Bruce Law Firm May 2018

May 2018

The Legacy of Two Trailblazers

When I was a kid, my sister and I did a lot of activities, and my mom was always there for us. After school, my sister and I would often go to my mom’s office while she was working. She raised us there as much as she did at home. Now that I have a career and children of my own, I wonder, “How the heck did my mom do all this?”

Bernice was a trailblazer in her field as well. Right around the same time that my mom was becoming a CPA, Bernice was becoming an attorney and fighting for respect in the courtroom. This was a time when judges would call a woman “honey.” Despite the challenges, Bernice persevered and built an impressive career. She also opened up her own law firm so she could spend more time with her daughter, and she was very much a part of Ashley’s life (even serving as a girl scout leader) while excelling at her job. These days, it’s a lot easier to make the moves that my mom and mother- in-law made. It’s fairly common for people to work from home and not a rare occurrence to see a female attorney or CPA — though there’s still a lot of room for improvement in the arena of equality in the workplace — and it’s thanks to courageous women like them who paved the way for more opportunities. Here’s to you, mom and Bernice, and to all the incredible women who forged a new path.

By the time we were born, my mom had

developed a good career for herself. She became a CPA after graduating from college during a time when few women were working in that field. She established herself and continued her career even after she and my dad got married. She was very successful in her line of work.

Happy Mother’s Day!

– Chris Bruce

After she had kids, she maintained her

career while raising my sister and I by starting her own accounting business. By doing so, she was able to strike a balance between

My Mother and Russell on a boat trip

supporting the family and raising us. I imagine that if she hadn’t left her accounting firm, she would probably be leading it. She made sacrifices for us, and that is something I’m very grateful for. Much of what we’ve achieved since is a reflection of my mom’s influence. When I made the decision to step out on my own, part of what was in the back of my mind was: “My mom did this at a time when it was so much harder. If she did it, so can I.” Her courage motivated me. Now, my mom fills that role for Russell and Ruby. She comes over to our house for a couple days a week to watch them, and Ashley and I are so grateful for her influence and care. We’re also so grateful to Ashley’s mom, Bernice, for spending time with the kids as well. Our kids are lucky to have the influence of not one, but two fantastic grandmas in their life.

My Mother-in-Law with Ashley and the crew

(561) 810-0170 • 1

The Process Begins Before You File

LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR YOUR BEST DIVORCE

You’ve made the decision: It’s time for a divorce. What next?

The process begins before you even file. Attorney Chris Bruce recommends setting out with two goals in mind as you begin this process.

Your first goal is to obtain a divorce on favorable terms as soon as possible. How do you do this? By getting organized before filing. You want to gather the necessary information before you file so that you are in a better position to meet with your lawyer and focus on settling your divorce. Your second goal is to lay a foundation for your ideal life to begin as soon as your divorce is over. To do this, you need to begin by taking stock of your current situation. This includes your finances. You need to create a budget for both before and after your divorce based on your circumstances. Does any of this sound overwhelming? Don’t worry! There’s a resource to guide you through all of this. This resource will not only tell you how to get organized, but it will show you how you can have the best divorce. Attorney Chris Bruce incorporates easy-to-follow instructions when he takes you through each step of his new guide, written with you in mind: “The Women’s Guide to Getting Organized for Divorce.” By reading this book and applying the proven strategies to your situation, you will give yourself the best opportunity to attain these goals and have the easiest divorce possible. Is your friend or client in need of a guide as they prepare for divorce? Tell them to request a free copy of “The Women’s Guide to Getting Organized for Divorce” today at www.GetOrganizedForDivorce.com.

ROAD TRIPS DON’T HAVE TO BE PAINFUL

TRY GAMES, AUDIOBOOKS, AND PODCASTS TO PASS THE TIME

Summer is right around the corner, which means you’ll soon pile the whole family into the car, ready to brave the road for a vacation. Everyone knows that riding in the car for hours can be torture. But with a little creativity, you can turn the worst part of a long trip into a fun event. PACK A TRAVEL GAME When the excitement of the family vacation starts to wear off, keep the peace and entertain your kids with a travel game. Many board game manufacturers offer travel-sized versions that are easy to pack and play in the car. Before your next road trip, consider purchasing digital Yahtzee, which packs all the fun of the classic game without the dice, or IQ Fit, a logic game with over 100 challenges. Both games cost around $10 and can provide hours of entertainment. INCLUDE THE WHOLE FAMILY Once the travel games no longer pique anyone’s interest, try an activity that can be fun for the whole family: a traditional road trip game. If you have a car full of storytellers, try “Fortunately, Unfortunately.” The rules are simple. The first person starts by saying, “fortunately,” and mentioning something good about the road trip or the destination. The next person (moving clockwise) then follows by saying something “unfortunate” about the previous person’s statement. Take turns with every passenger in the car. If someone stumbles, they get a strike; three strikes and you’re out. The last passenger standing wins. PLAY AN AUDIOBOOK OR PODCAST We get it. Sometimes passengers don’t want to play games. Occasionally, they’d rather relax or take a nap. However, your listening material doesn’t have to be limited to Dad’s favorite music. Instead, consider listening to a family-friendly audiobook or podcast, which can make the longest and most boring parts of your trip an entertaining or educational experience. Almost any popular book is available in audio form, but it can be hard to find an enjoyable podcast. “Transistor” is a science-focused podcast that explores subjects kids and adults will find fascinating. Or if you’re looking for something fictional, try “Storynory,” in which the narrator tells fairy tales and legends from all over the globe.

