Hey everyone, I know it's been a while since my last update. I disappeared for a year and then turned around and did it again. A lot has happened in that time but I think I'm at a place now where I can slowly make a come back.
As you may already know, I had my son in 2020 and that brought on a lot of huge changes. Everyone sort of knows that becoming a parent changes you, but I guess I just never anticipated how much it would change me. I was absolutely one of those people who thought I could continue to do all the things I was doing before and that I could make it all work... those of you with children are likely chuckling right now. It doesn't work that way.
I want to be transparent in saying that I had postpartum depression after my son was born. I refused to accept it for a long time, but I hit a wall where it was unavoidable. I gave up everything I loved. I wasn't drawing anymore, I didn't want to be involved in anything anymore, I was living solely for the purpose of keeping my son alive and safe. I basically lost my identity and I'm honestly still working on getting it back.
I'm spilling my guts out like this because I know how important it is for people in the agricultural community to address their mental health. I know too many people who denied they had a problem for too long until it got out of hand. Now I'm one of them. It's incredibly terrifying to take the first step to ask for help, but you have to do it. For me, it took the news that I was pregnant again to boot me in the arse and make a change.
That's right. I'm pregnant again. I'm actually due very soon, this time with a girl. We are very happy to welcome another wee one to the world and we can't wait to meet her. I've been very focused on trying to be the best mother I can to both my children. Right now a big part of that is finding myself and learning to let go a little more.
I started drawing again this year. Whatever I could just to get back into the swing of it. I was very nervous to start making strips again because I wasn't sure I could continue to make the sort of content I was before. Like I said in the beginning, motherhood changed me. I mean, at my core I'm the same person, but now I have so much more going on. I didn't want to change the formula but the fact is that I'm less of the 'Farm Girl' and more of the 'Farm Mom' and I've finally decided, or rather accepted, that's okay.
My role on the farm has changed a little, unfortunately, but my passion for agriculture is still in here. I may not be able to do as many things as I did before but I'm still here, I'm still trying. That can never be changed. I'm going to continue to create my space in this community and continue with my goals as an artist and a farmer. Now, there may be a lot more to relate to for the farm mothers out there in my work, but I hope that won't turn anyone else off. Just as I am learning and growing my art will with me.
Thank you all for being so supportive and for sticking by me when I went ghost for so long. It means so much more than you know. I have a bunch of comic ideas that I have been sitting on for the past year that I cannot wait to share with you all!
Cheers to a new chapter!