Applicant #35: Patty Pomplun

Patty Pomplun is a mom from Seattle.

My video application:

A bit about me:

I was born in South Korea and adopted by my family in Wisconsin. Being from one race and culture and growing up in another has always helped me know that the lines we think separate us, or that the outside world tell us make us so different are, in fact, quite thin. I lived in the same hometown until I graduated from high school and after that, I did the Midwest Tour and went to college and worked in Minneapolis and then worked in Chicago for a few years. One time, I took a trip out to Seattle for a spoken word conference and as soon as the plane landed, I felt like I was coming home. Two months later, I drove myself cross-country to start a new life. That was exactly 10 years ago and Seattle has become my nest in the woods, the place where I have found loving and generous friends that I call family who help me raise my daughter.

Some people tell me that I do things backwards. I started out my career as an advertising account executive at creative and notable agencies on big accounts. Then I followed my heart and moved into the non-profit world as a communications and volunteer manager. Several years ago, I decided to follow my passion and turned a hobby into my profession as an actor and voiceover artist. I've also been a dancer and teacher and one of my favorite jobs was traveling around the country leading workshops on social justice to groups of 20 to 400. Maybe my path has been unconventional but I thrive on stretching myself both internally and externally and taking a risk now and then, like applying to be the next Verity Mom.

In any case, raising my daughter without a partner has been the most challenging job I'll ever have (I hope)! Sometimes we don't get to plan what happens in life, which can be a bummer, but, as corny as it sounds, I think we can choose to let the opportunity make us stronger. Growing and evolving isn't always comfortable, which is why we all need supportive people in our lives to help us through, laugh with and make it worth the trek. And if it takes a village, Seattle is mine. I’d be proud to represent Verity and help build even stronger, more connected communities for all of us..

My blog post:

For whatever reason, my life hasn't gone about in the "usual" way. Although I thought I'd be a mom someday, I hadn't planned to become one when I did. I am so blessed to have my daughter in my life, wouldn't have it any other way and I still sometimes feel like I'm playing catch up. Welcoming her into my life was sort of like welcoming a very cute koala bear into your tea party. Sounds like it will be all fun and cuddles but mostly means cleaning a lot of mess and chasing your wild party guest around. Also, it won't submit to wearing the dress you think is party appropriate and is naked half the time. Sometimes in the middle of the party, I feel like crying over the stains on the table and the cracked cups. At other times I am snickering audibly at the koala attempting to wear the tablecloth like a cape with the teapot lid as a hat while grunting that it needs more sugar. Over the last 5 years my little bear has taught me to be more open, more patient, more kind and even sillier than I have ever been.

I’m learning to become more realistic about my expectations of myself, my daughter and the world around us. For me, being a mom is moving to a completely different rhythm, valuing process over results and actually slowing down and focusing, being present, instead of multi-tasking 16 things at a time. As a person who used accomplishments as the only measuring stick earlier in life, getting all the dishes done, taking a shower and making a semi-delicious and mostly-nutritious meal in the same day wouldn’t seem like reasons to pat myself on the back. Now they are. I’m learning to put quality time and attention to myself and my little person at the forefront whenever I can. I’m content knowing that I spent my day taking care of her, loving her and helping her to value herself and enjoy being alive in little ways.

Yesterday I didn't get the grocery shopping done and today the dirty laundry still sits in the hamper...but we did have one heck of a party. When I look at the mini-chaos of pages of artwork on the floor, fairies that have flown under chairs, gemstones paving the carpet and books that threaten to spread like a plague onto the next block, I try to remind myself that I did a great job. The messier the day, the more the love.

Patty