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The New Mom Podcast is a Christian motherhood podcast for women navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood.
Whether you're a first-time mom, expecting, or in the middle of sleepless nights, this show offers real, honest conversations about motherhood, marriage, identity, and faith. We talk about birth stories, postpartum recovery, relationships, mental health, and trusting God through every stage of motherhood. If you're looking for encouragement, practical advice, and a reminder that you're not alone—this podcast is for you.
Our prayer is that New Mom leaves you feeling seen, strengthened, and a little more equipped for the beautiful calling of motherhood!
New episodes weekly.
Hello, and welcome back to New Mom. I am so excited to share the conversation that I got to have with my guest this week, Mia Fields Dunnavant. You may know her as a Christian songwriter, but Mia is also just a woman of faith. And she shared her miracle story about becoming pregnant with her daughter after years of waiting and delay and health issues and doctors telling her it wasn't gonna happen. Her story is incredible.
Carrie:It is a miracle and is a testament of God's faithfulness. So whether you are walking through infertility or delay yourself, you know someone who is, or honestly, you're just walking through anything in life where you are waiting on God's promises and you are believing that what He said He will do, this episode is truly for you. Mia will strengthen your faith today regardless of what you're walking through. Pray this conversation blesses you as much as it honestly blessed me. She brought it.
Carrie:So I hope you all enjoy. If you are loving New Mom, take a moment to rate and subscribe to the show and maybe even leave a review. It helps us to get the word out to more moms like you. Thank you for listening. Mia, thank you so much for being here.
Mia:Thanks for having me. Absolutely. Welcome New Mom. I mean, I'm so excited to be on a mom podcast. I'm like something
Mia:that I'm obviously an expert on because
Mia:I have like a three year old.
Carrie:Because you're in the thick of
Mia:it. Yeah. Well, I'm like, isn't it so funny? We're all such experts like, but we're really not because until we have a 40 year old who's done well in life
Carrie:We're figuring it
Mia:out. We're figuring it out. Yes. But it's nice to figure it out together.
Carrie:It is. It is. And I'm so grateful to have you here. I honestly just had to like share before we get too far into it. I adore you and I specifically remember my sister-in-law sending me I'm like, sure you've heard the story a million times, but the beautiful story testimony.
Mia:Yeah. She sent it to
Carrie:me years ago. And she's like, I was I was going through something. We just gotten married. We were, like, in a discouraging season. And she was like, I listened to this.
Carrie:I was at this conference, and I listened to this once a year, like, when I just need to be encouraged. Come on. And ever since then, like, my my husband and I have literally, like, when we really need it, we're like, let's pull up Mia Fields. We need to be reminded of God's faithful. Let's get
Mia:your faith out.
Carrie:Holy Spirit has, like, used that testimony in in our story and, like, in so many, but specifically in our community. I've shared that with so many women, like, specifically because the story that we're talking about is you meeting your husband and, like, how
Mia:You know, I say it's a story about how to meet a husband. The funny thing is okay. So here's a little, like, secret like, a secret reveal on, like, a podcast. I was actually I got asked to write a book, and so I actually have a book about it. You do?
Mia:I know. It's so random. I'm like a songwriter, so you would think the book is, like, one page long. But it's a book about it. And I've, you know, I I say so often it's it's really not a story about how to meet a husband.
Mia:It's a story about how to believe God. You know? And I think I think that's the thing that I really always wanna encourage people is God's so much kinder than you think he is. Yeah. And he's so much more intentional and he he wants to be so good to you.
Mia:You know?
Carrie:That's and that's exactly what that story because, you know, I was married. So I was like, okay. Well,
Mia:don't even have to say that to be
Carrie:her faith, I can get behind. And then I just yeah. I'm so I'm so encouraged by your faith and I think you've encouraged so many women. And so fast forward to, I've always loved you and then have always loved your testimony. And then I remember hearing I was listening to Kaylee Dickerson's podcast and we were in New
Mia:York and
Carrie:we were in a particularly discouraging season. I have this thing where I always remember where I am when I listen to things when God really highlights stories to me. I can exactly picture where I was. And we were in this hotel in New York City and we had some work stuff going on, but it was just like a very a very disheartening season again. And you randomly came on because I was listening to your whole season.
Carrie:I was like, Mia? Like, wait, she has a new story? Like, I didn't even know that you were pregnant. Like, I just kind of, like, lost touch with your story. And and the story about your daughter just did the same thing in my heart and it it it just inspired me, to to just be encouraged again and to to realize that the Lord is so faithful.
