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Wherever the road takes us...

In a former life, I was a journalist. Now, I'm an aspiring author and mom of two: one energetic toddler and a 20-pound bulldog that snores louder than a grown man. I've wanted to do this blog for about nine months, but couldn't open a laptop without my spider-monkey son mauling me. Well, hello world, I've recently taught my son how to take a nap on his own, and now I have two valuable hours to myself each day, both of which I will share with you.

While pregnant, I completed my first manuscript (a memoir about my childhood) and earned a master's degree in Professional Writing at the University of Oklahoma. A year has passed since my son's birth, and I've been getting that itch to write again. To my wonderful readers (all five of you), thank you for giving me a sense of purpose.

So to the nitty gritty details of my life: I'm 27 years old. I'm married to a funny, irreverent guy named Chris, who both drives me nuts and makes my heart sing. He's an Occupational Safety with a good-paying job that we are grateful for in this economy. His work keeps him on the road, and because I'm a firm believer that a family should stick together, I've hitched my wagon and followed him. We had concerns about raising a baby in a camper trailer (it's cheaper for us to lodge in RV parks than hotels), but the experience hasn't been half bad.

BULLDOG AND BABY chronicles the adventures and mishaps of raising a child and a lazy, pampered dog in an RV Park. It's been an adjustment, trading our 1,800 square foot cabin for a 32 foot trailer. Space is cramped, especially with toys and sippy cups all over the floor. Cabin fever is a problem. And our menu is limited. I pretty much cook solely from an electric skillet because the oven makes the trailer hotter than the dickens. But the pay-off has been worth it. Our little family is together. And that's what matters.

Not everything in my life is hunky dory. My mom is mentally ill, and she's in and out of a jail a lot. I'm hearing impaired (50 percent deaf in both ears). And last fall, our bulldog was diagnosed with epilepsy. Still, even when things get stressful, I remember one crucial fact: I've won the jackpot. I'm traveling with the man I love, our beautiful baby boy, and the best dog in the world.