miscarriage

5 Celebrity Multiracial Moms to Follow on Instagram

May 31, 2017 By Diedre 4 Comments

A few posts ago, I shared with you all how much I love Instagram. The great thing about it is you get to connect with your friends, other moms & even a celebrity or two!

Even though I can’t say that any of these ladies are my actual friends, it is inspiring to see how they lead their lives (and their families) in such a positive way. They are all multiracial and are killing the mom game.

Here are just a handful of my favorite celebrity multiracial Instagram moms:

Ayesha Curry

This gorgeous celebrity mama is a class act. She loves her husband, family, she cooks, is an entrepreneur & author.

She is also unapologetic about her faith and devotion to her family.

Tamera Housley

I’ve been following Tamera & her sister since I was a tween and they were in their Sister, Sister glory days. Tamera is the quieter, more laid back version of the twin duo.

I love her style, and the love for her husband and children shine through. Oh, and in one of her most recent pictures, she had a picture of her and Ayesha Curry!

Shh…don’t tell…. I had a little fangirl moment.

Tia Mowry

Tia is the other half of the well known Mowry twins. I love that she experiments with her hair and fashion.

When she and her sister had their own reality show, I couldn’t get enough.

I love how she is reinventing herself–I was a fan as a child, but I loved seeing her when she was an actor on The Game, and now has her own cooking show.

She has faced criticism from internet trolls making comments about her child’s appearance, and in true mom fashion, she faced the haters.

Alicia Keys

This talented songbird is a success in her own right. She is a Grammy award winning artist, and currently, you can find her lending her expertise on The Voice.

She is biracial and has talked about how she infuses her Jamaican background into her music.

As a product of a Jamaican family, I love that! She has two beautiful children with beautiful curls!

Kenya Raymer AKA Halfie Truths

This lady is an Instagram celebrity. I love her unapologetic approach to motherhood and life.

She has suffered 2 miscarriages and is carrying a healthy baby. Having a miscarriage recently myself, I’ve really connected with her.

She is a world traveler, dancer, fashionista & real lady. I just love watching her journey. I think you will too.

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Every Mother Has a Story to Tell: A Story About Being Content

March 20, 2017 By Diedre 24 Comments

Today on the blog I am welcoming Patricia Taylor from Life of a Minister Mom. She’s sharing her story about being content as a mother.

Motherhood is an ongoing discovery of ever-changing seasons, with highs and lows. Being content in spite of your circumstances is the true gift.

I have two beautiful girls. At two and half and 5 years old, they are remarkable in so many ways. They bring me greater joy than I ever could have imagined, and they challenge and stretch me in more ways than I can describe.

Being their mother is the biggest blessing, and a title I do not take for granted.

When I look at them I feel a kind of love I didn’t even know existed, and there are moments that they literally take my breath away. But there are those hard moments too.

The ones that make me want to throw in the towel after I’ve convinced myself that I’m failing at this. The moments when I look in the mirror with tears streaming down my face because I lost my temper with them. Again. Then there are those moments where I feel completely lost and wonder if I’m doing the best thing for them. And lately, well lately, I’ve had the reoccurring question floating through my mind, as I ask myself “am I content?“.

I was 30 when I had my first child and I was ready. I was ready to step into the role of mother, and, while not the original plan, I was ready to stay home with my baby.

Fast forward 5 years and I wrestle with the feeling of being content.

Am I content being a mostly SAHM/WAHM who works a couple of days outside the home?

Would I be more content if I was at home every day?

Would I be more content if I left the house for a job every day?

Would I be more content if we had slow mornings?

Would I be more content if we had a better routine?

Or more activities? Less stuff? More space? Less technology? More fresh air?

And then there’s the kicker.

If I don’t have any more children, will I be content?

Maybe this makes me an awful person, but I am in no way saying that I don’t appreciate my beautiful daughters!!! However, My heart’s desire is to have another baby, and after my recent miscarriage, that particular thought is harder to shake.

I don’t believe this will be the case. My faith tells me to keep my hope in Christ, and that is what I will continue to do. But if, IF it doesn’t happen, would I be content where I am and with what I have?

The easy answer is yes, of course, but I find this question rattling around in my brain sometimes and I don’t always know where to store it.

