On our Facebook page we asked our Solemates to tell us about an inspiring woman in their life. We picked three stories to share with you.

Chrystal Patrick about her mom, Debra Silva.

My mom! I don’t even know where to begin. I know a lot of people think their mom is the best but my mom is special! She’s more than just an amazing mother, nana, wife, sister, mother-in-law. She’s the most caring, generous, selfless person I know. She represents what beautiful is from the inside out. My mom, Debra Silva, is 55 and looks 25. She’s a small town girl who met my dad in 10th grade, married him at 20 and was pregnant with me 3 months later. My Dad traveled for his job (for 30 years) so he was gone every week and sometimes for more than one week in row. Which left my mom to take care of my brother and me (who she had at 27, with a miscarriage in between).

I have so many wonderful memories of mom. She was always so much fun and full of energy. She never turned us down to play. We were always outside, going to the park, going to museums, jumping on the trampoline or playing a game. In all of my 34 years my mom and have never been in a fight. She has always listened with comfort and understanding and always taken the time to explain why we could or couldn’t do something. I have always had so much respect for her.

She was always there to take us and pick us up from school and at every school party and every school event. She was always watching whether my brother and I were in gymnastics, basketball, cheer, soccer, or whatever it was we decided we wanted to participate in. She was supportive and let us know how proud she was of us. She made us every meal and always made sure we were eating healthy. She ate healthy and exercised, which she still does.  She taught us to respect our bodies and treat them well.

But the greatest gift of love my mom has given us is faith. She has always been and amazing example of a Christian. Showing us how to give by volunteering, which she continues to do, and helping others and teaching us to rely on God when things aren’t going our way. My faith has gotten me through many tough times throughout my life and I’m so blessed my mom taught us about God’s wonderful grace and love.

I feel like I could write a book about my mom. I am so blessed to have her as my mom and so blessed to have her as my daughter’s and upcoming baby’s nana! She is truly a caring, wonderful person full of light and love!

Ashley Harris about her mom, Marcia White

Marcia and her granddaughter, Macie

My mom is a very positive upbeat Christian woman. She strives to live her life to the fullest and puts everyone’s worries and cares in front of hers. She is a registered nurse so by nature she is a caring, warm, loving, nurturing woman. She has raised my brother and I with good morals, excellent work habits, and to treat others how you’d like to be treated. She isn’t just my mother she is my role model and best friend.

3 words to describe her: nurturing, amazing, classy.

I admire everything about her. My parents divorced when I was a small child and she raised both of us in a positive upbeat atmosphere – always encouraging and our biggest cheerleader when it came to sports and academics. Sadly, my father passed away in 2007 and we have all 3 grown closer and rely on each other. She tells me constantly how she has to love my daughter, Macie, double because her papa is in heaven. She is smitten over my daughter. She bought her a scripture artwork and constantly reminds her of it.

My mother grew up poor and wanted to prove that she was able to be the first in her generation to graduate high school and college! She did it- she is an RN with a reputable hospital and does such an amazing job. She has always instilled that we need to focus on our higher education and become college graduates. My baby brother age 23 just graduated with his bachelor’s in criminal justice and I am set to graduate fall 2014 with my bachelor’s in organizational leadership. She is beyond happy and proud of us. What an accomplishing feeling for her that both children have completed the one task she always asked us to complete.

Ashley and Macie

 Ryan Pickett about his wife, Theresa

How is Theresa inspiring to you?

Theresa is very hard working and puts her family ahead of her desires. She inspires me to be a better person and to pursue my dreams and to be a good father.

What qualities does she possess that you admire?

Theresa has a never ending quest for education and learning. She is a very creative writer. She’s a very wonderful wife and mother.

What are three words to describe her?

Smart. Passionate. Creative.

Tell us a little about Theresa

Theresa is a mother and a teacher who enjoys spending time with her family as well as going to work and teaching children. She is always working to better herself and her family. As a writer who owns Theresa’s Reviews (theresasreviews.com) and freelances for numerous publications, she rarely has time to relax. She loves to go outside in our backyard and take in nature, but usually has her laptop so she can keep writing and creating as an author. She embraces many cultures and loves to travel as well as enjoy many different cuisines from around the world. She is currently teaching her children several languages. She also stresses the importance of mathematics and science with her little girls and makes it fun for them to learn. When she wants to let loose, she sings and dances with her eldest daughter, Samantha.

Can you share a story about her life?

Theresa finished undergraduate school at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida because my father passed away and I wanted to move closer to my mom to help out regularly. Even though we weren’t dating that long, Theresa was such a caring person and so in love that she moved across the country, dropped out of the school she was attending, and enrolled in a new school for me. I couldn’t have made it through that time without her.

How did the two of you meet?

We met while I was attending film school and she was auditioning for a role in a film. We went on to work on numerous projects together, including the award winning short film Look (2009), in which Theresa was the lead actress and producer, and the movie won numerous awards. We spent a lot of the first few months together just creating and imagining what the movie would look like. Countless hours of working together led to many date nights, travels, and eventually a wedding near the beach. Since we met making a movie together, movies will always be a shared passion in our lives.

Theresa, Ryan and their girls

Thank you, Solemates, for sharing the inspiring women in your lives!