Hey lovelies! Here is a little information about me. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences as a new mom with other Birmingham moms! I am so thrilled and honored to be a part of this amazing team of women.
Birmingham
I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and my family has been there for a long time! I never planned on living in Alabama for longer than the four years it would take to get through college. My experience in Tuscaloosa was less than ideal. I grew up in a relatively big city but I went to a small private school where everyone knew each other. Most of our parents grew up together too! My father suggested I might do better at a smaller university but at 17, I was pretty sure I knew everything. Sure enough, Tuscaloosa chewed me up and spit me out. I landed in Birmingham in 2012 with no degree and very little sense of self. I have a beloved aunt and uncle who live in Mountain Brook with their three children, and I found their house to be a safe haven of sorts.
A lot has changed in the last five years. I have grown up a lot. I have had several jobs in retail management and childcare. I got married and we bought our first home last year. I am so grateful to this town and the people in it for taking me in, dusting me off, and setting me back on my feet again. There is a spirit of community here that I haven’t experienced since I was in grade school. I have yet to pay for a babysitter because of the beloved friends Birmingham has given me. I would be lost without the love I have found here!
Moms
I always had this sense that I was meant to be a girl mom. It is amazing how our long-standing intuitions are often God given! My daughter was born on November 8, 2016. Her name is Penelope, but we have called her Poppy since she was the size of a poppy seed! (I don’t even think she knows Penelope is her name!) She the happiest, most expressive baby I have ever known! She waves to everyone we pass on Jemison Trail (our favorite walking path). It is so neat to see people of all ages smile with glee and wave back to my little joy spreader.
I am a stay-at-home mom taking online classes to try and finish my degree. Staying home was absolutely the right decision for my family, but it comes with its own set of challenges. I do not have very much family nearby and therefore have very little help. I do absolutely everything with my sweet baby! I have found that motherhood can be surprisingly isolating. That being said, I wake up with full confidence every morning that I am doing what my God intended for me to do. My days are filled with laughter, tears, and smushed blueberries and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Blog
My husband and friends have been begging me to start a blog of my own for years! Writing is something I typically keep close to my heart. I have always loved public speaking, but there is something so deeply personal about writing in a public forum. Last month when I applied for this position, for just a split second my gut was stronger than my fear!
I am so excited to be a part of this blogging community because I think it will be a great opportunity for me to learn and grow and see if blogging is for me. I also am looking forward to sharing some of my experiences with other new mamas who may be struggling and feeling alone. My mother died when I was 17, and I know how important online communities have been for me as I fumble through motherhood. There are so many mamas whom I have never met that have guided me through some of the difficulties motherhood can bring. I feel like I owe it to them to give back by sharing what I have learned thus far with all of you.