I can over analyze and talk to all my friends, or start playing that dangerous game of comparing. I can make myself feel like a terrible person for having these thoughts, to begin with, or I can simply stop. I can stop and open my eyes, and really look around at all the good that surrounds me. I can do so and allow the joy of the Lord to grant me peace in that.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NLT

Motherhood is an ongoing discovery of ever-changing seasons, with highs and lows, and ups and downs. In this stage of life, I’ve learned even more that contentment in spite of your circumstances, is the true gift.

Motherhood has had a profound affect on me. It has awakened my senses and made me come alive in incredible ways. It has caused me to grow leaps and bounds (it truly is sanctifying), and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Sometimes I’ll find myself exactly where I wanted to be, and other times I won’t even recognize my surroundings. Sometimes I’m nailing it when it comes to this #momlife, and other times I feel lost at sea with no boat and no paddle.

But if I can be grateful where I am, learning from the process and not just focused on the destination, there is growth and joy and happiness, and yes, it is there that I am even content.

Patricia A. Taylor is the author and creator of Life of a Minister Mom. A California native, Patricia is making the most of her new roots in Georgia, even in the absence of In-N-Out Burger and her beloved SF Giants. As a proud wife and mama to two precious girls, she firmly believes that motherhood, like life, is a journey best shared with others. Especially where real experiences are shared, and sincere encouragement is given. You can stay in touch with Patricia on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter.

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When Being a Good Mom Hurts: Taking a Tough Look at Motherhood

March 3, 2017 By Diedre 40 Comments

Every mother has a story to tell. I’m excited to bring this series to the blog this month! I’m sharing this space with some amazing ladies and writers. They all have a unique story to share about motherhood.

Lately, motherhood has been the most beautifully painful experience I’ve ever had. There are moments I’m riding on a wave of euphoria, and other moments wondering where I went wrong & why it hurts.

I’ve heard it said that if parenting is not hard, you’re doing something wrong. I think that statement is pretty accurate. There have been a couple of times that being the best mother I could be was really TOUGH. So TOUGH that it hurt.

When I Miscarried

“Have you told your children about the pregnancy yet?” As my stomach began to grow, this was the question on everyone’s mind.

I announced my pregnancy at 10 weeks, but started showing around 7. We were elated to add to our brood, and because of my size, announced earlier than we had with the other two. My husband and I decided to wait until we knew the sex to announce to the girls, partially because they ask a million questions at 3 & 5, and partially because we weren’t ready to take that plunge with them yet. However, we did start asking them a few scenario questions:

What if mommy had a baby?

Would you want a brother or sister?

Would that be okay?

After the miscarriage, I had a rough time. Let’s be real.

I’m still having a rough time. And it still hurts.

There were days that all I wanted to do was sit around and cry. But, I still have 2 children and I have to keep moving. So I put my feelings aside until they were sleeping, napping or preoccupied. I put myself aside for the sake (and sanity of my children). I don’t want them feeling sorry for me. The few times I couldn’t hold it in, they came over and consoled me and wanted to know why I was crying. I made up some excuse or wiped away the tears and told them I wasn’t crying. That hurts.

When I Punish Them

What good parent actually enjoys punishing their children? I remember my parents telling me, this is hurting me more than you. I looked at them like they were crazy!

Especially if they told me to hush after a spanking, or told my teacher it was okay to isolate me in the classroom because I wouldn’t stop talking.

Now, I’m raising a strong willed child. I’m not so sure that I don’t have two. Just last night, my daughters wouldn’t stop getting out of bed and playing in each other’s rooms. The youngest is out of preschool for the week, and the oldest is returning to school after missing a week due to sickness. They need their rest!

Trust me, you know that when your kids don’t get rest, they aren’t themselves. And to make matters worse, they will behave for everyone else, and save the bad, whiney behavior for you.

My oldest is the ringleader, calling her sister into her room. My husband threatened to take one of her favorite toys away if she got up again. I went into the kitchen to get some water and there she is standing in her younger sister’s room. I had to follow through and take the toy away. Was it fun to see her cry? ABSOLUTELY NOT. But was it necessary to make a point that mommy & daddy mean what they say?

HECK YES.