Hey mama, I’m so pleased to meet you!

2020 was HELL!!!  Yes, I’m screaming, but not at you Girl. It wasn’t even the pandemic that made it hell, although it did add to the chaos. It was just a season in my life where I was waiting for the bomb to explode every day. I was the bomb, and I had to go through it.  

I gave birth to my third and surprise baby, in December of 2019, after nine months of denial and depression, following four years of postpartum depression. Overwhelmed was an understatement, tired was putting it subtle, and unappreciated was saying it delicately. I was over all of it.

I fell into a place of really not caring and doing just enough to get by. Getting out of bed happened only because I had to feed my kids and nurse a newborn. I found myself trying to put on a smile for everyone else, but I was so broken inside. After the dam broke, figuratively speaking, I couldn’t fake the funk anymore. I stopped trying to hide how I was feeling, and that’s when the light bulb came on. I found the courage to say to myself, “Girl, you are letting yourself go, and you need to let it out. You have to talk about this because you’re not alone.”

I started talking to other moms and forming virtual meetups to listen to their pain points and struggles. The first question I always asked was, “tell me about yourself, BUT don’t tell me about your occupation, spouse, or kids.” You would have thought that I’d asked them where to make an incision for a bilateral Tricuspid valve removal.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not shaming these women, nor am I picking on them because they are me. I am them. If you were to ask me something about myself, I would have immediately told you I’m a mom of three, married to a wonderful husband who owns a construction company, and a pastor’s wife, with the list of the many roles that I play continuing. I would have told you all about the various hats that I wear daily, but never one single thing about Verlonda.

I don’t think anyone gets married and has kids to forget about themselves, but I believe it happens in the process of trying to be and do everything for everyone. We become so accustomed to wearing our hats and wearing them well, that we sometimes forget who we were before the many roles, tasks, and people.

So let me introduce myself; I am Verlonda Johnson. About 99% of the time, if you see me, I am either about to eat, eating, or have just finished eating a king-size bag of peanut M&M’s. I love to organize because I love it when everything is functional and has a “home”. I could binge-watch HGTV or Grey’s Anatomy all day and night.

I love spending time with family, reminiscing about the good old days, or as much of the old days that I know about, and sitting around a bonfire and telling stories is all the occasion that I need. If you let me choose a movie genre, I’m picking a comedy because I love a good laugh, like a throw your head back, slap your knee, crying tears kind of laugh.

I visit Tropical Smoothie at least once a week, and I still order from their “retired smoothie” menu. I didn’t grow up trying lots of new foods, so I’m trying to be adventurous now. My latest adventure food is Brussels sprouts (I KNOW), and I’m overly in love.

My obsession over the past couple of years has been planners. I love a good planner, like a really, really good planner. I usually start in August or September researching and comparing them, and yes, it takes me that long. I have a pretty tough exterior, but honestly, I am pretty sensitive. Things tend to stick with me for a very long time, longer than I would like to admit.

So that’s me. I’ve been married for seven years to my husband, and together we have three amazingly beautiful and witty children, Naysa, Josiah, and Greyson, and I have two bonus daughters, Rayna and Kylah. Additionally, my husband and I own a roofing and construction company. He owns it, and I manage it, if you know what I mean. 

I’m really excited to be launching this blog and resource for all of you. It’s my hope that you’ll find joy, guidance, inspiration, laughter, and most of all, commonality with every other mom.

Your partner in “mama”hood,

Verlonda Johnson