Birmingham
I’m not originally from Birmingham, but I am an Alabama girl through and through. I’ve lived here my entire life except for a brief stint in Louisville, Kentucky. I was born and raised in the teeny-tiny mountain town of Grant and then attended Auburn University. I’ve been back in Alabama for three years now, and I don’t plan on going anywhere else anytime soon. While I’m not from Birmingham, my husband is, so for the past nine years I’ve been very well acquainted with the area (especially its bookstores and coffee shops).
I love living on the outskirts of the Magic City. I think Birmingham is the best of both worlds; we have the entertainment of a city, but also a lot of the green space that makes much of Alabama beautiful. Having kids here means we always have options. We can have a messy day exploring nature or do something involving less clean-up, like visiting the McWane Center or one of our many local libraries. All in all, we live in such a family-friendly place and it’s a blessing to get to raise children here.
Mom
Like many other women, my journey to motherhood has included deep heartache. My first pregnancy ended in loss, and while it was an early one, it was nonetheless painful and life-changing. I have been blessed to experience two healthy pregnancies since then, but the pain of that first loss never really goes away.
Currently, I am “Mama” to two creative, energetic daughters. E is four years old and M is two. Before having babies my dream job was to be a stay-at-home mom, and now I’m living it. It is such a joy to spend my days with my girls. We’ve started homeschooling preschool this year. So far, it has been delightful to watch my daughters excitedly learn new things and grow in self-confidence. I absolutely adore the baby stage, but I am now seeing how wonderful toddlerhood and early childhood can be.
Collective
I am so excited to be a part of this great group of local moms! I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to help grow this community and continue to see it thrive.
I love so very much about motherhood, but I’ve also experienced some incredibly low points over these past four years, not the least of which has been my years-long struggle with postpartum depression. Since having my babies, I have experienced loneliness like I’ve never known while dealing with new levels of self-doubt. However, I know that the good times have been worth every second of the difficulties. I hope I can help other moms remember that, even in the hard seasons.
Motherhood is such an intense and rewarding journey, and getting to help moms through it while celebrating all they do for their families and communities is the biggest honor I could have.
