Women Worth Knowing: Meet Lane

I suppose I should answer these myself, shouldn’t I?  As for introduction, I’m Lane.  I met me years ago.  It was a cold, snowy December, in the wee hours of the morning when I decided to arrive.  Christmas Eve, actually.  I was gorgeous.  Everyone says so.  But my best quality is my modesty.  I’ll tell you all about it.

Name: Lane
Age Range: 30s
Preferred Job Title:  For the purposes of this blog, I am the presenter
Industry:  hospitality

Describe your family:  My family is a fantastic hodge podge of people.  Technically, I am an only child, but truthfully, I have three sisters, Jamie, Karen and Amy.  I have one brother, Chris.  I have a nephew called Jeffles.  I have these amazing in-laws, who have accepted me into their hearts as though I were born into this last name.  I am married to this man who loves me for who I am, and who makes it easy for me to be myself and feel good about it.  He doesn’t bat a lash when I come home with a new project, even though he has to know it’s only going to last six hours.  I am married to a good, good man.  There is my mother, my fierce, sturdy, beloved mother.  My TJ.  My father and his wife.  There are my amazing friends from far and wide, my aunts, uncles and cousins, and the in-laws of the same variety.  And there is Thor.

Thor is the center of my internal solar system.  He is my delight, and my passion, and my hope for the future, and there is nothing better than just watching him go.

What does the first hour of your day look like?  I get up and make a cup of coffee, then turn on the computer.  I spend 15–30 minutes checking email and social networks, then spend the next 30 getting ready for work.  I play Thor into wakefulness and get him dressed, feed him pre-breakfast while he watches Pinky Dinky Doo, and then we’re out the door.

The last hour?  This is it right here.

What makes you feel successful?  Like every other mother I know, I feel successful when my child succeeds.  Man, I want you to know that the day he was potty trained, I felt like I had climbed Mount Everest.  When he accomplishes something, I feel like I’ve done well.  Prior to having a child, and outside of motherhood, I feel successful when I can see that I’ve helped someone.  When a friend tells me that my words have made an impact, or someone lets me know that a blog article has touched them, I feel successful.  I like making a difference.

What brings you joy?  Oh–my little family.  I am in heaven on a Sunday, sitting on the sofa, watching football with my boys.  Mundane things bring me the biggest joy.  A text message from my electronically challenged mother.  A one line email from my husband.  Couples events with Jamie and Wes.  Being able to give someone a gift.  Being able to make someone laugh.  And on cold days, the butt warmer in my car seat brings me great joy.  And naps.  I.love.naps.

What do you like best about your closest friend?  I love her honesty, and I love that when she asks me to be honest, she means it.  And I love that she never gives up, never gives in, never says die.  And I love that I could stand back to back with her in any situation.

What do you like best about yourself?  I like that I am willing to admit when I am wrong, and that I want to learn.  I hate being wrong, but I’ll admit it when I am.  I apologize when I should, and I do it sincerely or not at all.

What advice would you give boys about girls?  I ask this question because I want to have everyone’s advice handy when Thor is old enough to need it.  The advice I would give him is this:  Be honest and be kind.  Offer girls the same respect you want, and the same respect your father and I have always given you.  Girls and boys are different, but they both want the same thing, and that is to be liked, to be treated fairly, and to enjoy their lives.  You get that straight and you’ve got it down.

How do you overcome adversity?  I whistle in the graveyard.  I face adversity with stubbornness and a sense of humor.  Bad things happen to good people all the time.  That’s life.  You just keep going.  You have to find the humor and keep going.  The key is that you just never stop.

How do you want to be remembered?  I really don’t need to be remembered.  It’s shocking to write that and realize it is true.  I am perfectly happy in my obscurity.  If my son grows up to be a happy man, that’s enough for me.  If I am known for anything, I want it to be for having raised a joyful, happy, good man.  I’m no Rosa Parks, or Margaret Thatcher, or Marie Curie and I’ve made my peace with that.  That’s okay.  I’m living the now.  My eulogy should consist of, “You know Thor?  Yeah, she did that.  She and B did that.”