There is that stereotype that comes with the title "House Mom," but not all houses and house moms are the same.
For Fiji, they hit the jackpot! Momma Rena is anything but uptight and rude. She is known by the Fijis to be laid back, loving and fun. No worries, girls, this system works for her and her Fijis. Those boys don't give her any trouble and treat her well.
"I just respect them, and they respect me back," Momma Rena said. She really can't complain about her job. In fact, she honestly feels that being a house mom is not her job, but her life. The boys are her family and she always aims to treat them and love on them like she would her own family.
Speaking of her own family, Momma Rena has two children and six grandchildren. Props to her for managing a house full of college guys and a family of her own! It probably helps that she has another full-time job and her own home, outside of FIJI. She has been working for the Oklahoma Department of Career Technology for as long as she has been a house mom.
Fijis, listen up! Did you know your sweet house mother gets up every morning at 5:30 AM, works from 7 AM to 3:30 PM, and then comes back to be there for y'all until she closes her door at 11 PM? That woman is a saint. Give her a hug and refill the candy bowl!
In her spare time, Momma Rena loves to bust a move. She is known for teaching private or group dance lessons, and sometimes has even taught coke dates some moves. I think it keeps her young. So if you are looking to impress a girl, or have to go to a wedding where you can't deny the dance floor when it calls, come see Momma Rena.
Fun fact: Momma Rena danced so hard, once, she tore ligaments in her foot and it took her months to figure out what happened. She also grabbed a pledge to dance outside and her heel got stuck in the cracks of the concrete and the dance went south, literally.
Not only does the dancing keep her young, but one of her boys keeps her on her toes by scaring her all the time. He actually came into the room while I was talking to her and she was very suspicious. Momma Rena said she flies a good eight inches at-least. Not pointing names (*cough* Jared Wheeler *cough*), but maybe you should let her scare you back every once in a while.
With all this fun, Momma Rena finds a good balance. Have you heard about her hospitality? She bakes cookies and fudge for family Christmas, makes ornaments during the holidays and brings cookies to Follies practices. I remember having to fight the boys off during Follies when we were paired with them my freshman year! She also opened her home last summer to all the boys who stayed in Stillwater. They would have a cookout every Wednesday night and I'm sure the boys really appreciated that little taste of home-away-from-home.
The love goes both ways at Fiji. Three years ago, Momma Rena was diagnosed with kidney cancer and had surgery over Christmas break. She was barely gone for three weeks when all the guys were begging her to come back because it was not the same without her. She could barely walk, but she came back to heal with them! What a brave woman she is - healing from surgery in a fraternity house over your own, quiet home. Luckily, the cancer is gone and I know the boys are very thankful.
Momma Rena has loved being Fiji's house mom and always looks forward to spending more time with them all -- even after they carried her to the center of a foam party, when she only came to say hello. P.S. Y'all owe her a pair of new leather shoes.
Thanks, Momma Rena, for letting me get to understand the truth behind the great things the boys say about you, and thanks for the candy (sorry, guys, she shared).
