A Labor For Love

This week I’m sharing my conversation with my friend Paula and wrapping up season three! Paula is no stranger to the podcast and I’m glad to have her back to dive into today’s topic, technology use. In our conversation, we talk about technology boundaries, changes we have noticed in our children, and what we’re continuing to work on in this area. I hope you enjoy it!

Check out previous episodes with Paula:

This week I’m sharing my conversation with my cousin, Marie. Marie is a wife and mom of two gorgeous girls, but her journey to motherhood has not been easy. During her first birthing experience, Marie suffered severe complications that were nearly fatal. Today she is sharing part of her story in hopes of encouraging other moms to listen to their bodies and speak up for themselves when something doesn’t feel right. If you are pregnant or have experienced birthing trauma, please take care while listening and know that you are not alone. I hope you enjoy our conversation. 

Check out this guide for Black mothers and pregnant people:

In this episode, I’m sharing my conversation with Gwen. She is a wife, mom, mental health advocate and founder of the nonprofit, Sunday Crafternoon with Gwen, which supports other nonprofits in the local community. In our conversation, Gwen and I talk about parenting a senior in high school, readying her son for college and how she is preparing herself for this next phase of motherhood. I appreciate being able to talk with someone who is further along in this motherhood journey than I am. I hope you enjoy our conversation!

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In this episode I’m sharing my conversation with my friend, Gabrielle. Gabrielle is a wife, mom, content creator and entrepreneur. She and her family share their lives with hundreds of thousands of people through their YouTube channel, GabeBabeTV. In our conversation we talk about raising kids in front of the camera, the boundaries they have established as a family, self-care and having a strong support system. I hope you enjoy it!

Learn more about Gabrielle and her family: 

In this episode I’m chatting with Kelli. Kelli is a wife, mom, educator, and advocate. We cover everything from mothering a teenager and two young boys, her advocacy work for Black families impacted by Down Syndrome, and how she takes care of herself in the midst of it all. I hope you enjoy our conversation. 

Learn more about Black Down Syndrome Association here

In this episode I’m sharing my conversation with my neighbor and friend, Dominique. She is a wife, mom, and entrepreneur. In our conversation, we discuss what it’s like raising two girls, her passion for event and interior design, growing and managing a business, and taking care of herself in the process. I hope you enjoy it! 

Check out Dominique's interior design work here:

This week I’m sharing my conversation with Le’Joy, a newlywed who is expecting her first child! In our conversation we talk about pregnancy in the first year of marriage, how she’s preparing for motherhood, and what it's like to have a strong support system. I hope you enjoy our conversation. 

Wow! It's been 8 months since I've shared anything with you all, but I'm back and super excited to finish out this season of the podcast. Tune in to hear about my summer and what's been going with me.

Today's episode is a little bit different. It's just me, unscripted, sharing what's on my heart right now. 

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In this episode, you'll hear my conversation with Chandler. Chandler and I are both contributors for a local parenting website and last year she wrote an article titled “Stay at Home Mom While Black.” After reading it, I knew that I wanted to talk to Chandler about the article and her thoughts in general on being a stay at home mom. I really enjoyed this conversation and I think you will too! 

In this episode you will hear my conversation with Allie. Allie is a wife, mom, and fellow podcaster. We met through a mutual friend and also discovered we were both writers for a local parenting website around the same time. Such a small world! I recently joined Allie on her podcast Good Grief, Momma to talk about life as a stay at home mom. It was only fitting that she joined me here on A Labor for Love to do the same. In our conversation we discuss life as a stay at home mom and overcoming the pull of perfectionism in the process. Don't forget to check out Allie's podcast!  

It’s the final episode of Season Two! It’s been a great season, with so many great guests. As always I’m grateful for all the women that have joined me here and shared part of their motherhood journey. For today’s episode, I invited my friend Paula back to the podcast, but this time she’s asking me the questions. 

I hope that you enjoy this holiday season with family and friends. And remember to take care of you in the midst of making this season magical for the ones you love. See you in 2023!

In this week’s episode I’m talking about friendship with one of my oldest friends, Lasha. In our conversation, we talk about how we met and how our friendship developed, maintaining our friendship through different life stages and making friends as an adult. Be sure to listen to the end. Lasha and I recount some of our favorite moments together. And she even embarrasses me a little bit with one of her funniest memories. I hope you enjoy our conversation! 

In this week’s episode, you’ll be hearing my conversation with Rose. I met Rose when she was a freshman in college. And today she is a wife, lawyer, and new mom to a sweet baby boy. It’s been a while since we have connected, but to see the woman she is today is truly amazing. In our conversation, we talk about life with a newborn, what it has been like for her to step into motherhood without her own mom, and advocating for yourself and your health. There’s so much here! I hope you enjoy our conversation.

