If music and creativity were the markers that defined our wealth, Joy Rose would be an incredibly rich woman. As it is now - her life is rich with, at the very least, character, a giving spirit and an inherent ability to empower women.

This is a woman who is creating movements, redefining what it means to be a woman and a mother and honoring the value in motherhood with each step she takes every day.

Friend Lynn Kuechle nominated Joy as a Mom Who Matters, saying in part that music and and art had ’saved her life’.

Joy explains, “Finding our passion or ‘reason to be’ in life is really important, especially in the face of profound illness.  Rediscovering creativity and music was core to who I was as a person. Abandoning those things as a mother left me incomplete. Reincorporating them made me feel whole again.”

In 2002, Joy and a few girlfriends created what is now the heart and soul of Mamapalooza, a “movement, a community and a resource which supports women by encouraging them to get creative and give something back to themselves”. The Mamapalooza events use arts, culture and education to embrace and empower women.

The first event took place on a single stage in front of roughtly 100 people.  There were only 15 performers. In only 7 years Mamapalooza has expanded to 4 different countries and countless stages. The events from the Spring and Summer of 2009 boast more than 350 performers and over 50,000 people attending.

A mother to 4 children - Brody is 20, Blaze is 18, Ali is 16 and Zena is 14 - Joy believes the most important thing she does with her children is to set a positive and loving example on a daily basis, “I’m pretty simple when it comes to ‘mothering’: Feed them, Love them, Listen to them and share my philosophy when it is relevant.”

Joy is also the Executive Director of the Motherhood Foundation which is working to build an International Musuem of Motherhood - honoring the achievements of mothers through a wide range of exhibits and projects.

Joy’s key to balancing everything she currently has on her plate, “I move forward like a wall that spans a thousand miles.  Slowly pushing the vast pool of energy another inch forward every day; Nudge Mamapalooza, the kids, the Museum, my friends, the radio show, my band, our home, my relationship….it goes on and on….”

Join us today at 12:30PST/2:30CST on Why Moms Matter on Blog Talk Radio to learn more about Joy’s inspirational journey of motherhood, illness and reinvention.  You will be thrilled by Mamapalooza and awed by the Musuem of Motherhood.

Do you know a Mom Who Matters?  An ordinary mom doing extraordinary things?  Nominate her today.

Post by Danielle Smith from ExtraordinaryMommy.com

The Why Moms Matter Project

The WhyMomsMatter Project was created by the founders of MomFaves to celebrate and honor the significance and beauty of motherhood. Moms are nominated by their loved ones to receive the “Why Moms Matter Award” by clicking “Nominate” at the top left of WhyMomsMatter.com. If you would like to nominate someone for the WhyMomsMatter project, we would love to hear from you!

Download the Why Moms Matter E-book - full of stories and pictures of moms nominated by their loved ones for the positive impact they are making in the world.

UPDATE:

Here is our interview with Kathy Ireland for those who happened to miss it

We have received some amazing nominations for Why Moms Matter.

We asked you to send us stories about the moms you know who are living ordinary, extraordinary lives. And you have amazed us. You’ve sent stories that have made us laugh out loud and some that have made us cry.

We’ve highlighted moms who have battled cancer, moms who have started their own businesses, moms who have inspired beautiful and amazing charity projects, moms who have stood by the bedsides of their children as they struggled with heart problems and cancer, and just last week we highlighted both a mom who had lost her sweet child and the many moms who surrounded that mom with love and support.

Most of the moms we have spoken to are well known among their friends, their home communities and some, quite popular in the ‘blog world’.

This week is a bit different.

You already know our highlighted mom. Well, not personally, but she has such a kind persona, you may feel like you do. But because she is a ‘celebrity’, you may wonder if she fits the ‘ordinary‘ portion of our ‘ordinary moms’ living extraordinary lives.

She does. But, to learn how, you will have to join us live today, Friday, for a special hour long show on Why Moms Matter on Blog Talk Radio at 12:30PDT/2:30CDT.

Kathy Ireland began her amazing career when she was only 17. She was first known as a model - one who spent 13 consecutive years on the pages of the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

She is now known for many more accomplishments - She is the CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, an author of both children’s books and the newly released, Real Solutions for Busy Moms., a volunteer for many organizations and an active member of her church . But her proudest accomplishment is being a mom - and this is what makes her just like so many of us - ordinary.

Today, meet and understand Kathy Ireland as a Mom Who Matters. She does not yet know who nominated her - join us for the surprise introduction.

We will be talking to Kathy about balancing it all and her advice for moms. She has done the research - she is a mom and she has some suggestions you want to hear!

Do you have a question you would like us to ask Kathy? Please share it with us. We will do our best to cover everything you want to know. If we use your question, we will mention that YOU on the show!

As always, if you want to nominate a future Mom Who Matters, we would love to hear from you!