Carrie:And I I love your faith. I love the way that you talk about just looking for the evidence and
Mia:Mhmm.
Carrie:Trusting God for the promises He speaks over your life, not someone else's, but over yours. Think it's so cool. So, anyway, welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. I'm clearly excited to have you on.
Carrie:So before we get, like, too far into it, maybe share a little bit about yourself. Like you said, you're a songwriter, about your marriage, your baby, just anything you wanna kinda share before we get going of anyone who doesn't know you yet.
Mia:Like, never heard of me before. I'm a random girl from Australia. I moved here like I moved to America like sixteen years ago and what else is exciting about me? I write you know, I actually write music for a living and that's kind of what I've done for my whole life. I got signed when I was 18 and I'm not really good at anything else.
Mia:So I've just kinda stuck with that. Is that
Carrie:what brought you here?
Mia:It is what brought me here. So I was part of a church back in Australia called Hillsong Church and was writing for them. And then probably like two or three years in, I started just being like, I wonder if I'm good or if I'm just good in my own little pond, you know? And so I started coming to Nashville and ended up coming back and forward all the time and then I thought, you know, what would be a way cheaper commute to work is if I lived there because it's quite an expensive It's shorter. It's a quite expensive long trip, you know, to be coming to multiple times a year.
Mia:So I moved here in 2010 and then, you know, I'd always loved Americans. I was always like, I wanna marry an American. And, yeah, I met Joran in 2016, and then, we got married at the 2017. We got married in six months. So it's nice to know that, like, even if you feel like you're you relate to the game, that God will accelerate some things.
Mia:You know? So and then and then we had our daughter booth in 2023. But, you know, in the middle of that, the way that we the way that we got pregnant, you know, you know, you say I've got, like, all these great faith stories. Sometimes I'm like, god, can I just can you just give me one freebie? Like, do I have to contend for all of them?
Mia:I'm like Yep.
Carrie:I understand that.
Mia:Be so nice if you could just do me a solo
Carrie:Why is it always this diet story?
Mia:This have this for free. But, you know, looking back, I wouldn't change it. So I mean, do you want me to tell a bit about how we got pregnant?
Carrie:I I would love to hear honestly that that whole story as much as you wanna share. I feel like that would just I just know so many women personally right now whether it's secondary infertility or delay or just haven't yet like I think your story is so encouraging of
Mia:Well, here's something that I will say. Something that really encouraged me, you know, first of all, we, you know, we we didn't get pregnant easily, and something that, like, frustrated me at first. And then, and then as I leaned into it, like, and listened to God, it it became a great encouragement to me. And it's it's been an encouragement, like, that I share with a lot of women who are believing for children.
Carrie:Mhmm.
Mia:And that's that the the bible says that children are an inheritance from the Lord. And I that used to annoy annoy me so much because I'd be like, well, like, how come they're getting their inheritance? They didn't even do it the right way. Like, or like that, you know, you I think you can think, like, there's this thing of, like, I've done all the the right things. I've done things the, you know, the right way.
Carrie:Mhmm.
Mia:I've honored you. You know you know I will, like, teach my child about you, and and and I've got this big delay Mhmm. Or this big question mark over that area. And and, like, this person's like, no. We're pregnant again.
Mia:And they're, like, they're not even grateful about it. You know? And and I think, you know, you you know, you just have to go, like, children are inheritance for from the lord, which is inheritance is is about being grafted in. Inheritance has got nothing to do with you. Inheritance has got got to do with, like, something that happened before you ever came into the picture and wealth that was accumulated before you ever came into the picture.
Mia:And because you are family and because you like, because it's your father, he's gonna give it to you. And it's and it's not about anything else except for timing. Inheritance is always about timing. So, like, when God said to me, you know, in our process, he said inheritance is about timing. I went, okay.
Mia:Like, and I think that to me that's encouraging because, you know, we god is outside of time. We're inside of time. And so we wrestle so much with, like, well, like, here's all the facts. You know? Like, oh, I've I'm this age or I've got this many eggs left or I've, you know, I've got, you know, I don't know, whatever.
Mia:Whatever it is you're, like, kinda navigating. I think, you know, we are going through so many things that are, like, rationalizing what the perfect time is and god's the whole time god's saying it, my time is perfect. Mhmm. You know? So so when I we started trying for kids and I had kinda thought like, that like, everything's great.
