While I’m not a KMB original, I do consider myself a Knoxville Moms Blog Veteran. I’ve been a member of the KMB team for nearly four and a half years, and I’ve been extraordinarily lucky to have encountered and blogged alongside such wonderful, accomplished, nurturing, wise and hilarious mothers. Perhaps you’ve been following Knoxville Moms Blog since its inception; if that’s the case, hopefully at some point, you’ve read something that struck a chord with you, been inspired by a post or even discovered something about our wonderful city that you didn’t already know. Or maybe you’ve only recently become a mother and stumbled upon this amazing resource.
If that’s the case, allow me to recap some of the posts that have had the most profound impact upon me (though I would still highly encourage you to dig into the archives of savvy mommas and their words of wisdom!):
Being a Working Mom Works for Me
After only 10 months into parenthood and nine months into being a working parent, I somehow stumbled across Julie’s post, and it was so refreshing to know I wasn’t alone. Was it extremely hard going back to work when my daughter was barely six-weeks-old? Most definitely! But did I still love being a working mom? Definitely! This post finally got me to take notice of Knoxville Moms Blog and dig into what KMB was all about, so I guess I have her to thank for becoming a contributor.
Why We Chose Peaceful Parenting
Former contributor Sarah Curtis gave me a change of heart with this peaceful parenting post. Prior to this post, my husband and I had no qualms with spanking our children. Though I won’t say we’re 100% against spanking now, her words completely changed the way I enforced discipline. I can honestly say I’m a much better mother because of Sarah’s advice.
Take the Trip
Ironically enough, I wrote a post about vacation envy this year because we couldn’t make a trip happen, but Stephanie’s words strongly resonate with me. While I tend to be a frugal person, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m fiscally responsible. Sometimes I want to put the trip to Dollywood on a credit card just because it means making memories with my kids. I once took a Dave Ramsey course, and while it’s a nice thought to “Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else,” there’s never any guarantee of later. No shame to those who like to save, but personally, I don’t feel too much guilt living for the here and now.
What My Husband Could Never Do (And Neither Could Yours)
It’s almost like former contributor Lindsay Burchette saw into my soul when she wrote this post. When I first became a mother, this was the single greatest struggle of my marriage. I was a constant backseat driver in the parenting roles, and I still have a tendency to offer opinions or suggestions when they aren’t needed. I really needed to hear these incredible words of wisdom (and my husband is also eternally grateful!).
Why I Hate Mother’s Day
While Lauren has had several amazing posts that have left a mark on me, I would be remiss if I didn’t call attention to this post since it taught me something very important. Prior to reading this, I didn’t know how to reach out to a woman on Mother’s Day who had experienced loss. Lauren’s advice taught me that it’s okay to acknowledge a mother’s loss and grief, and even beyond just the special holiday. Since she has experienced the loss of a child, her story and words have offered a new and meaningful perspective to motherhood that I otherwise may have never known.
I Hold These Mom Truths to Be Self-Evident
Ashley’s posts almost always make me laugh out loud and sometimes lead me to a standing slow clap while no one is around to see me. I agree 100% with every single mom truth from this blog post, and I’m only sad I didn’t get to read it sooner in my formative parenthood years. If I’m being honest, it’d been a while since I had read it, so I was glad to dig this treasure up for your reading pleasure.
They Bought Two Chairs: The Glory of Growing Older
Excuse me while I weep. Jenny’s posts always leave a soft spot in my heart and bring a tear to my eye. I always need a reminder that “they days are long, and the years are short,” and Jenny helped me realize that my kids aren’t the only ones getting older. The passage of time can be a hard thing to swallow, but her words do it poetic justice.
A Summer Worth Remembering
Just do yourself a favor and read this — it will leave you spellbound. I couldn’t just pick one of Jenny’s posts, so I had to squeeze this one in here as well. Don’t let the magic of summer with children escape you.
This one probably doesn’t need much of an explanation. It does, however, need to be shared until the end of eternity. Autumn wins the internet for saying what we’re all thinking. While I will admit that I jumped on the Lularoe bandwagon for a bit, I didn’t go willy-nilly adding people to a Facebook event or sending random messages to people I hadn’t talked to in ages.
When Do We Step In, and When Do We Step Away?
When former contributor Raven joined the KMB team, I was a bit intimated by her. She was raising teenagers, and I felt like she already knew everything there was to know about parenting. Now, I’m so grateful for the words she’s left behind because in many ways they have already started to prepare me for the road ahead. As my daughter started kindergarten this year, I’ve been able to reflect upon her experiences and somehow wrap my head around the idea of not always being in control of my daughter’s interactions.
Perfectly Imperfect
If you ever had the pleasure of meeting Kara in person (or even just saw the pictures of her family), you truly would believe they have a perfect family. She is always 100% put together, giving her kids experiences of a lifetime, and managing the balancing act of being a working parent — all with a smile on her face. But if you actually talked to her in person, she would tell you like it is and let you know she’s doing her best to make it through the week. And that’s why I love this post; it’s real and it’s all of us. Don’t be afraid to let other people see the imperfections in your life because it might help bring you closer to someone.
