hER fIRST

As I sit here reflecting on the years I’ve spent conquering challenges, making decisions, and facing my fears, I’m reminded of some of my major firsts.

The first time I held my firstborn.

The first (and only) time I cut my hair short and dyed it blonde… because of a man of course.

The first time I got married.

And the first time I got divorced.

But nothing felt scarier, and equally as refreshing as the first time I received who I really was—as a woman. Not a mom, not a friend, not a wife or coworker. A woman. Her.

I remember sitting on the floor of my closet, crying out to God, confessing all the things that made me me—and I mean the good, the bad, and the ugly. In that moment, I was free. Free to start fresh. Free of shame and guilt.

Now, two years later, I’m mustering up the courage to put myself out there and share some of the pieces of me that fill my cup—the lessons I’ve learned (the hard way, yikes), my passions, and what it feels like to be so authentically her that it hurts.

So, why cooking?

Honestly, it’s the one space in my life where, when everything else felt out of my control or done for someone else, I had something just for me. Cooking was my thing. I found solace and peace in creating meals and recipes that were comforting, affordable (you know—single mom life), and that felt like me.

It’s safe to say every recipe, every meal—it’s made with love.

Now, I’m no chef. I’m not a perfect cook, and I’ve never been to culinary school. But I’ve studied food in my free time. I’ve learned to create meals through pure curiosity and YouTube (I am a millennial, after all lol). So, as I share these meals, I’m truly pouring into them with a spirit of love. And I hope to leave this behind for my family—to carry these dishes on for generations.

As I wrap up this post, I’m happy to say you’ve shared another first with me: my very first blog post.

Cheers. 🥂