Day 29 of the Pink Collar Savvy & Chic on Purpose Project and I’m remembering the reason so many have served and given their lives. She is the reason. Adriana Isabella, Izzy to me, turned four last week. She is smart as a whip, bi-lingual in fact given her maternal Abuelita is Puerto rican. With her ringlets and piquant expressions, she’s ethereally beautiful. And she holds the potential and promise to be anything she wants to be. Some would say Izzy is a bit bossy; I say she displays great leadership capacity. During swim lessons, while all of the other children comply with the instructor’s command for them to jump into the water and swim to her, Izzy scooches to the edge of the wall then motions for the instructor to come get her!

In the grand scheme of our big fat blended family, I’m Izzy’s Mimi, which is short for Tammi. She calls my hubby Grandpa, but since her dad was almost eighteen when I became his stepmom, Mimi was a better fit for me. A few have voiced that I’m still her grandmother, however, my son had just turned eight when Izzy was born, so though I adore her, I wasn’t quite ready to be a grandma. Eventually the few accepted the name Mimi and Izzy adores me. I got to choose.

Choice is also the reason wars have been waged and won. So Americans would have the right to choose. So that Pink Collar women would. Izzy will grow up in our American world where many women work full-time on the homefront while others do so in the workplace. Or she’ll choose some combination of the two. It is my prayer that she will be able to choose whatever best enables her to maximize her unique God-given strengths to live out her purpose here on Earth.

As we Pink Collar Savvy & Chic on Purpose women reflect on the service and sacrifice of those who paved the way for us, let us make them proud. Choose intentionally. Whether you are at home raising babies, rocking the soccer van, or reiventing yourself; whether you are in the office taking one for the team, training or transforming it, do it with excellence. To honor those who gave so we would have the gift of choice. To glorify the Giver of our gifts. In all we do, let’s remember the reason.