Introducing New ABQ Mom Contributor Jasmine Bennison

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Hi ABQ Moms! My name is Jasmine Bennison, and I am thrilled to be joining the ABQ Mom contributor team! 

Jasmine Bennison, ABQ Mom

About Me

I am a transplant from North Carolina and although my accent isn’t thick, I’m as Southern as they come. I work full time as a marketing specialist for a major dental company, and I honestly love all things teeth. Weird I know, but I have been in the dental industry for eight years, and advocating for oral health is my passion. God has blessed me with 2 gorgeous, sassy daughters and a wonderful husband, who loves me despite my cooking skills. I enjoy reading, listening to crime podcasts, exploring local eateries, and all things pop culture. I enjoy a lot of things, but by far being a girl mom is the coolest. 

Land of Enchantment

I moved to Albuquerque in 2015, and although I wasn’t thrilled at first, it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. While growing up in North Carolina, I never pictured myself living anywhere else. The small town feels, large pine trees in every direction, and the strong sense of family were all I needed. That was until I met my husband Zach while he was stationed at Ft. Bragg. And you know the story. Girl meets boy, falls in love, and follows him to Albuquerque. Ha!

I’m not going to sugar coat it. I was miserable and refused to embrace the people, the food, and the culture. That was until I found a single friend who encouraged me to just try new things and open my heart. This is where the “Land of Entrapment” part comes in because I now can’t picture living anywhere else! The gorgeous weather year-round, wonderful people, yummy food, and spirit of Albuquerque are all the things I love most. North Carolina will always be where I’m rooted, but Albuquerque is home. 

Motherhood

My journey into motherhood wasn’t something I planned out. In fact, I never saw myself as the “mom type.” However, that quickly changed once Payton was born my junior year of college. Being a single, working mother while trying to balance school and co-parenting was arguably some of the hardest times of my life, but it was essential to my growth as a person. Fast forward 5 years,d an I welcomed my second daughter Olivia with my husband Zachary. And then we were off to Albuquerque to start our new journey. 

Our home is full of laughter, sass, and love. I couldn’t have asked for a better life. Making room for my career and raising my girls has been a true journey but so much fun! It might not be easy, but it is possible to have a growing career and raise a family. I have learned that it is okay to want and to have both. 

This Online Community

I have always wanted to write about my passions and the things that have molded me into the mother that I am today. From being a single mother, co-parenting, and blending a family to raising girls, learning how to not burn dinner, and the mouth-body connection. My goal is that you can see yourself in my writing and find it comforting to know you aren’t alone in this journey. As moms, we have all shed tears of joy and defeat, and that is what ultimately unites us. Motherhood is a crazy, beautiful mess but no matter what walk of life you come from, we are in this together! 

 

Photo credit: Gabe Segura