My MomHeroes | Suzanne Mai Huynh

This week’s MomHero is special because I have known her since kindergarten! We were best friends all through grade school and even into middle school. After middle school we went our separate ways, I became a Centurion and she became a Buccaneer! We still kept in touch, but soon drifted apart after our freshman year, meeting new friends and venturing off into our own worlds. Every so often we’d call each other, catch up or take pictures at StarShots. Eventually we grew apart, but fate brought us back together. In 2006, we bumped into each other and shared that we were both getting married to the men of our dreams. Three years later, in 2009, we found each other on Facebook after sharing we were both pregnant, only months apart. In 2010, we both gave birth to beautiful baby girls!

Suzanne is happily married to her husband Tung. Together they share a beautiful daughter, Ellie who will soon be 14 months old. Although true San Dieagans, Suzanne and Tung moved to the beautiful state of Washington to raise their family. Suzanne is an Administrative Assistant working to help families gain affordable housing. She loves spending time with her family, as well as seeing and trying new things! When I asked Suzanne to tell me something unique about her she said, “Hard to say–got to think about this one…I can never make up my mind about making a choice and if I do I argue with myself about it. That’s pretty unique I think.” Sounds just like me! No wonder we’ve been friends for so long!

I spent some time talking to Suzanne after a long day of work. She called me while on the way to the store, then to stop and pick up Ellie from the sitter. She is My MomHero because she is working a full time job, she is a loving full time wife, she is a caring full time mommy; and if that’s not enough, she going back to school full time for her masters degree (more details below). Suzanne is proof that as mothers we can still be our own individual selves. I got lucky finishing my masters program when I was three months pregnant. I cannot imagine working on homework now while having Pinky run circles around me. However, if Suzanne can do it so can you!

Please keep reading to find out how Suzanne balances work, school, and home life. And join me as I honor another one of My MomHeroes! Make sure you have a tissue in hand, because this one is a tear jerker, at least for me it was.

What do you love most about being a Mommy? It’s an indescribable feeling.  Only mothers can relate with each other about it. But what I love most about it is being able to help raise and nurture a beautiful baby that my husband and I created out of love.  I also love that being mom teaches you the real meaning of life.  Makes you realize and appreciate how great life is.

I admire that you are going back for your master’s degree. What are you going back to school for? Why was it important for you to go back? I am going back to school to earn my masters in leadership.  I want to be the best role model for my child/children (thinking ahead).  I want them to reach for the biggest goal(s) to achieve in life.  I also went back to school because it was one of my own personal goals.  It was important for me to earn my masters because I told myself I wanted to and I want my kids to see that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.  Not to let life get in the way and realize they can do it too.

How are you able to balance work, school and home life? What challenges have you faced going back to school, and how have you been able to overcome them? I am sometimes in awe that I am able to balance all this.  I’m not going to lie at first it was very difficult.  I had a couple break downs but eventually my husband picked up and started to help me out. I know that I have problems expressing my feelings, which is something I really need to work on.  Communication and teamwork is the key to helping me balance my busy life as a mom.

What is your parenting philosophy? Do you find that it closely resembles the way your parent’s raised you as a child? I don’t know if I’ve really found my parenting philosophy yet.  Since I’m a first time mom I guess I just try to go with the flow.  I do try to think about how my parents raised me and I am always open to other parents’ advice.  I think every child is different so I try to go with how Elle is as a child.  I find that ignoring her when she throws her tantrum fits does help and yes at 13 months she is already throwing tantrums.  I also find trying to tell her what is going on sometimes helps.  Patience is definitely helpful in parenting because the communication part is a little difficult at times.  I do lose my cool sometimes but then I look down and see a puzzled face, so I have to recoup and pull it together back into mom mode.  I’m only human.

What do you and the family do for fun; and where is your favorite place as a family to go in

1. San Diego: To be honest hanging out at home and having a BBQ or family dinner is fun for us.  My side of the family is very family oriented so we just all like to hang out and spend time with each other.
2. Covington: We don’t have a particular place we like to go as a family.  Every weekend is different and we are still finding places to go to as a family.  (Especially with the rainy weather) Our latest adventure was the pool.  We are hoping to sign Elle up for classes this summer. On a weekly basis on a Saturday or Monday we take Elle to Gymboree class and that has been kind of our favorite place because Elle has so much fun in her class, which makes us happy parents.

Who is your Mom Hero and Why? What would you like to say to her? Of course my MOM! She is the GREATEST!  That’s obvious but besides my Mom, my Mom Hero is Comfort Pettis. She’s been my friend since 11^th grade.  Though she is not single, she is pretty much a single mom who juggles so much in her life I have to commend her for it.  She has done an unbelievable job raising her daughter, Skylar, who is now 3 and I couldn’t be more proud of her.  When I’m having a rough day I always stop and think about her and how she got through things without the help.  She gives me the courage to get through my rough days.  So Comfort Pettis is my Mom Hero.

What’s the most important thing you have learned your first year as a Mommy? My ability to be selfless.  I don’t think I have been the selfish type, according to myself of course, but after becoming a mom, I have become second priority in my life.  I would give anything, even my own life, for my daughter without a second thought.  I kind of get emotional thinking about it.  Ok, NEXT QUESTION!

The best advice you can offer a first time Mother? My advice to new moms: This is your experience with your new baby, only you as a mother knows what is best for your child.  You can be open to what others have to say but at the end of the day you make the decisions for you and your baby.  God made women mothers because we are strong willed, loving and nurturing human beings.  There will be tough and rough days but trust me when I say the happy moments will always outweigh the bad ones so just be strong till the next happy moment comes and don’t worry you won’t be waiting long.  Remember to also be patient with your precious one as this is their first time doing things as well.

Thank you so much, Suzanne for all you do. You are truly an amazing mother, wife,  and overall individual. I am honored to be sharing this parenting experience along side you. Our baby girls are only but six weeks apart; and I hope they will find friendship with each other as we have in one another. God bless you and your family always, and good luck as you complete your masters program! I love you, and I still consider you as one of my dearest friends!

*Family and Friends of Suzanne, please show your love by leaving a comment below. Thank you!