Spotlight Blogger: Meet Ashleigh

From left to right: Melanie (holding Robbie), Heather, and Ashleigh (holding William).  

Picture used with permission.

Today's featured blogger is Ashleigh of Not Just A Birth Mom.  Let's find out a little more about Ashleigh...

First, please tell us a bit more about yourself (name, age, where you live, what led you to making an adoption plan, and anything else you feel comfortable sharing).

My name is Ashleigh, I'm 20 years old, and I live in Atlanta, GA. I've been blessed to give birth to the two most precious little boys in the world (Robbie is 2 and William is 6 months). Due to lack of financial resources, I had to place both boys for adoption. Both adoptions are very open, and I see Robbie at least twice a month and William almost every week. They are in different families, but we call the boys brothers and we all get together on a regular basis.

When and why did you begin blogging? 

After I had Robbie I began seeking out more information and support on adoption online. I found a lot of fantastic blogs and websites, and nearly a year later in April of 2010, I finally decided I would join the online community and start my own blog.

Tell us more about the title of your blog.  Why did you choose it?

It was honestly the first thing I thought of. I tried to think of a few more titles, but I kept coming back to Not Just A Birth Mom. I like that the title describes my blog and also lets you know what member of the triad is writing the blog, and when I started my blog it was the only title of its kind. Apparently other people thought it was a good idea too!

Has the response to your posts been mostly positive, mostly negative, or a mix of both?

For the most part I've received very positive feedback. There have only been a few posts that received nasty comments, but I never let them get me down. Adoption is a very emotional thing for all members of the triad. You have to understand that when you write about an emotional topic such as Adoption, you are going to evoke a LOT of strong, passionate, and differing emotions from people.So just be prepared to take the good with the bad.

What post on your blog do you consider a “must read” for people visiting your blog for the first time?  Or what post(s) from your blog is (or are) your favorite(s) and why? 

Well the must read for newbies would be Part 1 and Part 2 of my story. You can find the links on the right side of my blog under my About Me section. As far as favorites go, I love my "Abortion" post because not only do I discuss what is often a very heated topic, but I write about how we can better the alternatives to make them more appealing. I also love "Simply Perfect."  It's more of a picture-filled post, but that day is so special to me because it was the first day we all got together as group at one time.

Do you have any advice for someone thinking of starting their own blog?

Don't try to be anyone other than you. Write about things that interest you and things that you are passionate about. Be yourself, have fun with it, always be honest, and ALWAYS write from your heart.