Well I figured I’d start off by introducing myself and giving a little more background than my little about me section. My name is Emily and I’m a 24 year old mother to a beautiful baby girl named Lilly. She just turned 1 year old and what a crazy year it’s been. To rewind just a little further, I got married to my high school sweetheart who had joined the marines when I was 20 years old and picked up my life moving from Connecticut all the way to North Carolina. Living 600 miles from home and loved ones was quite the adjustment, but then came starting a family. Something I don’t think any amount of parenting books or What To Expect When You’re Expecting can actually prepare you for. In the middle of my pregnancy, unfortunately my marriage was falling apart and I had to make a very difficult decision to do what would be best for our daughter and separate from my husband, as is required by law before a divorce in North Carolina. We are still waiting on an official divorce, but in the meantime I did the rest of my pregnancy and the first year of our daughter’s life alone. I hadn’t been working before the separation, so I had to figure out how to step back into work and supporting my child, myself, oh, and the zoo that we had grown over the past couple of years. I haven’t had anything to guide me through this journey and I know I would’ve loved the help or at least just liked to know I wasn’t the only one experiencing these things. So even if this just reaches a couple people and gives them a little hope and comfort in knowing they’re not the only ones, that’ll be worth it to me. I hope you continue to follow me in this journey I get to call my life and find some solace along with me.
