Real Talk

I have always been told that I am obviously an extrovert. Friends and acquaintances like to talk about how I feed off of socialization. People see me as completely and inarguably extroverted because that is the part of my personality that is seen and gets the most attention. However, thinking of people either as an extrovert or an introvert isn’t an either/or situation, we are all somewhere along that spectrum. For me, that spectrum is a balancing act straight down the middle. Being an Extroverted Introvert is sometimes challenging for ourselves as well as the people that love us. Here are a few things you should know if you love an Extroverted Introvert. We would rather have one on one real...

I became a mom before most of my friends were in their first serious relationship. My life went on a quick, fast forward motion through high school and college while raising a tiny human and maintaining a relationship with my boyfriend. There were a lot of people who offered their opinions on how and what we should do, but there were only a select few who offered their true love and support. For that, we are forever grateful. Here are three things I want you to know so the next time you run into a teenage mother, you will hopefully think before you open your mouth. First, I want you to hear firsthand that it hurts when people stare at you...

After this week’s events in Charlottesville, Virginia, I began to process what I could do. Being a white woman married to an African American man and raising our children in South Louisiana, race is always part of our life. Immediately, I began thinking that my reactions needed to start at home, as a parent. Dear Parents: Our biggest defense against hate in the world is our children. Your children are watching you – they are watching how you respond to the guy in the store who may, to you, look a little “sketchy.” They are watching you talk to your girlfriends and how you respond to news articles. Remember to respond in love and show your children that hating does not improve...

365 Days of Reflection “Are you back in your house?” I must get asked that at least once a day. It’s a common question in this area to ask and to be asked. “How much water did you get?” “Did so-and-so flood, too?” “Is insurance giving you any problems?” are also just as common. As of today, August 10, 2017, we are not in our house. We are close, but not there yet. So it sits there, mocking me, with its new floors and countertops and promises that this will all be forgotten one day. I would give anything to walk into my new door, get something out of my new fridge, and sit there. That’s just not going to happen today. We didn’t...

I got my first round of stretchies in the later part of my second trimester with my son. With baby #2 due in the next month, the marks are overlapping. There's no way of knowing which child they belong to. I've tried everything and taken everyone's advice to try to make them disappear. From creams to oils to laying in a tanning bed with red lights ... nothing has worked. My husband and I were very married when I felt I could expose my stomach around him. It was something he never made me feel insecure about; it was definitely all in my head. I was never apprehensive about my body until motherhood. It took years, but I finally came...