A message: For my first-time, soon-to-be, parents

I love the saying: Raising children is the biggest challenge you will ever have, and the biggest blessing you will ever receive. There is no truer statement than this.

I always knew growing up that I wanted to be a mother someday. Observing life around me showed that raising children didn't look easy, but that was a trajectory path I wanted to be on. After getting married at 28, the next soon-to-be step I planned for was having a child, and that I did. I had my son at 29. Excited and glowing, my baby was coming!

There's one lesson I wanted to share that I learned while pregnant, and that is you can't listen to everyone who wants to put their two cents in. There is a lot of helpful comments and advice given, but there's also a good amount of negative and not so helpful input. I learned to always consider the source and the moment.

I remember one day when I was seven months pregnant a co-worker of mine (mother of two) vented of how hard it is with raising kids.

"You are going to have the toughest time. Pull out your hair. Not be happy on most days," she said to me, going on and on, getting madder by the second. I pretty much sat looking at her like I was in some sort of trance. Her words drowned into the background as her mouth kept moving. Only angry words spewed out. Not one thing positive.

As I stared at her, I got a little scared thinking, what the heck did I get myself into? And for a minute I completely got into my head with thoughts going a million miles an hour.

Good thing I snapped out of it, because I realized she was just having a bad day and projecting it onto me. Not fair, but it happens, and it's up to everyone to decide how they react. I was happy having a baby, having always planned for this moment, and I returned to being excited. Lesson learned, and message to first-time, soon-to-be parents: We can't take everything everyone says to heart and so seriously, because the only ones who will lose out in the end are ourselves. It's up to each individual to decipher what's helpful for them, which is actually true in all areas of life anyway.

Yes, parenting is very challenging, and some of the emotions my co-worker had said to me that day are true, but none of that cancels out the fact of experiencing the abundance of feeling overjoyed and blessed everyday of my life. Also adding, the insurmountable love you will have for your child compares to no other love you've felt before. This is the idea I took with me when writing Laughing Out of Context. While my book is about all the trials and tribulations of raising children, it is also about finding the laughable moments to help lighten stressed moods, not to mention feeling every heartwarming emotion along the way - a great read for first-time parents to become aware and also a little prepared for their son or daughter who's about to be born. I say "a little" prepared, because no one can ever fully prepare for becoming a parent. You learn as you go. No scenario is the same, similar, but never the same. Each child is different. Every stage of growing up is different. But, as I like to always say, "Times will change, but the game of growing up remains the same."

If you are a first-time, soon-to-be parent feeling nervous and maybe a bit scared, rest assured it's completely normal. Everyone has fears going into parenting. I certainly did, as well as countless others. I hadn't changed one diaper prior to having my son or even babysat a younger cousin of mine when growing up, so I had absolutely no idea of how to take care of a baby. The thoughts terrified me, but oddly enough, at the same time I was thrilled. Even better yet, when my son was born, my maternal instincts kicked in and I somehow knew what to do - a miracle all the way around.

The emotions of being terrified and thrilled (and so much more) never actually go away, pre-birth and post-birth, but hey, you're not alone. We're all in this parenting world together, here to support and relate. Salute and praise. Stay as close as you can with family. Join parent groups on social media. Find mommy (or daddy) and me play areas. Or simply just go to the park and strike up a conversation with other parents. Support can be endless.

No matter what age your child is you will be constantly at full attention, having sporadic worrisome thoughts of what could go wrong, yet simultaneously you'll always be overjoyed with love. Although, this may all sound odd, it will completely make sense when your child comes into this world, and you become a parent. Expanding your family is priceless.

Congratulations on your soon-to-be blessing!

Write what you know: To aspiring writers

There are many aspiring writers who ask me for advice about what is the best form of inspiration when beginning to write. My answer is always the same: write what you know. This was originally said by the great Mark Twain, and is a line that's been used in countless places, and is one of the mottos I live by. So much though, I included write what you know in my latest book, Laughing Out of Context.

When you write about what's familiar, or areas in life you're passionate on, stories come alive. Words develop. Characters come to fruition. Readers will be drawn to the pages in your book. The best novels are the ones that stick with you even after you've finished reading them, as one the golden rules of writing states.

My inspiration for my latest book, Laughing Out of Context, came from me being a mother. Going through the real-life experiences of motherhood, volunteering at my son's schools, and wading through the countless roller coaster moments of parenting, all fueled my book. Anyone who has had a hand in raising a child knows there's no other experience that can compare, and relatable support is a necessity to keep sane. In my mind I thought, what better book to write than one that will bring laughter, heart, support, and consolation to all involved with children. Us parents, guardians, educators, and all the "it takes a village" surrounding parenthood needs a pick-me-up, in the best imaginative form.

In a small way I like to imagine words in a book as a vessel, transporting the reader from point A to point B. They won't know where they'll end up by the last page, but the journey will bring them into another world along the way.

As a writer, it is your duty to take people on an adventure, and you'll successfully do that when you write what you know - the story will have meaning and passion behind it. Words will jump off the page and into readers hearts and awaiting imaginative minds. Using this motto as a start will set you up with having food for thought when looking at that first daunting blank page. The rest of the book will follow your lead.

Happy writing!