Congrats! It’s a…Mom!

Dear Diary,

Three years ago, I cried myself to sleep. I was pregnant, alone and upset. I didn’t see a celebration in sight! During my second trimester, my long-term boyfriend–the one I gave up white sandy beaches, crystal clear Caribbean seas and sunny skies to move to Washington, DC for, dumped me over the telephone. I was crushed. So, I cashed out my Cayman Islands accounts, packed my bags and moved in with my sister for family support. My loved ones loved on me and later my baby. A year later, my ex got married on the weekend of our daughter’s first birthday. After 27 hours of labor, I spent 27 months angry. Well, maybe it wasn’t that long, but for the first year,  I was highly upset. I never imagined having children without having a ring on my finger. I never imagined being abandoned by someone I loved. The second year, I was irritated. I depleted my nest egg as a single mother and wasn’t where I wanted to be in life. Then, I stopped blaming my ex and moved on from the past. I accepted my fault in the failed relationship and focused on my daughter–the most successful thing I ever accomplished.

It’s amazing how God can turn things around, kind of like how Jesus turned water into wine and kept the party going. When my daughter turned 6-months-old, I launched Diary of a First Time Mom. I missed being a reporter, and writing was cheaper than therapy–although I did sob on a counselor’s couch a couple of times. When I forgave my ex and myself, I put my trust and my faith in God–the one who guides you through the storms in life and sends reminders of his love. Ever since, my outlook on life has been a bit brighter. I’m glad I didn’t ignore those rainbow reminders, like the time my daughter literally ran through a rainbow at the spray park. I’m glad I turned bitter into better and humiliated into happy.

Since the night I cried myself to sleep, I started a blog, worked with amazing brands, hosted blogger and community events, won writing awards and landed a job as a communications director at a policy and child advocacy organization. Most recently, I received recognition from The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments in the form of an Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Program award. The grant supports the development of my website, which includes my blog’s redesign and other exciting soon-to-be unveiled projects. It also allowed me to expand my family to 40+ writers! Check out the About Us page and get to know the amazing moms on my team who will write about everything from frugality and fitness to travel and technology. They are my support system–a network every new mom needs! I’ve know some of the writers since middle school. Although Diary of a First Time Mom is written with all moms in mind, the ultimate goal is to take control of the stories being told about African-American mothers. Our voices must be included in conversations about raising America. I hope you’ll join that discussion here on Diary of a First Time Mom and celebrate your firsts in life!

Meanwhile, tell me how you are running towards the rainbows in life in the comment box below.