Blog Post: Here We Go

Hi! Welcome back! I am grateful I started this blog, and I am grateful for you joining and sticking around. I didn't expect my recipes to get as many views as they did honestly (thanks for checking them out)! I was originally determined to make a post each month, but life had other plans. In this post, I dive into some life updates and share some personal revelations.

First, allow me to introduce myself a little differently... Even some of my dear friends may not know all I am going to say. And that's okay! I'm ready to share it here with you :-)

Who I Am

Mother. Daughter. Sister. Wife. Home Cook. Pianist. Creator. Healer. Survivor.

These are the words I would use to represent who I am.

I am now a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful, sweet toddlers (plus our 9-year-old Shiba Inu), and wife to an active-duty military member (married since 2020). I am also an aspiring home cook who decided to begin this interesting journey of blogging. I have diverse work and volunteer experiences mainly in the healthcare industry. From pharmacy to working for non-profits and servicing special needs individuals, I am thankful for each path that has led me here. Even the most difficult and darkest experiences - they helped lead me to where (I believe) God meant for me. Despite my trauma, I remained resilient. Despite all of my geographic relocations, I made and kept lifelong friends. Despite everything I have been through (that would have truly and permanently destroyed most people), I am here. I did more than survive. I thrived.

I am a survivor of domestic violence and abuse.

I am proud of myself for finally being able to say that aloud. No, I did not watch It Ends With Us recently, nor have I read the novel. I think I will have some triggers watching it honestly, so I'm not sure I want to put myself into that situation. But, I hope that by sharing this, whoever you are, you also feel brave enough to one day feel worthy again and to stand up for yourself (because in the end it is only you that can truly get yourself out). I hope you feel hope again. I hope you find peace and love and comfort again.

I don't plan on getting into too much detail on my experiences for now, but maybe that by writing this, it answers some questions for those that know me in my real life and provides them with the comfort of knowing that I am okay now. I have been for a while, although, yanno, I have my moments (thanks a lot PTSD).

My faith in God and my family, especially my husband, are my biggest support systems and reasons I am still breathing air. I am beyond grateful to be alive and to continue building a wonderful life together with our children. My husband is the most amazing man I know. He is patient with me and kind, and he knows me better than I know myself sometimes. He also is the most amazing father who does his best to be present with us even after a long, stressful day of work. Our babies and I are so lucky to have him <3

Los Bebes

I will not be naming them on my blog for privacy reasons. But! I will still talk about them :-) I find it impossible not to mention my two-year-old son (soon to be three) and eighteen-month-old daughter. And of course, my nine-year-old Shiba. They are truly my world. I know many parents say that, but really, I love them unconditionally, and I am grateful for the privilege of staying home with them right now.

In April 2024, our son was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). I had suspected for a while, but it was still a little difficult to hear, not because I was worried he wouldn't be successful in life, or worried what other people might think... But because I was worried (still worried) about how the world might mistreat him. The world can be so unkind. Especially to those who cannot see or understand the storms and stories we have held within. Beyond our son's beautiful, blue ocean eyes, there is so much kindness and brightness. He and his sister are full of love and happiness, and I am so proud to be their mother.

Life Updates

And so, one of our newest adventures as a family this year is navigating parenting with autism. I know that this is just the beginning of this journey, and I've already learned so much on top of previous knowledge from working with individuals with special needs including autism. I still think of my residents often, and I feel that meeting each of them was a blessing. What some people may not know about people with special needs is that they just want to be accepted like everyone else. Not all disabilities are visible too. That is why, with my son, I want him to grow up knowing that he deserves the same respect and courtesy everyone else does. I plan on making future posts dedicated to what I've learned about being a parent with a child on the spectrum and juggling another toddler who is (at least right now) neurotypical. Mom life, toddler tips, military family life - I plan to discuss it all. Speaking of military family life!

Another new adventure is...

We are PCS'ing (relocating to a new base)! So this mama is a little anxious, but excited, and grateful. And afraid. Lol. There is more to come (perhaps in other future posts) about the PCS process, navigating EFMP (Exceptional Family Member Program) and moving, ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy, speech therapy, PLAY Project (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters), and Early Intervention/Help Me Grow. All the things! We've been very busy. But for now, I will wrap this one up.

Dearest Gentle Reader

It is with great admiration and gratitude I bestow upon you for having accomplished this end. Your friendship and curiosity nourish this vulnerable storytelling that has only yet begun. May you find solace, bliss, aid, and daresay, humor time from time as we embark on this altering adventure together. Okay, that's enough of that I think ;-)

Writing has always been one of my favorite creative outlets since I was young, and it's one of my favorite therapeutic tools. I just never imagined sharing it with all of you. But I feel ready to. And that took a tremendous amount of time, grace, and bravery. Thanks for sticking around. I truly appreciate it.

Look out for another future recipe post, and/or blog post. You can subscribe to stay up-to-date with me if you'd like or follow me on Facebook and Instagram! :-)

Much Love,

-La Lumpia Lady aka Christina