ABOUT ME

 

My name is Stephanie Thorman and I am the founder of MDO.  I currently reside in Yorba Linda, CA with my two beautiful children, loving husband, golden retriever, 2 bunnies and 2 tortoises.  To my husband’s dismay, my dream is to own a small farm one day! (I’d say I'm getting pretty close.) I have been a stay-at-home mom for the past 10 years.  Before staying home, I was an event planner for nearly 10 years which is clearly my first passion…I love a good party!  

 

I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading thrillers, traveling, running, taking Pilates, and drinking mai tais!  Over these years of being a mom, I have become extremely passionate about mothers, encouraging them, connecting them, and celebrating them.  Our job is thankless, and I’d say, it’s time we celebrate and recognize us!

 

Little did I know when I started MDO that I would be starting a small business right before a global pandemic and nationwide lockdown. What may seem at first glance to be a global catastrophe that would eliminate the need for MDO, it actually did the opposite. As we begin to emerge on the other side of this pandemic, we see that one thing is for sure: women, and especially mothers, bore the brunt of everything during this shutdown.

 

Mothers were forced to care for their families, manage their careers all while simultaneously becoming skilled and patient homeschool teachers. If ever there was a reason to celebrate moms and give them their own day off, this past year has been it.  I attempted to run my business from home while becoming a homeschool mother and I can tell you from personal experience, this experience has been no joke.

 

Rather than use the events of this past year simply as a reason to gather with friends, I decided to use this opportunity to expand MDO’s mission to something greater. The online and hybrid learning of this past year highlighted the great digital divide within our communities and laid bare the additional challenges mothers and children face.  Inspired by this, I decided to implement MDO events that were service based. I began organizing volunteers to bless non-profit organizations like New Directions for Women (a rehabilitation facility for abuse) and Project Giving Light (an organization that blesses underserved children). These events gave us all an opportunity to give back to mothers, women, and children in need which has further inspired and impacted our community of mothers to do more.  Service is now a major pillar of MDO with community being its foundation.  

 

Thank you for joining me on this crazy journey of motherhood and I hope you will encourage your fellow mothers to celebrate and give back as we all have survived this insane year.  A Mom's Day Off is much deserved.