Mia:We're excited to try for kids. And and I had, you know, I had been a little anemic and I was like, I'll go get that checked out. So for like a year sorry. I went to doctors in in America letting them know I was anemic. And to be honest, it got to the point where I was like a few points away from needing a blood transfusion before they kinda intervened.
Mia:And, like, they ended up giving me a couple iron infusions. But I went home for Christmas in Australia, and it kinda frustrated me that, like, I was like, oh, yay. Like, you've dealt with the iron deficiency or whatever, but you haven't really told me why am I deficient. So I was like, you know what? I'm just gonna go see a doctor.
Mia:It's free health care anyway. I'm just gonna go in and take advantage. So I walk into a doctor off the street, never been there before, and I just kind of explained, you know, I'm tired and, like, I've I've been anemic and lower. And he goes, well, let's just do a scan. And so he sends me down the street to do an ultrasound and they do the ultrasound and then that night I go home and I have this dream.
Mia:And in the dream, I'm in a in a doctor's surgery and I'm twenty weeks pregnant. And I I know you know, like, in a dream when you know something, but, like, it's not really you know, the dream is not showing up, you know it. But in the dream, I'm holding my stomach, and I know that I'm pregnant with twins. And I put my hand on my stomach, and I say, is everything okay? And I panicked.
Mia:He says, is everything okay? And the doctor just looks at me and puts his hand on my shoulder and said, everything's okay. Everything's okay. Like, you're gonna be fine. And I'm thinking, yeah, but I know one twin is smaller.
Mia:I know one twin is bigger. Like, is everything okay? He's like, everything's okay. Everything's gonna be okay. And I wake up.
Mia:Well, the next morning I go to the, the doctor to get the results of the ultrasound, and they said, you know, your your your womb has grown to twenty weeks, like gestation, like the size of a twenty week pregnancy, and you have two tumors in there, one that's bigger and one that's smaller. And because I had had this moment with God, and, like, believe me, God does it differently with me every time. God does not repeat himself like the same like, he's not repeating the same faith story every time. Like, with my husband, it did not happen like that. It was a totally different thing.
Mia:But, like, the God gave me a dream to to give me an opportunity to partner with, like, like, his version Mhmm. Before I got the the the, you know, the doctor in the naturals version.
Carrie:Yeah. Just in the next time.
Mia:It a gift was because when they said, you have these two tumors, I straight away was like, I know it's not cancer. I know it's going to be fine. I know everything's going to be okay. But I mean, but I still have to figure out what I'm going to do about this. So I come back to Nashville with the results and I end up booking in with this, like, fibroid specialist, which is what they were.
Mia:They were, like, really big fibroids. And I book in with her, and I go in with the results, like, that I bought from Australia. And I say to her, like, okay. Like, let's just book this in. Like like, we'll cut them out.
Mia:And the whole time I'm believing I'm I'm gonna get healed anyway. You're not even gonna need to cut them out, but sure, let's book in the surgery anyway. And so and I've done a bit of research on like what the, you know, what the surgery entails and I'm thinking, you know, it's keyhole surgery. It's gonna be fine. Great.
Mia:So as I'm leaving, she's like, yeah. Let's book you in on March March 6 or March 5. And, like, and then as I'm leaving, she says I say to her, cool. And it's keyhole surgery. Right?
Mia:And she says she just said, no. I'm really sorry. It's not. Like and she said it's actually open abdominal surgery. And I was like, oh.
Mia:So then I go home and I look up the open abdominal version of a myomectomy. And I was like, oh, gosh. This is actually a really big surgery. Well, you know, I'm believing the whole time I'm gonna get healed and then I go in and no. All the way up until they they knock me out.
Mia:Like, I'm thinking you're gonna open me up and find nothing. Well, that wasn't how it happened. You know, the surgery was supposed to take, I think two or three hours and I think I was in there for six hours maybe. And when I woke up my husband just took me by the hand and he said hi love, hi love and then he just he started crying he said I'm so sorry they took one of your ovaries as well. And I just looked at him and I say, I don't know if it was the drugs or if it was my faith.
Mia:But I say I said to him, that's okay. We'll call the other one here ovary and it can be the hero of the story. You know? So at that time, I'm, you know, 36 or 37 with, like, a womb that's just been, like, really cut up and pieced back together. These huge tumors that had grown and then one ovary.
