I just want moms that maybe are struggling with that, new moms that are struggling with that feeling,

struggling with mourning their old life, but being excited for this new one and trying to manage those feelings together.

I want you to know you're not alone in that and I want this to be a conversation that you hear and know that you can talk to other people about that.

You're listening to God Hears Her, a podcast for women, where we explore the stunning

truth that God hears you, he sees you, and he loves you because you are his.

Find out how these realities free you today on God

Hears Her. Welcome to God Hears Her. I'm Erin Eddie Atkins. And I'm Alisa Morgan. Today we're

sitting with one of our producers, Mary Jo Clark, and then Aaron and I are going to all share

together about our adventures in motherhood. Mary Jo

recently celebrated her son's first birthday, so she's been navigating motherhood

for a year now. And Erin, you've been a bonus mom now for several months, and boy,

I've been at it for decades.

Today we want to talk about motherhood. There are so many ways to become a mother, adopting, fostering, becoming a

stepmom, or what I like to say, a bonus mom. And we want to make space for each experience today.

So join us for our three-way conversation, Mary Jo Clark, Aaron Eddie Adkins, and me, Elisa Morgan,

on God hears her. As we're recording this, Erin, you've been married for like,

I don't know, 14 days or something. I'm not sure, but you have been amping up, you know,

on the on ramp to becoming a stepmom for a couple of years. So, and just a little context for me,

my kids are in their late 30s.

Both of my children came to us through adoption.

So I've never been pregnant.

But adoption is infants, and they were private adoptions, so didn't know their birth parents.

...