You know that girl in high school that you’ve never actually met but don’t like? You have the same mutual friends, but for some reason (actually, there’s no reason), you aren’t friends. Girls are taught at a young age to compete instead of collaborate. We are taught to put down instead of support. We are taught that there is only 1 spot, when in reality, there is room for everyone to be successful. Well, that was us. Hannah and I weren’t friends. We didn’t like each other, but never had a reason for it.
Years later we met again, under very different circumstances. We were both part of a miscarriage series, a club no one wants to join. Still, we didn’t talk. I mean, what do you say at a photoshoot for this? “Oh hey, remember me, we know all the same people, and have both recently lost a pregnancy?” So we went on our own way. On a total whim, I felt the need to reach out. I’m not going to get all cheesy, because you know that just isn’t me, but I kept feeling a push to reach out, and I really think it was God telling me this is what I needed. I was struggling as a new mom of 2, and needed a tribe. I don’t mean to say that my family and friends weren’t helpful, but they were all pretty far. I was looking for a close tribe of stay at home moms that could get together with our kids, and relate to the current struggles. I was looking for someone who had a blog, or wanted to start one, so we could meet up and work together. One of the hardest things about being a blogger is that you work on your own. There’s no one there to bounce ideas off of. It’s hard to grow and make yourself better because the frequency of adult interaction is limited – and meeting others who have the same goals, or even know what you’re doing, is slim. If you’re a blogger, I guarantee you’ve been asked “is that a real job?”.
I really wasn’t sure what to expect when we actually hung out, but we hit it off immediately. It was like we had been friends since high school, which again, we should have been. We had a lot of the same goals, so figured why not do this together, and make it even more. Why not be the work from home mom partner we had both been looking for? Why not try something new? Everything just came down to – why not? That doesn’t mean this has been easy. Since we decided to do this together I have had a lot of anxiousness about it. I think it’s just the fear of the unknown. The fear for failing. But at the end of the day, if we do this for no one else other than ourselves, we are winning. If we help 1 mom feel a little more normal, we’ve exceeded expectations. We are 2 moms who want to be known for being something other than a mom, and that’s ok.
(a little note from Hannah) For me, being approached by Tiffany was almost intimidating. I knew who she was, I always had. But I didn’t know her, know her. I can’t even tell you the last time I made a new friend, much less a mom friend. I’m just not like other moms. I cuss, I drink, I have questionable ways I handle my parenting. I didn’t even know there were other moms out there like me that I hadn’t grown up with. Until, Tiffany wrote me one day. What’s the saying, “That’s all she wrote”.
Was it destiny? Maybe. Meant to be? Probably. Now here we are, embarking on one of our biggest adventures to date – aside from raising the 6 kids between us. Hopefully you gain something from this. Maybe it’s that you’re a mom who struggles with mental health, maybe you feel alone right now, maybe you just don’t feel like yourself anymore. We know. We’ve been (and sometimes still are) there.
So here’s to new beginnings and exciting things to come. Here’s to finding your mom tribe and the support you need. Go grab your coffee, cocktail, or whatever you enjoy most and come hang with us!
Cheers! -Tiffany & Hannah
Photo Credit: Danahia Hill