If they live in the south Florida area, we will mail them a hard copy of the book upon request.

Is your friend or client in need of a guide as they prepare for divorce? our divorce strategy book can help!

The book can be downloaded for FREE at GetOrganizedForDivorce.com.

If your friend or client lives in the South Florida area, we will mail them a hard copy of the book upon request.

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Don’t Miss the Signs

Take Action for Your Marriage Today

LEARN ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE. There’s a book called “The 5 Love Languages” that’s a popular version of this concept. Read the book if you’d like, or just take time to ask your spouse questions and get to know how they give and receive love. If they’ve asked you repeatedly to take a dance class with them, it may not be your ideal version of fun, but it’s probably important to them. Maybe you’ve been trying, but trying in all the wrong ways. SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION. It’s really as simple or as difficult as that. In the beginning of your relationship, how often did you compliment your partner? How often do you do it now? Communicate and take care of one another in a way that means the most to the other person.

In the summer, many families happily relish in the season, enjoying family vacations, barbecues with friends, and camping trips. Maybe your spouse requested that you take part in an activity for just the two of you during this time. And maybe you ignored their request for the last time. Our firm has noticed this tragic trend: During the summer, people spend a lot of time together, doing all they can to keep the family together. But when summer is over, we see the same families ripped apart when one spouse comes into our office to file for divorce.

What can you do to avoid this scenario? Attorney Chris Bruce has some suggestions.

It’s usually not one traumatic event that leads to divorce — it’s many small cracks that eventually give way.

Marriages often end when one person feels that their partner does not appreciate them or acknowledge what they’re going through.

Often, one spouse is shocked that the other is filing for divorce. “We never fought. There weren’t any problems. What’s going on?”

Don’t let ignorance or neglect be the silent killer of your marriage. Choose one way to show your spouse you care, and act on it today.

Perhaps neither of you voiced any problems, but you weren’t maintaining a strong connection, either. When that connection remains broken for too long, it’s the silent killer of many marriages.

have a LAUGH

& Squash With Feta Sautéed Zucchini

ingredients

1 zucchini

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 summer squash

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 medium red onion

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1.

Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick semicircles. Dice onion.

2. Heat a large skillet to medium high. Add olive oil, onion, and thyme. 3. Once onion is soft (about 2 minutes), add zucchini and squash. Season with salt and pepper; cook 4–5 minutes until squash barely begins to caramelize. 4. Place in serving bowl and top with feta.

Inspired by thekitchn.com

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1601 Forum Pl. Ste. 1101 West Palm Beach, FL 33401

A Mother’s Day Tribute page 1

How to Make Your Road Trip a Breeze

Steps You Need to Take Before You File page 2

The Silent Marriage Killer page 3

3 of the Most Formidable Moms in History page 4

Mothers Shape the World

3 OF HISTORY’S

BRAVEST MOMS

IRENA SENDLER (1910–2008) When the Nazis invaded Warsaw in September of 1939, Irena Sendler, a 29-year- old social worker and mother of two, hatched a scheme to rescue Jewish children from the brutal ghettos. Along with many friends and colleagues, she smuggled out nearly 2,500 Jewish orphans, hiding infants on trams and garbage wagons and guiding kids through a labyrinth of secret passageways beneath the city. EMMELINE PANKHURST (1858–1928) Despite being a wife and the mother of five children — two of whom died tragically young — Emmeline Pankhurst became one of the fiercest advocates for women’s suffrage in the late 19th century. After founding the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903, she and her cohorts adopted an aggressive strategy to raise awareness for the issue; they began by buttonholing politicians and staging rallies, then progressed to vandalism, window smashing, and arson. She was instrumental in the movement. Pankhurst lived to see women gain the right to vote in 1928.

Moms make the world go round. After running the gauntlet of childbirth, they raise and guide us throughout our lives, shouldering the tremendous burden and responsibility of motherhood. Mothers are in turn formidable, kind, powerful, gentle, wise, fierce, patient, supportive, empathetic, driven, and full of love. In honor of Mother’s Day, here are three historic moms who never stopped fighting for what they believed in. SOJOURNER TRUTH (1797–1883) Before she escaped from New York slaveholder John Dumont, Sojourner Truth had at least three of her children sold away from her. When Dumont went back on his promise to emancipate Truth and her infant daughter in 1826, she took the girl and fled to an abolitionist Quaker family, but she was forced to leave her other daughter and her 5-year-old son, Peter, behind. Soon after, she learned that Peter had been illegally sold by Dumont to a slaveholder in Alabama, so she went to court and secured his safe return. It was the first successful case brought by a black woman against a white man in American history. Truth went on to become a prominent abolitionist and a speaker for women’s rights, delivering her famous impromptu speech, “Ain’t I a Woman?” in May of 1851.

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