Making Waves

When I was in my mid-twenties, I was super insecure about being unmarried. I often masked it behind pretending to be super confident about being a single woman, and though that confidence was authentic   sometimes , privately, I wanted to settle down. I was one of those young women raised in church my entire life, did everything I was supposed to, checked all the boxes women raised in church are supposed to check and was never wild or reckless when it came to guys. Plus, I’d been faithful in my walk with God, so surely a husband would be on the way, right?   Then I turned 26…27…28…29…and then I was 30. Now, I’m 31.    And although I’m not married, I’m loving where I’m at in life right now. But before this time, I was struggling. Especially when I saw how God blessed other women with husbands. More specifically, women, I didn’t like. Women who were scandalous. Women who were boastful about their relationships. And arrogant, obnoxious, and sometimes rude and mean towar...

I’m always down to read a great book. And one book I’ve read multiple times that I highly recommend checking out is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The book falls under the self-help genre and has an incredible amount of wisdom and insights into life, how we are, and how we can better navigate life and interact with others. As I read and revisited it, I found myself reflecting on my life, my relationships, and how I relate and interact with others. This book spoke to me in some unique and special ways because it was very practical in its delivery along with timely advice on how we can all stand to be better and continue working on ourselves. I don’t want to reveal what the four agreements are in this post, especially if you’ve never read the book, but I do suggest checking it out so you can see and learn more about them for yourself. This book is a game changer worth diving into.

I’m always open to trying brunch at different places. And when I’m able to grab quality brunch at a chill local spot? I get all kinds of excited. Last year, I had the chance to check out a super-cute spot called Redhead Bay Café that did not disappoint. The location, food, drinks, and customer service were all on point, and the coffee may have been some of the best I’ve ever had – which is huge, considering how much I love and enjoy coffee. There was a bit of a wait, which is to be expected at an incredible place like this one, but the outdoor waiting area had a cool bar and picnic setting nearby, which allowed time for one of my good friends and I to talk and catch up. When our wait was up, I ordered and practically inhaled, the avocado toast, potatoes, and bacon, all of which were delicious, and the portions and prices weren’t bad either.  If you’re in the Hampton Roads area and looking for a nice spot to grab a bite, head on over to Redhead Bay Café and enjoy! 

I’m a huge fan of Ayesha Curry. I love her style, her cookbooks, her cookware line, and the fact that she’s been able to make her own name as a wife, a mother, and a businesswoman. Did I mention that she also has endorsements, collaborations, and her own winery (Domaine Curry), and a lifestyle magazine (Sweet July) too? She’s making her own moves and her own paper, which is super dope. She also doesn’t shy away from speaking her mind, which at times has brought some criticism her way. Back in 2015, she posted the following on Twitter:   Everyone’s into barely wearing clothes these days huh? Not my style. I like to keep the good stuff covered up for the one who matters.    Just looking at the latest fashion trends. I’ll take classy over trendy any day of the week.   After she tweeted, some folks on social media weren’t happy. And a lot of people felt some type of way. Personally, I saw nothing wrong with her posts. I believe a woman can still be classy and trendy cove...

Being a middle school teacher has been an adventure. While I’m enjoying the work I get to do, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that there have been days when I’ve felt defeated and really had to pray and push myself to maintain a positive attitude when I’ve felt discouraged. Whether it was a day when technical issues interfered with delivering a lesson plan I spent a lot of time working on, trying to manage a class with some behavior issues, or the moment I learned a seasoned teacher had a target on my back because I was hired for a position she coveted, I’ve found that I’m always learning something new.     There was one day when I felt really bad after raising my voice when some of my students weren’t on their best behavior. I’m typically a calm person, so when I replayed what happened, I felt like I could have handled things better. During that same week, one of my administrators showed up to observe me. Concluding the observation, she shared that she could see that I was pas...