Someone Who Inspires

It takes a special someone to really make an impact on someone else’s life simply by being themselves; to reach out to others inadvertently is a gift not many possess. Special people can touch our lives on a daily basis, but when that special person happens to be your friend, you should keep that person around.

Today, I am happy to feature my best friend, one of my favorite women in the entire world :

Samantha Raven Richards

She is someone who has deeply impacted my life and has inspired me greatly, and not because she's my friend but because of who she is as a person. She is strong, wise beyond her years, talented, GORGEOUS, and a true fighter. She never gives up, even when the going gets tough! I am honored to even know her and absolutely proud to be her friend.

Our friendship started almost 4 years ago, and we've been stuck at the hip since we discovered our mutual weirdness. She gets me, ya'll, and that's not always easy to do! Since we both grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, we were destined to meet at some point and when we did, the world seemed to make a little more sense. She's seen me at my worst, my best, my saddest, and my happiest...and she's been by my side throughout everything. I'm telling you guys, if you have someone as loyal as Samantha in your life, go give them a hug and tell them you love them right meow because they are the ones to keep forever!

Reasons Why She Inspires Me

There are so many reasons why I'm inspired daily by this woman. I literally could write for DAYS about her (maybe someday I'll do that in my memoir, lol), but I'll try to keep it pretty short and sweet, giving you the big highlights.

1. She's a loyal friend. And not just to me, but to whoever she comes in contact with. She will fight for you to the death. If you need someone in your corner, she's your gal. There have been so many times when I've vented to her and she HAD MY BACK, YA'LL. She got into it.

2. She's honest. One of the things I like most about Sammi is that she will tell you how it is but in a loving way, which not a lot of people can do. She's naturally empathetic which makes her the perfect person to go to when you need to get something off your chest. She is there for you with open arms and will give you honesty when you need it most.

3. She's GORGEOUS on the inside and out. I mean, just freakin' LOOK at this woman :

Need I say more? I cant. EVEN.

4. She is hysterically funny. This girl can keep up. I'm not lying, she is always right back at you in a conversation and she hits you with her witty and hilarous comments. Some of my best memories have included me and Sammi giggling like mad people until we've cried. I tend to be more of an introvert, and she has had me act like a FOOL in public before. She knows how to make things fun.

5. She has an amazing heart. She truly cares about others, especially those she holds close to her. I'm always amazed by how genuine she is to everyone she meets and she is always there for others. She wants to be involved in your life, she wants to know how you are doing. She isn't just asking you how you're doing so that you can hurry up and let her talk--she wants to hear you, she wants to be there for you, and she wants to reach out to you.

6. She's a wonderful mom. I can see true love in Sammi's eyes every time she looks at Evelyn. The way she handles her is so amazing, I swear I get goosebumps sometimes. She loves her baby and I love that about her. It's one of the biggest reasons why Samantha inspires me, is because she has embraced her young motherhood with such grace, tenacity, and love. Motherhood, no matter how old you are and no matter the circumstances, can be a very intimidating thing. Throughout her entire pregnancy and into her now being a mom, she has left me in awe by how she has handled everything. She is a mom to the core. And I think she can really inspire those who are young mother's-to-be with her own story because she could've seen the worst in her situation, but instead, she fully embraced it and saw the amazing gift that it is to be a mom. I'm so inspired by her and so, I asked her a few questions to share on the blog in hopes of her inspiring you too!

Q & A with Samantha (or, as I call her, Sammi)

Of course, I know all about Samantha, but today I'm introducing you to her, so of course it's natural that we start with the basics!

B + A : So, tell us a little bit about you. Where were you born, what do you like to do, etc. Whatever you want to share about yourself!

Samantha : I am twenty-three and currently living in Little Rock. I grew up in the Benton/Bryant area, but I attended high school at Little Rock Central High (which I am very proud of). My mother is an English teacher at Central which makes sense to why I was a Creative Writing major in college. I am a mother of a beautiful ten-month-old and a girlfriend to a wonderful man. I have two absolutely amazing best friends (Mrs. Samantha Harrington and Ms. Melissa Stuart) that I don't know what I would do/where I would be without.

B + A : Describe yourself in three words.

Samantha : weird, extrovert, dreamer

B + A : What are some of your favorite hobbies?

Samantha : I love to write. I haven't been writing much since I've had the baby, but I've always considered myself a writer. Sometimes the best way to understand your thoughts is to write them down to examine them. Other than that I don't have many. I'm looking into finding more, though!

B + A : Where do you draw inspiration from? What keeps you going?

Samantha : Inspiration is a hard thing to come by at this age. The twenties is a strange, ever-changing time and I think that is where most of my inspiration comes from: the longing to know who I am and what I can become. To feel so irrelevant yet full of hope for life gives you a sense of wanting and need for a true inspiration. God helps me every day. I see the face of my daughter and how far I have come and I know that He has a plan for me, though I may not have found it yet. It gives me motivation to be better today than I was yesterday.

