Two Daughters, One Stage, and a Whole Lot of Single-Mom Chaos

If anyone had followed me around last night with a camera, they would’ve captured the full emotional range of single mom life — from “we’re going to be late!” panic to “oh my gosh my babies are brilliant!” pride — all set to the soundtrack of my car yelling at me for low gas.

Because last night wasn’t just any night.
It was play night.
And both of my daughters had a part to play — one under the spotlight, one behind it.

And I, somehow, had to hold it all together. (Emotionally)

The Star of the Show (Literally)

My oldest daughter stepped onto the stage as Anne of Green Gables — yes, the Anne. The spirited, imaginative, fiery heroine. And let me tell you, she carried that role like she was born to do it.

Seeing her up there, fully in her element, made my heart do that proud-parent-ugly-cry thing. I watched her shine — confident, brave, expressive — and thought:

This is her moment.
This is why we fight

through the chaos.
This is what makes single motherhood feel like magic sometimes.

The Daughter Who Worked Behind the

Scenes — and Moved Mountains to Do It

But what made the night even more meaningful was my other daughter — my backstage girl. While the world saw Anne dazzling the audience, behind the curtains was a different kind of strength.

My daughter with chronic illness and POTS was part of the backstage crew — and unless you know what she battles daily, you might miss how big a deal that truly is.

Standing, bending, walking, lifting props, managing movement cues…
These things are “simple” for most kids.
But for her?

They require tremendous bravery, stamina she doesn’t always have, and a determination that humbles me.

And she did it.
She showed up.
She worked hard.
She pushed through symptoms and exhaustion that no one in the audience could see.

If the play had a hidden hero, it was her — steady, quiet, fierce.

I snapped pictures of both girls last night, and the contrast nearly brought me to my knees:

One daughter is glowing under the lights.
One daughter is glowing with grit behind them.
Both of them are shining in ways that matter.

A Single Mom Backstage, Front Row, and Everywhere in Between

Meanwhile, I was running around like a caffeinated tornado:

• Frizzy hair? Check.

• Tea stain on my shirt? Double check.

• Dogs needing to go out right as we were leaving? Of course. Cats...OMG...

• Brain at half battery? Absolutely.

• Heart full? More than I could hold.

People see the pictures — the proud smiles, the pretty stage, the “we made it” moment.
But what they don’t see is the single-mom scramble that comes before it:

The driving. The planning. The emotional pep talks. The exhaustion.
The way you pray, the car doesn’t break down on the way.
The constant feeling like you’re one forgotten permission slip away from collapse.

But when I sat in that audience…
When I saw one daughter telling a story in the spotlight, and the other helping make the story possible from the wings…

Every hard moment felt worth it.

Why This Night Mattered

Our family has walked through loss, grief, and unthinkable change.
We’ve learned resilience the hard way.
We’ve learned to laugh in chaos and find joy where we can.

And last night was joy.
Pure, big, messy, beautiful joy.

Watching my daughters — one front and center, one behind the scenes — reminded me that there is more than one way to shine.

And that even in the middle of busy schedules and doctor appointments and single-mom overwhelm… my girls are finding their places in this world.

And I get to witness it.

Here’s to the Moments That Fill Us Up

Here’s to showing up imperfectly but wholeheartedly.
Here’s to kids who shine in ways big and small.
Here’s to daughters with dreams, determination, and more grit than they even realize.
And here’s to the single moms doing their best to hold the whole backstage together.

Last night wasn’t perfect.
But it was beautiful.
And that’s more than enough.