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

Today you will hear my conversation with Jackie Benson. I met Jackie this summer through a playdate with a mutual friend. Jackie is a wife and mom who is passionate about creating community for Black mothers. You’ll hear more about that as we talk about motherhood, self-care, and her adventures with her two littles. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

In episode 15, I gave a life update, but there was more going on for our family during the month of August that I did not share at the time. Now that we're on the other side and I've had time to process, I'm opening up about my husband's job loss and what I Iearned through the experience. 

This episode is a special one for me because Tommy and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage. I loved that we got to sit down after a busy day of work and family life to spend some time reflecting on how we met, became a couple, and what we have learned in our 10 years of marriage.

You’ll hear me say this in the episode, but I really do feel like I have grown up with Tommy. When we got married I was 22 years old. He has been by my side as I have grown and matured. And I have appreciated his steady presence in my life. The love, care, and support that he gives is beyond what words can explain.

I hope you enjoy hearing about our journey to marriage and what we’ve learned over the last 10 years.

In this episode I reflect on my first year as a stay at home mom and share some lessons I have learned. I also take some time to answer a few listener questions! 

In this episode you’ll hear my conversation with Katie. I met Katie through a mutual friend and then she became my son’s kindergarten teacher. Before school started, friends and neighbors told us so many great things about her and we’ve been blessed to start our elementary school experience with her as my son’s teacher. I asked Katie to join me for this episode because she recently decided to step away from a 10 year teaching career to homeschool her boys and intentionally focus on her family. 

In our conversation, Katie and I talk about what the last few years as a teacher have been like for her, what led her to make the decision to leave the classroom, and what she’s looking forward to. I hope you enjoy our conversation. 

In this episode you’ll hear my conversation with Jerrilyn. Remember back in Episode 02 when I talked about finding support from the virtual mom community? Well, Jerrilyn is someone that I’ve mostly connected with online. I asked her if she would be willing to join me on the podcast because she shares her life in such an authentic and transparent way. 

Jerrilyn is a single mom, raising three children. In our conversation we talk about raising teens, misconceptions about single parenthood, and so much more. I came away from our conversation so encouraged. I hope you do too!  

Today you’ll be hearing my conversation with my friend Nina. I met Nina a few years ago through her now husband. When we met she was one of those people that I felt like I already knew because she just had such a warm and inviting presence.  Not only is Nina a wife and mom, she is also pursuing a doctoral degree. In our conversation, we dive into the complexities of being a Mama Scholar Activist and discuss how her research and motherhood intersect. I really enjoyed this conversation and I hope you do too! 

Note: In this episode Nina shares information about her research. If you are interested in learning more, you can contact Nina at: nsears2@illinois.edu or visit the Instagram post for this epside for more information. 

Today I have a special guest joining me for this episode, my husband! My conversation with Tommy is centered on our kids and encouraging them to pursue their interest in music. We discuss our own musical experiences, share some sweet memories we have of our kids and music, and how we are helping them explore their own interests. I hope you enjoy our conversation! 

Today you’ll hear my conversation with my friend Aysha. I met Aysha when she was a freshman in college as I was finishing up my one year fellowship with the campus ministry I was working with at the time. We randomly reconnected a few years later at a church event and then after running into each other at Sam’s Club a few times we finally exchanged numbers. Since then, I have had the opportunity to get to know Aysha more and our friendship continues to grow. She is someone I can count on to be open and vulnerable about the joys and struggles of motherhood. 

In our conversation, we touch on everything from starting new family traditions, to self-care, to what Aysha is learning about herself as she navigates a difficult season of motherhood. I hope you enjoy our chat.

This week I'm chatting with my friend Sierra. I met Sierra two years ago when we joined a small group through our church. Last summer, we made it a habit to meet up at least once a week to walk. Those walks were a saving grace! They meant so much to me as I was navigating my first few months as a stay at home mom. Sierra and I talk about becoming a mom in the midst of a pandemic, what motherhood means to her, and finding support when family lives thousands of miles away. I hope you enjoy our conversation!

In this episode I’m talking to one of my best friends, Alyssia. I met Alyssia when I was a sophomore in college and we’ve been friends ever since. Alyssia is a registered nurse, working night shift, and a mom to two boys, born six years apart. 

In our conversation, we talk about what it’s like for her to now have two kids, the six year age gap, what she’s looking forward to this year, and how she’s taking care of herself. I also learn something about her that I didn’t know before. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

In this episode, I'm talking to my friend Kim. Kim is a wife, mom of two, and a nurse. We met almost 10 years ago when my husband DJ’ed her wedding. A few years later, we formed a small group with four other women and have been growing deeper in our friendship ever since. I love Kim's personality. She keeps it all the way real and is very funny. 

In our conversation, we discuss all things motherhood, from shifting our parenting style, to self-care, to finding support as a mom.

In this episode, you'll learn more about me, how I define motherhood, and what I'm learning right now as a mom.  

In the first episode of A Labor for Love, I tell the story of how this podcast came to be and what you can expect in future episodes.