In Her Own Words - Guest Blogger {Amanda @ I Knew a Woman}

I'm so excited to introduce you to one of my favorite blogging buddies. We "met" over on that other blogging site that starts with a T and have been reading one another's words for over a year now. I just adore this woman. Meet Amanda and be sure to click on over and visit her little corner of the internet..

A year ago, I was a scared 23 year-old entering a new realm without much support. Initially, I was drawn in by Jess' lovely photography of her family and her insight into motherhood (she was pregnant with her third, little Remy). As time passed, I kept reading, now hooked by her devil-may-care attitude and southern sassy charm. She quickly became my favorite blogger.

You see, I was recently married and pregnant with my first child. I was working at a restaurant/bar with a bunch of people my age whose greatest concerns were primarily which bar to hit up after the shift ended. Not knowing who to talk to or where to go, I stepped out into the blogosphere, hoping to find other young(ish) moms and to document my own fall down the rabbit hole.

My name is Amanda. Today, I am a stay-at-home mom, wife, and blogger.

I married this guy. Jason is...a character. A long time ago, I think I actually described him as a living cartoon character of himself. His love for life and fun-fun-boogie-boogie attituded were things I had never found in another person. We definitely had an unexpected romance, what with him being my roommate's older brother, my next-door neighbor, and almost 15 years my senior.

Our wedding day. It was low-key. There is someone else in this picture, though you can't see him.

Meet Wyatt. He was born on March 4, 2011 in what was a delightfully quick delivery. My squishy, drooling, adorable sack-o-potatoes is the product of passion, love, and probably too much tequila. He is quite the charmer, flirting with anyone who will send a glance or a smile his way. He loves bouncing, blabbering, and playing with his daddy's facial hair.

The three of us, along with our pug, Lucy, and two cats are packed into a charming 2/1 duplex. Though at times I feel like I can never get ahead of the laundry, the vacuuming, or the dishes, we still manage to have a lot of fun. In between the chores and dodging baby vomit, we have grill nights, kiddie pool hangouts, and 80's dance parties. We most certainly don't take ourselves too seriously.

Motherhood has taught me a lot about who I am and who I want to be. I am a lot stronger than I ever thought, dealing with the stresses and exhaustion with relative ease. I have a lot more respect for my body than ever before. Most importantly, being a mom has taught me that I am so much more than just that.

I still love to create. I love to hang out with my friends. I have an affinity for vintage treasures and bohemian style. I have a constant itch to get another tattoo. I could spend hours in the kitchen, researching recipes and making meals and treats for those that I love. My favorite part of the day is the hour between putting Wyatt down and Jason coming home from work, when I get to drink tea (or a glass of wine), read, and have a little bit of quiet time. My life hasn't been turned upside down by having a child, I have just made a few adjustments.

Years ago, if you had told me that at nearly 25 years-old, I would be married and a mom, rather than a college graduate with a career, I would have laughed in your face. That being said, God works in mysterious ways, and there is NOWHERE that I would rather be.

{iknewawoman.blogspot.com}