Birmingham
I moved to the Magic City in 2012 after graduating from The University of Alabama. It blows my mind that Birmingham and I are about to hit our ten year anniversary! I am from Gadsden, and I felt like Birmingham was a great place to settle down while also being a short distance away from my family in north Alabama. Since moving to Birmingham, I have taught in many areas and lived in a variety of neighborhoods, and I have come to love the culture and diversity that our beautiful city has to offer.
After taking a year to teach abroad and meeting my sweet and spicy husband in Colombia, we decided to move back to Birmingham to start our family. Our first home was in an apartment in Glen Iris where we were smack dab in the middle of UAB and so many different walks of life. Diversity is important for us as a family due to the fact that we are a multicultural family ourselves, and we are now raising our son to value every aspect of his multifaceted culture.
As our son grows older, I can’t wait for him to experience my favorite things in Birmingham. I love the sporting events, the art and food festivals, the museums, the gardens, the zoo, the parks, and so much more! It feels like there is always something new to discover, and I love that I get to rediscover everything through the eyes of my son and husband now.
Mom
Motherhood has truly been a transformation for me! I don’t look at the world the same way, and I really do feel like I have become a different person. Maybe it is the lack of sleep! Honestly, after first hearing my son’s heartbeat, I started to reflect on the heavy decision it is to become a mom. Bringing a new life into this world–at such a time as this–has been such a light during a scary time.
My husband, Johan, and I are blessed with our son, Judah, who just recently turned one year old. He is always on the go! We have tried our best to child-proof the house, but our little man can clear out a bookshelf or a drawer in less than a minute. I feel like I just follow him around and reorganize, but, boy, he is such a JOY! Even if our house is a wreck, I am daily reminded of the sheer miracle he is. I am eternally grateful that we are able to raise him and experience such joy.
Being a mother is such a gift, but it is also a huge responsibility that I never want to take lightly. I am so thankful for our sweet son, but I am also grateful for other mothers who are just a phone call away. My sister, my mom, and my sweet friends have helped me navigate this new life, and that has made all the difference!
I am also excited to join the Birmingham Mom Collective network of moms so I can continue learning and growing even more! Mothers alone are awesome, but together we are unstoppable.
Collective
Since day one, I could never have made it without my faith in God and the prayers and support of so many awesome people in my life. I want to share with others anything that I have learned along the way in this journey. I’ve always loved writing, and that is one of the main reasons that I wanted to join the other Birmingham Mom Collective contributors.
I hope to share my journey as a new mom, while raising my son to value both of his cultures and languages. I’m also excited to give insights into traveling internationally with an infant, navigating daycares, trying to juggle working full-time, and being an intentional mom and wife.
