LAFMB :: It is More Than a Team Dinner to Me

Tonight, LAFMB will have our annual Team Dinner. You can call it postpartum hormones or whatever, but I am having lots of feelings in preparation of my second LAFMB Team Dinner.

A year ago in October, I got an email about applying to be a contributor to Lafayette Moms Blog. I knew about the City Moms Blog Network and was legitimately BESIDE MYSELF that I could potentially be a part of something so huge.

Well from there, things moved quickly — that’s how these people do it. I became a contributor, had my first content shared on Instagram, and published my first blog post.

Along with blogging comes an online community, people all over everywhere who read your posts. I knew that would come along with the title of LAFMB contributor. What I did NOT know was that when I skipped, hopped, and agreed to be a contributor for LAFMB, that I was also becoming a part of the community of mamas who make up the LAFMB Team.

In early-ish December of last year, we had our LAFMB Team Dinner. I put on makeup for the first time in who knows how long and went with plans of eating some Brussel sprouts (lookin’ at you Saint Street Inn) and taking a few content pictures of swag for social media. Well, the food lived up to its potential and the swag far exceeded its expectations (now I’m looking at you, Anne Elise and Stephanie)! But what completely BLEW. ME. AWAY. was the community that I walked into.

In becoming a part of LAFMB, I have found my voice, my self worth, a whole bunch of confidence, and a view different views of motherhood that I never had before.

That night in December, I gained a girl gang. We all did. We gained an army. We gained a wealth of knowledge. We gained a family — a family of women, and husbands, and kids, and coworkers all rooting for us in Acadiana. And for that family, I am so grateful that I could literally pop.

We all bring our unique talents, skillz, and knowledge to the table. Of the original squad that is still on the blogging journey with Acadiana, here are the moments that stand out the most in my memory —

Amanda came in early and STRONG with all the toddler tips and fun activities in Acadiana while reminding all of us that “you can sit with us.”

Amelia brought down to earth and raw motherhood to the surface as soon and she hit pending.

Amy brought her snarky humor to all of our real life tough talks and then gave us cookie recipes.

Carlie came in strong with decades of mama experience and realness and then graced us with photography skills that have changed a good chunk of our lives for the better.

Casey has given us a look into her mission loving and evangelist heart all while having a laid back approach to mothering … of kids and farm animals.

Christy is the sparkling life of our party and is always down to perk us up with positivity and a smile. She is the cool mom who also seems to make every special event with that smile never fades.

Emily and her North Louisiana accent have showed us that you can camp like a boss even while pregnant and in spite of the racoons with a top knot worthy of its own byline.

Kendra taught us how to be fun and healthy at the same time, how to make yogurt in the instant pot, and how to shop at Costco and our heads are still spinning out of control.

Lashonda showed us all how to navigate a really hard year. And she somehow showed us how to do it with grace all while looking always put together and selling houses at the same time.

Laurel is still blowing us away with her beauty and dang — those glasses! Also, she also came out of nowhere with an app that apparently does out laundry. Yeah. Google dat. Oh, and deli meat . . .

Lauren is the reason we all sneak in our kids rooms at night to love them a little extra and why we are striving to give our kids more grace.

Malary has recently found a place for the Barbie Dream House in her heart and her home and has let us so deep in to her overflowing heart to show us love, grief, and everything in between.

Marissa has made us all want to go to Disney World the right way and maybe even without our kids.

Sarah has proved to us that you can be funny and gorgeous and a supportive wife all while raising a million kids.

Traci has maybe made me not 100% scared of dogs. She also has showed us strong motherhood that I cannot even talk about without getting choked up.

Yvette has showed us style and class all while mommin’ and eating good for you food and while doing good for you things.

Anne Elise is our planner extraordinaire. She zips around town with her beautiful toddler in tow goin’ live on our social accounts and keeping all of the Acadiana activities in one place.

And Stephanie …. well, I will be honest and tell you that Stephanie has been a light in all of our lives all while making it rain swag on us and all the LAFMB following mamas.

And then our newbies — they are just beginning on this journey with us, but they have come in STRONG and we cannot wait to see where their skills and love take us this year.

Sheesh. Can you believe ALL OF THIS in just a year? Yeah, I am still in awe, too. But stay tuned because we just had our first birthday, we took our first steps and learned to walk, and we will soon be emptying all of our cabinets and yours.

I cannot wait for Team Dinner girls. Y’all make my life shine brighter.

Rebecca Autin
Rebecca is an attorney by day and a toddler wrangler by night. She is a product of divorced parents and grew up in both Thibodaux and Franklin, Louisiana. Rebecca attended Loyola University of New Orleans and Southern University Law Center. Rebecca married her high school bestie in 2012. Quinton and Rebecca went through months of infertility before giving birth to Maxwell Lincoln in 2015. In 2016, they were surprised by a baby boy due in June 2017. But, in February 2017, they suffered with incompetent cervix and delivered sweet Theodore Paul too soon. In October 2018, after an incredibly difficult pregnancy, a cerclage, and a whole bunch of bedrest, Fitzgerald Joseph was born -- a happy, healthy, and perfect rainbow. If you can't find Rebecca, you can summon her with pot of freshly brewed coffee or look for her in Target or behind the kitchen island where she is hiding from her kids with a very generous pour of red.