11 Postpartum Realities No One Likes to Talk About

I watched another mom endure the same things I did during my own postpartum recovery. The things that made me feel weak, alone, and worthless. The things no one likes to talk about. The messy things. The gross things. The real things. I watched the mom in this ad over and over again. I admired her strength, her grace, and her perseverance. I yearned so badly to help her, even if it meant simply reassuring her that everything she is going through is normal and that it will soon pass. As I watched this mom again and again, an amazing thing happened — I began to see myself. I was no longer watching a stranger struggle through the woes of postpartum — I was watching me. I was admiring my own strength. My own grace. And my own perseverance. This ad — and the feelings it gave me — have inspired me to share the raw and messy details of my physical recovery with you — especially the things that I was not prepared for after childbirth.

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Dear Daughter: The Only Thing I Did Today

The crumbs stayed in their places all day. The dishes piled up in the sink. The laundry from the wash never made it into the dryer. And the clean laundry sat in the basket for another day. Lunch was nothing special, either. Macaroni does just fine on days like today. Your toys were strewn about the house and I didn’t bother to put them away. To save some time, I’ll just say my to-do list stayed undone. But I didn’t do nothing today.

3 Steps to Balancing Your Pre-Mom Self with Your New-Mom Self

Let’s face it — motherhood changes us. Whether it’s for better or for worse, bringing a baby into this world alters something (or everything) about us. Trust me, mama — none of us journey through motherhood unscathed. The trap most of us mamas fall into is letting our original self fall to the wayside while we navigate the rough terrain of first-time motherhood. Now, hear me out — being “mama” is a beautiful thing. It is an incredibly special gift bestowed upon us by God. But motherhood is not our be-all and end-all. Balancing your pre-mom-self and new-mom-self will be work. It will take time. But, it is important — no, necessary — for your mental and emotional health. It is essential for you to figure out you in order to be the best mama you can be to your babe(s).

Five Thoughtful Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Special Guy in your Life

With February just around the corner, I wanted to share some thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift ideas for the guy in your life — whether it’s a boyfriend, a fiancé, or husband. When my husband and I first started dating, I struggled with what to buy him for Valentine’s Day. Not only is my husband incredibly difficult to buy for — and most men are — but it’s hard to find something that says, “I love you,” that isn’t corny or useless (inevitably landing itself in the donation pile by the end of the year.) I aim to find a gift that is practical, personal, and sentimental.

It’s Been Awhile — Life is Crazy with the Bailies!

There you have it. This past season of #momlife has definitely been one for the books. And in the books it shall stay, because I do not wish to live in the craziness again anytime soon! But, I’m back now. I’m feeling great in the second trimester and am ready to get back into the swing of things. So unless this #momlife starts using me as a punching bag again soon, you should be back to hearing from me regularly. I’ve missed y’all. Thanks for sticking it out with me.

LET’S GET LITERARY: To Hell with the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life in an Overworked, Overspent, and Overconnected World by Jefferson Bethke

“No, that’s not the way of Jesus. That’s not the speed of Jesus. That’s not the cadence of Jesus. To hell with the hustle. I’ll take Him instead.”jefferson bethke, To hell With the Hustle This book is good. I don’t mean the “yeah, it is a good read” kind of good. I mean the “wow,…

New Parents Shouldn’t Have to Ask for Help

There was no room in my new mom brain for anything else. I was definitely hungry. We all were exhausted. There were dishes and laundry to be done, toilets to be scrubbed, and showers to be had. But I didn’t have time to think about how those things were going to be taken care of.”…

I Gave My Exclusively Breastfed Daughter Formula and This is What Happened

I was so determined to make it through her first year of life without ever needing to supplement.” Today was hard. No, today was more than hard. Today beat me. And it beat me badly. It was just one of those days. I woke up and immediately things were going awry. First, I woke up…

To the Christian with Daddy Issues

Friend, I want you to know there is healing. I want you to know having daddy issues is not part of your identity and it certainly does not define you. I want you to know it is okay to not be okay. I want you to know there is no guilt, shame, or sorrow our Heavenly Father cannot take away. He is here to Father the orphans, those of us who are forsaken by our fleshly begetters. He is here to love us, care for us, and make us whole again.

I Don’t Have my S*** Together, Do You?

I want you to know when you are comparing your life with my “life” on social media, you are putting your worst up against my best.” When looking at my Facebook page or my perfectly-posed instagram photos, you probably assume I have a handle on this mom thing. I know this because I think the…