Mia:And and then we know how to try for kids for six months to give my womb a chance to heal and I had gone into the doctor and said well I'll be back in five months because I just think I'm going to be healed by then and she was like you're not going to be healed by then she's like, you need to do the full six months. And I said, well, can I just come back in five and you can check? And she said, sure. I went back in five months and they checked and she was like, this is so weird. I can't even see where I cut into your uterus.
Mia:Like there should be scar tissue and stuff, there's nothing. And I was like, thank you. And so they let us start trying for kids. So we we tried for a year, and then those tumors grew back. And I had to go in and have surgery again.
Mia:So then after that, like, we you know, during that time, we, you know, we stayed so excited about kids, like, to the point where we were in massive denial. Like
Carrie:I was gonna ask you, what was your that's a long time. It's a really long time between the surgery and then the recovery and then a year of trying and then that news. Like, yeah, how did you stay? Did you stay hopeful? Like, what was your mindset?
Mia:I bought a crib. I bought a crib and set it up. And, like, people will be like, oh, are you guys pregnant? And we're like, we will be. Like, you know, I think there's something so powerful about making room.
Mia:You know, it's like we wait, you know, we wait for God to do it before we celebrate, before we say thank you, before we be grateful, before we be excited. But if you are convinced about the nature of God and you're convinced he wants to be kind and you're convinced you've heard from him Mhmm. Then then you will start celebrating in advance and start preparing like that is true. So one of the things that God had said to me is I'm gonna take your story from a from a beautiful story to a miracle story. And I was like, yes.
Mia:And I was like, no. That means I'm gonna need a miracle. No. Like a miracle. And, but I because I had this promise, I was like, I'm gonna hold on to that.
Mia:And like throughout this whole season of like surgeries and like and like believing and then being sent to infertility specialists. Like, now, nothing got me angrier than having to go to an infertility specialist because I would not even let people call me infertile. Mhmm. Someone would say, I've heard about your, like, infertility struggles. And I and I would look at them and I would say, really?
Mia:Who have you heard that from? And they would say, oh, so and so. I was like, so funny I don't have infertility. And like, that wasn't me being in denial. It was me being like, I don't have an infertility problem.
Mia:I have a space problem. Mhmm. You know, I have an implantation problem.
Carrie:Right.
Mia:And even that I'm not in agreement with. Mhmm. You
Carrie:know? Because What you speak out does matter.
Mia:Gosh. Like and I think, you know, I think especially when you have walked something out for years, it can become a big part of your identity. Mhmm. And I'm like, you get to, like, choose, am I gonna be am I gonna identify as an infertile, or is I'm or am I going to identify as we are gonna be great parents one day? You know, I think you have to decide.
Mia:You know, you don't get to decide after the fact. You don't get to decide after you get pregnant. Oh, look. We're, you know, we we believed God. You know, I think it's great to thank God and and be grateful for a miracle.
Mia:I think it's so much more powerful to thank him before you see that the evidence of it. You know? So so, you know, we would do things that, like, kept us in faith. I would go to other people's baby showers, and I would be like, what's the most expensive thing on on on the registry? That's what I'm gonna buy.
Mia:Because I I'm gonna celebrate the actual heck out of this baby. Mhmm. You know? Because somebody else's miracle is not taking away from me. Is it painful?
Mia:Sometimes it can be. But I'm telling you, if you can move in the opposite spirit and go and celebrate people anyway, it's not protecting you and it's not helping you to be like, well, I I can't get pregnant, so I'm not gonna go to any baby shows. I'm not gonna celebrate anyone else's baby. That's actually that's actually robbing you. And, like, it's actually robbing your hope.
Mia:It's robbing everything. It's robbing your joy. And I go, I'm telling you, if you don't have those things, that's worse than being barren. Mhmm. That's worse than being infertile.
Mia:Like, I was like, if if I lose hope, I may as well be infertile. Mhmm. You know, I have to keep my hope up. And, honestly, I think you have to look at it as, like, I'm gonna get in proximity of what God is doing. Even if the person is unaware of, like, how how lucky they are and how blessed they are.
Mia:Even if the person's like, oh, pregnant again. Oh, it doesn't matter. Like, God is God is obviously doing something.
