AOP: What do you enjoy most about being able to be home with your girls, and what has motherhood taught you about yourself?
Julie: I’ve been blessed to be a stay-at-home mom since my oldest was born during COVID. I loved being there for all her firsts. I didn’t miss any of them for either girl. I became a constant for them every day, all day, and I’ve loved that.
I’ve discovered a quiet strength I didn’t know I had. When I think I am at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak, I can always find more to pull from.
AOP: How do you balance your girls’ activities while still making time for family and fun?
Julie: Am I balancing it? Some days I think we’re just surviving it! I live from my calendar. We have a shared one that includes everything from activities and appointments to the Auburn and Steelers football schedules—truly everything!
I also made a set rule that no matter what we do, nothing is happening Friday afternoon or evening. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are family days. We can have plans, but we do it together.
AOP: What inspired your New Year’s resolution to take your girls somewhere new every year?
Julie: We are blessed to be able to go on vacations with our girls every year. We decided to always go somewhere new so we can all see what is out there. We don’t want to see the same beach, eat at the same restaurants, or do the same thing in the same place each year. We want to see the beautiful places around the U.S. and eventually outside of it. We want to experience it together.
AOP: What has been one of your favorite family trips or travel memories so far, and what made it especially meaningful?
Julie: Oh, this one is hard. We have something special from every trip we’ve gone on. Most recently, we spent time in California for our oldest daughter’s birthday.
We visited several cities in California, finishing with a trip to Disneyland. We did everything, and at times it was exhausting, but to see the way their little faces lit up with every new experience we had was priceless.
AOP: What is one piece of advice you would give another mom planning a family trip?
Julie: I think the most important thing that I do is go in with a plan but work in rest days or times. If the trip lasts for several days, a rest day is so important. Everyone is going to be tired and need a break. If we aren’t going to be gone for a week, I can’t spare a whole day, so I work them in during the day.
I also plan for the unexpected. I don’t want such a strict schedule that I can’t pivot if I need to. Make a list of must-dos and optional dos and work around those.
AOP: You’re close with your extended family. How important has that support and connection been as you raise your girls?
Julie: We lived in Pittsburgh for eight years. We had both girls there. We had a wonderful community with friends that became family. However, we realized that being so far away from our extended family was taking memories from both the extended family and our girls.
We made the decision to move back to the area two years ago. It’s been wonderful. Going without that support when they were babies, navigating new motherhood and a growing family just the two of us helped us realize we wanted to be close, too.
Now, everyone is there for birthdays, dance recitals and soccer games. Also, my husband is Vietnamese, so moving back allows our girls to learn and be a part of their culture and traditions.
AOP: As your girls grow, what are some of the values or traditions you hope to instill in them?
Julie: First, I want them to always have a relationship with Christ. I want them to be confident in it and stand by their beliefs. Next, I want them to be kind, compassionate, have a strong work ethic and be honest. Mistakes are fine, but we always admit them and move forward to do better.
I hope that they have the courage to always “take up space” in this world. I want them to be courageous and confident enough to know that their hard work has earned them the right to stand up tall in any room and take up space in it.
If I could fight all their battles and right every wrong done to them their entire life, I would, but I can’t. I need them to know that we will be there every single step of the way. They won’t do it alone, but they have to pick themselves up when they fall.
Rapid Fire
Favorite family vacation destination? Pittsburgh, PA
Favorite Auburn-Opelika family activity? Walking around Auburn and Opelika, wandering into stores for snacks, drinks or a little shopping together.
Mom’s go-to way to recharge? Be in a quiet space.
One word to describe your girls? Captivating
Family tradition you never want to give up? Family dinners
Julie Tran is a stay-at-home mom to two daughters, ages 6 and 3. She and her husband, Tim, have been married for seven years, and Tim works in technology from home. Their days are filled with school drop-offs, soccer fields, dance classes and family time. The family loves to travel, making it a goal to experience somewhere new together each year.
Author: Staff
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