Full Hands, Full Heart

  There’s a quiet transformation that happens in motherhood, one we don’t always talk about out loud. Our bodies change. Sometimes drastically, sometimes subtly. Skin stretches. Curves soften. Lines appear where there were none. And the reflection in the mirror may feel unfamiliar for a while. But this body, this beautiful, powerful, worn-in body, has done something sacred. It grew a life. It carried a heartbeat inside it. It weathered months of discomfort, pain, anticipation, and joy. It delivered a miracle into the world. And whether through birth, adoption, or the day-in, day-out love we pour out, motherhood leaves its mark. Personally, I went from 140 pounds before pregnancy, feeling confident and loving the way I dressed, to 190 by the end. My breasts darkened and enlarged with milk, and stretch marks became part of my daily reflection. I didn’t hate what I saw, but I didn’t exactly recognize myself either. I hid under baggy shirts and lived in nursing bras, adjustin...

 Happy Mother’s Day, whether you’re a new mom, a seasoned mom, expecting, or grieving, today is for you. You are seen, loved, and cherished. “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” – Proverbs 31:25 Today, I want to share some of the lessons I’ve learned from the mamas around me—strong, beautiful women who’ve helped shape who I am as a mother. In no particular order :) l My Mom, Xiomara (a.k.a. Talullah’s MéMé) My mom is a hardworking, independent woman who gives her whole heart to the people she loves. She is kind, generous, and always puts others before herself. One lesson she taught me, maybe without even realizing it, is this: be kind to your mom. When you’re young, you don’t always understand your mother’s struggles. The things you say, the way you act, they stick. I look back now and realize I wasn’t always kind, and for that, I’m sorry, Mom. I pray Talullah grows up knowing how much I love her, and that she’ll be gentle with my heart the...

This love looks different now. It’s not date nights and sleeping in. It’s not spontaneous road trips or lazy Saturdays with nowhere to be. Now, our love lives in the quiet moments—in the kitchen after bedtime, talking while cleaning up dinner. In the sleepy “I love you” before one of us crashes into the pillow. In the way we celebrate when Talullah finally falls asleep  It’s in the shared glances across a messy living room, knowing we are not cleaning it today. the way we silently tag each other in and out of parenting when one of us needs a breath. It’s in the texts that say, “You’re doing great,” or “I picked up dinner.” We don’t always get to sit and talk like we used to, but when we do, it means more. We don’t always have the energy to say the big things, but we’re learning that small things—done in love—are the big things. We’ve learned to lean into each other in ways we never did before. The hard conversations we used to avoid now come with a sense of urgency because we reali...