Y’all, I am so excited to share with you one of my most precious blogging friends, Katie Reid. I introduced you to her back in the Fall when we met in real life. We met through the Five Minute Friday Community. She has been one of my biggest online cheerleaders. Katie has helped me get over a lot of my insecurities of writing by inviting me to guest blog on two of her blog series. I honestly don’t think I would still be here without her encouragement!
This is my 100th post on Coffee With Jen! I can’t believe that it has been one year ago this month that you and I have had our first cup together! I feel that I have grown so much on this journey. You have graciously allowed me to find my voice here. Thank you, friend, for listening to my heart and encouraging me.
My dear friend, Katie Reid, has started a series on her blog called Open Hearts. She when she asked me to be a contributor for this series, I prayed about what to share. With the passing of Robin Williams shedding light on depression, I felt lead to share my experience with Post-partum Depression. Depression and anxiety are no strangers to me. I have struggled with anxiety my entire life and with depression for large portions of my adult life. It was no surprise to my doctors or to me when PPD became my reality. My long battle with PPD not only affected me, but it affected my family and friends. It was one of the hardest seasons in my marriage.
Would you please support me as I open my heart to Katie’s readers? Click here to read and please leave a comment. Then come back here to enter the awesome giveaway below!
I met Jennifer Kostick of A Girl on the Doorstep online through the Psalms Series that I participated in on Deep Breaths. At the end of the series, as part of the celebration, each of the contributors shared something in our own lives that we were celebrating. I learned that Jennifer’s first book was being released. What an accomplishment indeed! Jennifer offered to host a giveaway on my blog. How generous!
Last week I told you about my new favorite book Surprised By Motherhood: Everything I never expected about being a mom by Lisa-Jo Baker.
In the book she talks about losing her mother at the age of 18. She reflects on different parts of her childhood as she tries to “piece together scraps” and parent her own children through memories.
One memory was of her mom showing up late to pick her up from school. She said that she could “smell the popcorn on her breath” and that she knew that her mother had been to the movies. Lisa went on to say:
I did all the things to prepare for my firstborn, except finish THE BOOK. You know the book…What to Expect…well yeah… When my water broke an entire month early, my very first thought was “But I haven’t finished the book! The chapters on labor and delivery would be helpful right about now.” Three hours later I was holding my miracle.
See below for details on how to enter.
My sweet friend, Amanda, over at Diva Designs is hosting this month’s giveaway. She is a mommy of two beautiful girls, and they are always so fashionablly dressed because their momma designs their clothes!
Amanda is offering a $25 credit to be used in her online store. You can place orders by messaging her on Facebook. Here are just a few of the items she has made. She does take custom orders.
Since I have chosen “blessed” to be my one word, I have been seeking to better understand the meaning of that word. So when I came across this necklace on Etsy I had to snatch it up.
This is truly the most wonderful time of the year! I ADORE Christmas. Everything about Christmas! The shopping. The decorating. The baking. The planning.
The anticipation…
I love a good giveaway, don’t you? When I experience something great, I want to share it! This giveaway contest is for a book that has truly been a blessing to me. See below how to enter.