Carrie:That's really beautiful though because I think there can be a tendency to isolate when you're when you're hurting and I think it's very natural when you see so many people around you, really whatever it is, specifically with babies. Okay. Everybody has a baby. It's just it's sensitive and it's easy to pull away and tell you're pregnant and tell it's your story. And I I'm so I'm just so inspired by the fact that you're I think it's so healthy to say, no.
Carrie:I'm gonna lean in. I'm gonna lean into community. Gonna because I believe that you know, God has a story for me too, so I can celebrate this and be in proximity to that. And I'm sure it was painful at times, but
Mia:Oh,
Carrie:yeah. It's healthier than the alternative of of pulling away. That's just that's so that's so wise, man.
Mia:The language of heaven is celebration and gratitude. The bible literally says we enter his courts with praise. You know, you come into his court with thanksgiving and praise. I'm telling you, if you want your case to be seen in heaven, you know, and and Jordan and I talk about this a lot. Like, there are some things you're gonna have to go to the courts of heaven for to get overturned and, like, to make a case and present your case.
Mia:So so one thing that, like, you know, and Jordan and have talked about this, like, with Christian Mavir on her podcast about, like, take your promises to God. Take them to the courts of heaven and let Jesus be your advocate. Let the cloud of witnesses stand around you. Take your promise to heaven and say, you said, hey, God. I'm bringing you this word.
Mia:It's not my words. It's your words. Mhmm. You said you would give me a miracle story. Where is my miracle?
Mia:Jesus, would you be my advocate, and would you go and advocate for me advocate for me on my behalf? And, like, whatever whatever holdup there is, I need you to figure it out. You know, there's something so powerful about that. So we, you know, we we stayed grateful, and we stayed in hope. And let and, you know, let me tell you, it matters who you marry.
Mia:You know? The days that I was down, Jorn would contend for both of us. Mhmm. You know? The the moments that, like, I felt heavy, Jorn would would always say to me, it's you and me and everything else is a bonus.
Mia:Now that was a big deal for me because, if I'm honest, I've never really felt shame about anything in my life. Now have I made lots of mistakes? Yes. But I always think of them as lessons where I'm like, oh, I'm just gonna I'm very forward focused, not back focused. So, like, I truthfully had never really felt like I'm one of those people that struggled with with shame.
Mia:I would more struggle with disappointment. But I never really struggled with shame. Well, you know, after two surgeries, they send us to a fertility specialist, which I was very annoyed about. And, you know, they they test us both as they do. And I feel like it's a mom podcast, so we can talk about sperm and stuff like that.
Mia:For sure. Like, they test your own sperm and, like, test, like and Jordan's gonna be like, did you talk about my sperm on a Bob Podcast? And I was like, yes. Yes. I did.
Mia:It's
Carrie:not hard.
Mia:Not hard. So, you know, I go in and they say, oh, because, know, at this point, they've they've encouraged us to try IUI, which is like different to IVF. It's basically, they they take, the men's sperm and they put it close to the Oh yes, I didn't know that's what it's in your uterus instead of like just cervix or whatever. So it's called IUI. They encourage you to take like hormones or whatever with it.
Mia:We were like, I'm not doing that. But sure you can try it once or twice. They end up trying it five times, it didn't work. And then I was like, we're calling it quits. But the hard thing about that was that they test urine and I go in for them to do the procedure or whatever.
Mia:And they say to me, oh, your husband's got great numbers and, like, great swimmers. And I was like, oh, really? I go, what are his numbers? And they're like, 400,000. And I go, okay.
Mia:I was like, well, what's normal? They're like like, like oh, it was like 30,000 to, like Oh, wow. A 100,000 or something like that. And I was like, oh, okay. So they're really good.
Mia:So, like, you know, in that moment, like, I'm going oh, so we know it's me. It's totally me. Mhmm. You know? And I think it matters who you marry.
Mia:Like, we're drawn there was not one moment where drawn ever ever put it on me like this is your fault. He always would say, you know, it's you and me and everything else is a bonus. And I think there's something so powerful about somebody going, I'm gonna take the pressure off you, but I'm also gonna, like, be in agreement, you know, for our miracle. So after all of this, you know, they kinda sit me down and they say, you know, you're kind of out of options. Like, you know, your only option is IVF.
Mia:And even that even that's not looking good for you. You're, like, 39. You have one ovary. Like, you you have a womb that keeps growing tumors. Like so, like, sorry.
Mia:You're kind of out of options. Like, you know, you could look into, like, other things. You know? But god had really, you know, said to me, you're gonna carry your own kid. And, know, we didn't feel a piece about IVF, you know, so I just was like, you know, if God has said you to said to you to do something, then go and do it.
