Meet Whitney, a mom of two and passionate gardener who also just happens to be Haley's sister (and Jill's daughter).
When did you become a mother, and how many children (or step-children) and grandchildren do you have?
I had my first boy in March 2022 and second boy in June of 2023! #boymom
What was your path like to become a mother?
I didn’t meet my husband until a little later in life, and I wanted to have kids before I turned 40, so we had a very short window to try. I feel so fortunate that we were able to have two healthy boys 15 months apart.
Motherhood strips you down to your core and builds you back up stronger.
What’s your favorite part about motherhood?
How my perspective on what is important has shifted. When I look at my sons’ little faces and hear their giggles and snuggle them tight, nothing else matters! They have given me real purpose in life, and everything I do is for them.
What has surprised you most about it? Any mistakes you made that you’d be willing to share?
How little I actually know! Every day, something new comes up, and sometimes I have no (explicative) idea how to handle it! It’s true what they say: nothing can prepare you for being a parent. You have an idea of what these little people might be like, and then they totally surprise you. Usually, it’s positive and joyful, but sometimes they take you to your knees. It often feels like two steps forward and one step back, but at the end of the day, love conquers all. And love is all they (and we all) need.
What are some ways you’ve found to make time for yourself/self-care while raising children?
Lately, getting a shower in feels like a win. Getting outside this spring to garden and plant flowers is my therapy. Digging in the dirt feeds my soul.
It often feels like two steps forward and one step back, but at the end of the day, love conquers all. And love is all they (and we all) need.
Who were some of the mother figures in your life? What essential lesson did they (or one of them) teach you?
My grandmother was the glue of our family — we meant everything to her, and she embodied love. Naturally, her daughter, my (and Haley’s) mother, followed suit. She is the most generous, loving, and caring woman I know! One of the best lessons I hold onto is: “Never give to get.” If you choose to do something for someone, you shouldn’t expect anything in return. Generosity is an essential value in my family.
What advice or words of encouragement would you give a woman hoping to become a mother someday?
If that innate desire is within you, you’re already a mother, and the role will reveal itself in ways that might not look traditional but encapsulate what mothers embody.
In your own words, how would you define “motherhood”?
Heartwarming, hard, fulfilling, exhausting. Simultaneously so fun and so, so challenging. It strips you down to your core and builds you back up stronger. It’s my favorite chapter thus far.
