Elise Bartley

Since I found out that I will be having my first child in the fall, my perspective on many things has changed. Perhaps most importantly, my thoughts about what it means to be a woman have shifted. While I have always known that my body is capable of amazing things, the realization that I am currently knitting together another human life is quite mind-boggling. While there isn’t much evidence from the outside at this point, I know that I have already changed immensely inside. The realization that I will bring a new life into this world has made me want to be a better version of myself. While I don’t yet know if this child is male or female, both possibilities make me want to be a stronger person for my child. If I have a daughter, I want to be a shining example of what it means to be a strong woman. I want her to see in me the independence, self-reliance, and confidence that I learned from my own mother. If I have a son, I want him to learn from me how to respect the women he will interact with the rest of his life. I want him to cherish the women in his life, not because they are delicate and beautiful, but because he respects the fierceness and strength that only a woman can portray. I feel that I have been given a great responsibility through the blessing of this child. I know that the generations of women who have come before me have prepared me for this all-important job of becoming a mother.