is my therapist, my rock, and my role model. Whenever I need something, I turn to the person who has been there for me right from the start- my mother, Amy Jean Riley.
Picture Source: http://sutterroseville.org
Interview Conducted with Amy Riley
Page created on 5/19/2012 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 5/19/2012 12:00:00 AM