I am beyond proud of my daughter Audrey for her part in the creation of The Digital Mom Handbook with her co-author Colleen Padilla of Classy Mommy…

The Digital Mom Handbook hits bookstore shelves today.

My daughter, Audrey.

Audrey and Colleen write about finding your passion in the first chapter of their book.  They write about writing. They write about words… written, spoken, felt, acted upon.

They write about women just like them who’ve discovered their passions and plowed right into and through this new blogging medium with strong voices, gentle voices, funny voices, caring voices, smart voices… and sometimes doubtful voices, questioning voices, seeking voices.

They write about integrity.

They write about you.

I’ve had, clearly, a very unique spot in the whole of this creation of Audrey’s Dream Career of Blogging, Vlogging, Tweeting,  Facebooking.

But my perspective began a very, very long time ago… before such things as home computers, the internet and all that’s followed.

I know Audrey from forever ago.  I know Audrey from her little stories scratched on scraps of paper.  I know Audrey from directing little skits and plays for elementary school projects.  I know Audrey as Editor of her high school newspaper… writing award-winning investigative journalism pieces.

I know Audrey from her athlete days… often swimming 4 hours per day and still getting all of her schoolwork done.  I know Audrey from notebooks and scrapbooks and daily journals of stuff to accomplish.

I know Audrey from her days at Brown University, always making time to see her Dad and me, her grandmothers, her siblings, her friends, and never forgetting a birthday or a special occasion with a beautiful card or a visit.  

I know Audrey’s mind, a mind that goes 100 miles per minute, just like her Dad’s does and her NanaFlo’s did.

I know that Audrey believes in dreams-come-true.  I know that Audrey dreams big because, after all, dreams are free… so they may as well be BIG dreams.

I know that Audrey loves people.  She’s a people person.  She’s not a measurer… the who can help me type.  Audrey is the polar opposite… the who can I help type.

Audrey is also one of the funniest people I’ve ever known.  She can make you laugh ’til you cry.  Sometimes I wonder where the humor comes from, it’s so deep, so remarkable, (sometimes inappropriate!), and always contagious.

But I think, even with this list of stuff that makes me so very proud of Audrey today, it’s her sense of bringing people into the large and small circles of life that makes me most proud.  Audrey welcomes everybody.  She was the little girl who wouldn’t have a birthday party without inviting everyone in her class.

Audrey knows there is room for everybody on all the paths and all the journeys of life.

This is what The Digital Mom Handbook is all about… bringing everybody the plan, the template, the tips, the opportunities, the confidence to go for it.

Yes.  This is what makes my Mom heart swell so proudly today.

This is my little girl, the one who always found time and space to include everybody, doing what she does best.

The path is there.  Follow it. 

And Dream BIG.