This week's Gulf Coast Mom Feature celebrates Emily Leath Fitzpatrick !!

Emily grew up in the back woods of north MS, making mud pies, swinging from grape vines, and running through creek beds.

"My parents handed down a lot of life skills like cooking, sewing, changing the oil (thank goodness I don't have to do that anymore!) and driving a standard. Most importantly, they taught me about the love of Christ and faithfully attended a wonderful church where I also went to school my entire childhood."

In 2010, she married her best friend, Kyle, and they moved to his hometown of Gulfport.

"My three children and I really love relaxing at a low-key spot on the beach and we've frequented almost every park on the coast meeting up with other mom's and their littles. More often these days, you'll find us working at our little school, Busy Bee Montessori. Kyle is always designing and building something I dream up and our kids run around picking wild dewberries, swinging from grape vines and playing in the mud. I suppose it has come full circle for me in that way.

Our goal with our school is to give opportunities to children and their families that have been lost in traditional education. Handicrafts, getting dirty, and caring for animals and a garden along with reading, writing and arithmetic are daily activities at Busy Bee. Even as dreamy as it sounds, the days are long and this is certainly a busy season. I spend a lot of time trying to balance important responsibilities and it has sometimes overwhelmed me."

When we asked Emily to share some advice for local mamas, here is what she said:
" I consider what my dad always said, "Two imperfect parents can't raise a perfect child." We do our best in the day to day, and pray that our children grow up with a good head on their shoulders. For myself, I never needed perfect parents, and I certainly can't give perfection to my children. So I give myself grace and extend it to other moms.

I recently returned from visiting missionary friends in Nigeria. The phrase, "it takes a village" has much more depth now. And although we don't rely on each other as much as I saw there, it helped me realize that creating a "village" is important. We mom's go through seasons in which we are the "encourager" and others where we need the encouragement.

It's wonderful to be on both ends and I hope you find exactly that here as a Gulf Coast Mom! "

Emily, Thank you for the chance to feature you!!