Sponsor Giveaway | Scrapbooking From The Inside Out

RESILIENCE: I haven't thought of it before but becoming a mom 16 days before I turned 18 is probably a good example. ;-) Just out of high school and scared sh**less, I was able to raise a fine, young man. He'll be 24 this July. YIKES!!!

Being a parent requires resilience. As the single mom of a child that chose the most difficult way to learn some of life’s most important lessons I can now say that I know I am resilient. The hardest thing in this world, I believe, is to tell someone you want them to be happy and then stand by as they make choices to do just that without going back on your word.

Resilience for me is struggling with and making it through infertility. We now have a beautiful 2 1/2 year old son and are waiting to find out if our latest round of IVF worked.

There are 97 comments so far, and I've read them all. Such amazing and resilient women out there! How powerful it is to share the challenges and encouragements!

My resilience showed itself when we faced bankruptcy and losing our home, starting over in our 40s, and hanging on to our family and marriage in the face of those financial challenges. We lost our businesses, are still in bankruptcy (we filed Ch13 so we could keep our home, so it's a 5-year process), but our children are well, and our marriage is thriving. God has shown Himself strong on our behalf indeed!

Resilience is living life. You take the good with the bad. I've been thru losing my parents, a nasty scary divorce, raising my kids, watching my daughter be very ill for 2 1/2 years, my husband almost dieing this year. The surprise home repairs when there just isn't any money left over. Resilience to me is how you handle each situation that comes at you and pull thru it. For me, each time it shows me I am stronger than I give myself credit for. This is a great giveway, but more so it gives people a chance to tell a little of their story. I think everyone is deserving!

I had spent the first part of my young childhood in and out of the hospital with hip problems and pneumonia. As a teenager I had two more major hip surgeries with the last one being a total hip at 18 when everything fell apart again. During this time I was able to enjoy life as a normal person and find a wonderful husband. I have since had 2 total hip revisions and I am only 51. I don't know if I will make it through this life without having to have any more but I am grateful for my life and each day which comes.

I have shown tremendous resilience in dealing with a daughter diagnosed with a chronic illness (diabetes) at the tender age of 18 months. The struggles have been many, the rewards just as many.

My son has Asperger's and now that we are on the cusp of college, every day is a new challenge and a big fear for the future. I try to remind myself of how far we've come and if we keep moving forward, things will work out.

We live far from family, and friends move often. Most days it's a pretty great life, but some days are really tough. I like to think I'm pretty resiliant!

I LOVE the meanings behind the parts of this kit! Lots of thought went into putting it together and that is fantastic!! RESILIENCE in my life has taken on many forms...being a single mom at 16 and having to find my way and struggle through lots of disappointments but staying strong and moving forward to find another way, being sick as I got older and going in for surgery after surgery always with a brave and positive face even though I wanted to cry, staying strong for my daughter as she was leaving for college even though I wanted to hold her tight and not let her go, getting to know my husband truly after our daughter left for college...she's always been there with us and now it's just he and I...and liking him sometimes and not others but pushing forward to develop a deeper relationship...so many times wanting to give up but making the CHOICE not to. Thanks for the chance to win such a meaningful kit!!

My job as a special education teacher is extremely rewarding but also requires resilience and perseverance. I am in the middle of one of the most challenging periods of my 15 year teaching career and I can see ways that I handle similar challenges now in a much healthier way than I would have earlier in my career.

In 2005. I got pregnant, separated and divorced, moved,lost a job,lost my dad a cousin a great uncle and a friend. It was such a bad hard year but now I am happily remarried with 3 boys being a sahm. I still miss those who passed but I pursue God so one day I can be with them again.

My form of resilience includes keeping the bad stuff way on the back burner!! I'm here, I'm happy to be here, I'm healthy, I'm walking, I'm grateful for second chances, third chances...

Recently I was on medical leave and a co worker threw me under the bus while I was out. It was so hurtful but I have kept going each day and am just trying to get through this.

Not only surviving Spina Bifida, but absolutely flourishing with it. I AM resilient!

What amazing stories of resilience! There are so many stong women out there. I have my mother and father-in-law living with us. They require lots of care and are on hospice. With the strength of the Lord I am able to make it thru each day. I have great support from my husband who helps out so much. It has been hard going from total freedom to travel and go anytime you want to being tied down and having to get someone to come stay with them to be able to go anywhere. Thanks so much for the chance to win this great giveaway!!

It may not seem that great when compared to these other wonderful examples of resilience, but my greatest example of resilience has been learning how to be a good high-school teacher. It's definitely been challenging, but it's also been incredibly rewarding.

Thanks for the chance to win. The past couple of weeks have been a lesson in resilience to me. My mother had a minor stroke, and I went to visit her in Texas. I was there two weeks, and it was very stressful, especially since Mom came to live with us, and there were a hundred details to wrap up very quickly. I'm learning so much about patience and letting go. I told myself a hundred times during that difficult two weeks to just keep walking. :) Thanks for the chance to win!

My husband and I lost our jobs around the same time about two and a half years ago. We were living on our savings with two young boys while my husband went on numerous interviews and only getting rejected by phone or emails. Long story short, he turned a hobby into business and is now a photographer for weddings and other events. I am a stay-at-home mom and also selling handmade goodies in a little Etsy shop.

My husband and I are hoping to adopt a baby. About nine months ago, we retained an attorney and completed our home study. Since then, our attorney has presented our profile to several birth mothers, but we haven't found the right match. Some days it is difficult to remain positive (the adoption process is similar to the infertility journey in that way), but with my faith, my husband, my family and friends, more often than not, I'm hopeful and optimistic. I keep reminding myself: It's not a matter of if, but when. Reaching out to others and sharing our story via e-mail, FB and scrapbooking have helped me to be more resilient, too.

Three years ago, on November 2, 2008, our family lost the home we lived in for 20 years. Because of my husband's illness, the burden of taking care of "business" and rebuilding fell on me. Now, two years later, we are in our beautiful new home, better than the previous one. Life is still not perfect, but I was able to survive. Today, I face another upheaval as I will be leaving my job of 22 years, stepping out in faith and on faith, knowing that God will provide for us.

Our daughter has autism and is 8 years old and has had 3 seizures and has come back without difficulty.To me she has resilience.

Surviving a car accident when I was 14 years old that killed both my parents and almost killed me. I had to be super resilient to survive and heal. Moving forward, growing into adulthood and then becoming a wife and mother has taken strength and inner resilience on an almost daily basis.

I work full time and take care of my daughter. I do my best to provide for her and allow her many wonderful experiences.

Resilience is being a full time working mom, finding time for myself and time for my daughter and husband. You really can have it all :)