B + A : Who is your own personal role model/superhero?

Samantha : I would have to split that between my parents. My mother did everything she could to give us a good life. She worked (and continues to work) 40+ hours a week just to keep a roof over our head and food on the table. My mother is, without a doubt, my best friend. My father is the same. He has always worked so hard to give us all he could. He taught us the importance of Christ in our lives and how, no matter what we do, his love and God's love is unconditional. I never felt less than love and adoration from both of my parents.

B + A : Do you have a life motto? If so what is it?

Samantha : "It gets better," is probably my life motto. I struggled with depression for a very long time. In college I would lie in bed all day hoping that God would take me away. I was hurting so horribly and I didn't know how I could ever overcome it. Right now I am watching my baby run around the house playing with her daddy. If I had given up I never would have had this. It gets better. Cry today, hurt today, pray for a better tomorrow and it will come. A permanent solution to a temporary problem is never worth the happiness life can bring.

B + A : Being a mom is never an easy task no matter how old you are. How has being a mom changed your life? :

Samantha : Well that's difficult to say. I was always a homebody before I had a baby, but now it's not by choice. I can't get up and move to a different state out of spontaneity, or go hang out with friends until 4am. Do I really need those things to be happy? No, of course not. But I didn't realize how much freedom I had, or how much would be taken away rather. At this age most of my friends are going out and enjoying their twenties with parties and whathaveyou (which there's nothing wrong with) and I no longer have that luxury. It is a full-time job. No breaks, I am a mom 24/7. If I could choose to not have my daughter though, I wouldn't. Even with all the parties I've missed, I've seen her first steps. I heard her first words. I'm currently planning her first birthday party. It's the most awesome and fulfilling thing in the entire world.

B + A : Tell us about Evelyn. What’s her personality like?

Samantha : Evelyn is a little bit of an independent lady. She wants to play and do without any help, don't even try to hold her hand because she doesn't need you. She's been walking since eight months and she definitely thinks she's grown. She's always smiling and happy and playing, I really have been blessed with a wonderful child. Even with all of that, she always wants her mommy at the end of the day. Nothing is better than having your baby curl up in bed with you to go to sleep at night.

B +A : How has she impacted your life?

Samantha : I never had a plan for my life. I didn't like high school, I hated college. I had no direction at all. Then one day I met this amazing man who just seemed absolutely perfect for me and, of course, I feel deeply in love with him. Then I became a mommy. I look into my daughters face and it drives me to do more, to be more. I want to give her everything in the world. Before I had Evelyn I had no plans for my life, but now I have a million. I want to start writing again, I want to go back to school. I want to be all I can so she can have whatever she wants. So my daughters impact on my life is simply that she makes me want to be a better me.

B + A : What’s the best part about being a mom?

Samantha : Playing with my daughter is definitely the best part. She is just so happy and full of life. I just LOVE making her laugh. Also being a stay-at-home mom has given me the opportunity to see all of her "firsts" and that always follows with an overwhelming feeling of pride.

B + A : What’s been the hardest part about being a mom?

Samantha : It's a mix of the best and the worst. Being a stay-at-home mom is great, but I'm an extrovert. Sometimes I need a break. I spend all day talking to someone who doesn't understand me and can't even talk back. I have to have some real interaction with another adult or I start to go crazy.

B +A : Where do you imagine yourself in five years?

Samantha : I imagine myself married, with a job I love, in a nice house with a backyard for Evelyn to play in, and another baby on the way. It's not much for a five year plan, but it's all I've got.

B + A : What are some of your goals in life?

Samantha : I want to go back to school and get my degree. I want to start writing again. I want my writing to be published. I want to be at a place where I can help my family financially. I want to be healthy, both mentally and physically, so I can be a good role model for my daughter.

B + A : If you could give a piece of advice to other young moms or mothers to be, what would you say?

Samantha : It gets better. Yes, today she's screaming her head off and you have no idea what to do. You feel alone and overwhelmed and broken because all you want to do is be a good mother but it's all so new and terrifying. It gets better. You develop a routine, you learn how to calm your baby, you learn what their individual needs are. Every parent has been through this the first time and it gets easier. So no, you're not s bad mom because you let your baby cry in her bed while you cried in the other room. You're human. Being a parent isn't something that just happens, it's something you learn and adjust to. You can never ask too many questions and never underestimate the power of a good support team. Whether it be friends, family, or a significant other. Always ask for help when you need it.

Samantha Richards is one of a kind. I don't know where I'd be without her in my life. She's the peanut butter to my jelly, the pea to my pod, the cheese to my macoroni (whoa, that's a big deal if you know me), my forever fellow Ghost Adventures fan, my GUAC-O-CLOCK lover, my sister from another mister, my best friend.