Mia:Like, if he has not said to you to do something, I think you should be very, very careful about strong arming heaven into getting what you want. Because I think there is, you know, there there is no there there is no shortage of ways to get the promise of God. You know? Like, you can you can fast track anything. Like, you wanna get married?
Mia:It's not hard to get married. Like, it's not hard to find a guy and get married. Like, you know, there's there's ways of, like, fast tracking things, but that it's not it's not the best way. There's a reason that god, like, that god asks us to do do it his way, and there's a reason that the bible says wait patiently for the lord. So, you know, we we had not heard from god about doing anything else.
Mia:Like, god had literally said, like, let me do it and given us no framework and no direction. And every time we would move in a direction, god would be like, no. And we would have a check. So we just said when when they said to me, you're out of options and even IVF doesn't look good, but we could try that. I said no.
Mia:And then, you know, when she'd said to me, you're out of options, I said to her, you know what? Like, I I respect what you're telling me medically. You know? Like, I've been in this I've been in this longer than you. Like, you know, because you're just a fertility specialist, I've been working with, like, you know, a fibroid specialist and been in a hospital twice.
Carrie:Yeah. It's been quite the saga at that point.
Mia:Totally. So I'm like, I like, believe me, Statistically, I know what's going on. Like, I'm very familiar with, like, everything that's against me. And I said to her, I understand what you're telling me medically, but I I believe in miracles, and I will be getting a miracle. So please take me off your list.
Mia:Please don't worry about contacting us anymore. Do not sign us for up for any more treatments. I will call you when we're pregnant. And then three weeks later, I called her in and I was pregnant. I think they were annoyed, but that's alright.
Mia:Like, I think they were like, oh, we lost a customer. You know? But I you know, but my my OB GYN who did all my surgeries, I called her and she jumped up and down. Like, she was, like, so excited. And, like, the sweet thing is is, like, you know, in her office if you go into her office in Nashville the surgeon who did all my surgeries and delivered my baby she has a big picture of her son hanging up in her office and she has a big picture of delivering Booth which is that's our daughter's name it's Booth, Booth May Dunnavant and she was born in May and I had the best pregnancy like it was such an easy pregnancy and then there were things like even in my pregnancy that like just because you get a miracle doesn't mean you're not gonna have to believe for things and walk it out.
Mia:Know, and and believing for a miracle baby, that's a that's a lifelong walking out, You know? So
Carrie:Yeah. I was gonna ask. During your pregnancy, you know, you'd had the promise. You felt you felt it was gonna happen. You did get pregnant.
Carrie:Did that ease any anxieties in pregnancy, or do you feel like like, did you have a peace knowing God said it, this is my miracle child, or were you anxious throughout
Mia:the process? Any mom, especially for the first time, like any mom, you're kinda like, what's that? Was that normal? I don't know. Like, you know, so, like, there's there's that kind of thing.
Mia:But, you know, one of things that I kept falling back on is, like, you gave us this miracle. It's not my job to sustain it. It's your job to sustain
Carrie:it. Mhmm.
Mia:Like, god, you you're gonna have to sustain this miracle. So, like, you know, did I do did I do some things like that, like, were smart for my age and all that sort of stuff? Yeah. Did I stop flying at, like, like, you know, five months or whatever? Yeah.
Mia:I stopped flying at five months. Like, did I did I take it easy? Yes. Did I, like, take you know, I, you know, I have, like, the that m t f h f r gene.
Carrie:I don't know what that is.
Mia:Yeah. It's like a some gene of abnormality or something like that. But I apparently, like, lots of people have it.
Mia:So I was like, oh, I'm gonna
Mia:take, you know, methylated folate instead of folic acid. I've heard of that. So, like, you know, like so that kind of stuff where you dive in and you're like, I'm trying to be like the best steward I can. Yes. Yes.
Mia:Yes. So, like, I was trying to be a good steward, but knowing full well that I was ultimately not sustaining Yes.
Carrie:This miracle. Yes.
Mia:And, you know, and then there were reports that we got that I could have chosen to be in fear about. But to be honest, I was like, I I I made a point of not even telling anybody about it Mhmm. Because I was like, you're just gonna speak fear into it. And I just I I I think if I don't tell anyone, like, the bad the bad news, then, like, it just it's great. I'll tell people later when I've got my baby in my arms.
