Birmingham
Birmingham has been my home for almost half my life–eighteen years to be exact. That blows my mind! I came to Birmingham in 2003 to complete my internship for Auburn University. The only thing I knew about Birmingham was that it was big! On my first night in Birmingham, I got a little turned around as I tried to find my new office. I ended up near Piggly Wiggly on Highway 31. I called my mom sobbing that I was in a bad part of town–ha! Actually, I was in one of the best (and most charming) cities, Homewood, Alabama.
That “bad area” would soon become my home when I married my husband in 2007 at the age of 27. In my early twenties, the city appeared smaller as I ventured out, made friends, and explored shopping and dining with them. When I became a mom, the city became our playground.
I love how everything in town is easily accessible. Birmingham-area residents get spoiled and complain if they must drive more than 15 minutes to get somewhere! Even for friends outside the city, the access to shopping, dining, parks, and entertainment is a short drive away.
Birmingham and the metro-area provide so many forms of entertainment year-round. We have lived in Homewood as well as two different neighborhoods in Hoover. With all three homes, there has been plenty to enjoy including food trucks, wonderful parks and playgrounds, and nature trails. In addition, some of my closest friendships developed as we watched our children play together.
Mom
Mom. Mommy. Mama. “Mommmmmm!” I am all those titles to three beautiful children on earth (Harrison, 12, Easby, 8, and Josephine, 3), and our angel in heaven (Walker).
As I think about how I have the privilege to be a mom, I am reminded of my motherhood mentors. My grandmothers, mom, sister, mother-in-law, friends, and even admirable women from afar have taught me so much.
When I was younger, I never thought about being a mom. Nothing about it sounded interesting or appealing. However, once I met my husband, something clicked and that was all I could think about. The moment I held our firstborn, nothing else in the world mattered. All that mattered was him; and his health, happiness, and future. That is the beauty of motherhood. I went from a selfish, self-absorbed person to someone who would lose sleep thinking about whether my child had everything he or she needed.
Motherhood is obviously not easy–and if it is, please help me figure out what I’m doing wrong! But through the challenges of motherhood (see also: exhaustion, expense, time, concern), there is absolute beauty. Motherhood means a child that will learn from you, and you will learn from them, too! Sometimes (well, maybe often), I feel like the air is being sucked out of me and my mind spirals as I think about my children growing up and no longer being “babies,” but rather productive adults. But as a wise mom recently told me, “That is your job. You spend 18 years preparing your children for the world. They are supposed to grow up and become their own person.”
Collective
I am so excited for the opportunity to serve as a source for moms in the community and beyond! This space will be used as a tool to share, learn, and grow as both a mom and a strong woman. I’ve only been a mom for 12 years, so I still have a lot to learn. But I have experienced a lot of life in those 12 years, and I have learned a lot of lessons prior to becoming a mom. With a passion for education, child advocacy, volunteering, and equity, I look forward to sharing my experiences in order to inform and support.