Mia:You know? So I actually had a tumor underneath her placenta when I was pregnant, which is, like, not ideal because, like, you know, it can make this placenta pull away. But it was growing the whole time that she was growing. And then her cord was marginal, which means like, instead of the cord being in the center of the placenta and then getting all the nutrients and everything they need, it's on the edge and they sometimes worry like you're gonna be a bit nutrient, depleted and you're not gonna get enough, you're gonna be small, all that sort of stuff. Yeah.
Mia:Like, now on the other side, you're like, it's not that big a deal. But I think at the time you're
Carrie:kinda like, what does that mean?
Mia:Wait, something's not normal. For sure. But, you know, the whole time we were just kinda like, this is God's miracle to sustain. Jordan always jokes. He was like, you went for so many ultrasounds.
Mia:You just wanted to see her every week. And I'm like, yeah, I know. Like and I did. I was like, I I was so interested in the whole process and, like, so interested in what she would look like. And, you know, and it was so sweet to like, now, here's a funny thing.
Mia:Like so, you know, the crib I bought, I bought like this, like, really I was like, I'm gonna buy the nicest crib because I want it to cost me something. I don't wanna buy a placeholder. I wanna buy, like, something as though it is absolutely happening. So, like, I bought the nicest crib. And I even actually got it painted because I wanted it to be, like, the same kind of colors as our house.
Mia:And then I mean, has that kid slept in that crib a single day? No. That kid's a co sleeper. Like
Carrie:and and that represents. Honestly,
Mia:that that how funny is this? Like, sometimes God will give you your seed back. So she never slept in the crib, and so she got to, like, two. And I was like, I gotta sell the crib. It's never been used, and it's like this, like, very expensive crib.
Mia:So I, like, I went online to figure out how much the crib was worth because I was like, you maybe I could sell it for half price. I don't normally sell things on Facebook marketplace because how terrifying. But but I was like, sure. Let let's, like, sell it. Mhmm.
Mia:Like, go on I go on, like, c b two. Like, I bought it from Crate and Barrel or c b two or something. I go in there to just go check a previous order. Like, how much did this cost? What's fair to, like, ask for?
Mia:Because it's like a brand new crib. It's been recalled. And I was like, for safety issue. Oh my gosh. And I
Mia:was like, oh, thank goodness
Mia:I didn't put my baby in there. Yeah. And and so I call CB two and they were like, oh, yeah. It's been recalled. We'll come pick it up and give you your money back.
Mia:So, like, how sweet is that? Like, so, like, like, three years beforehand, four years beforehand, bought this crib, you know, spent this money on this crib and then, like, like, three and a half, four years later, God gives me back the money anyway. Wow. Like how sweet is that? Like which is it's like you think like God's not detailed, but I'm like, no, he's detailed.
Mia:Oh, he's
Carrie:in the details for sure. Yeah. Wow. That's so beautiful. So you had your daughter, you know, Booth.
Carrie:Booth's That's such a cute what inspired the name Booth?
Mia:So I as a kid like I'm you know those little angel tree kids you see in the mall at Christmas time Yeah. It's like you know this is like Tiffany and she's four and she needs like a new jacket but she would love a Barbie you know like can you I was one of those kids and my mom was she struggled with substance abuse and and she was a single mom and I'm a triplet and so she would go to the Salvation Army and get get food parcels from them and they would buy us Christmas presents. And that's how we came to know God. So I came to know God through like the Salvation Army picking us up on a Sunday. And, you know, my mom would my mom would usually be in a room and like, you know, sometimes passed out, sometimes just asleep.
Mia:And we would just get ourselves dressed as, like, these little five year olds and run outside to the Salvation Army bus and, like, jump on the bus and go to church, and we would sing these songs about God. And that's, like, kinda honestly that's why I got into songwriting is because like I came to know God through like the generosity of strangers and and through songs you know and the founders of the Salvation Army were called William and Catherine Booth and you know William Booth has this saying I'm not waiting on a move of God. I am a move of God. And I just was like, I just I thought it was so special. And so I'd said to my husband, my husband loved the name Betsy.
Mia:So he kinda liked b names that kinda sounded old. And I said to him, what do you think of the name Booth? And he was like, oh, I love that. And I go, should we should we call her Booth? And he was like, yeah.
Mia:Let's call her Booth.
Carrie:It's so adorable. I've never that that's an amazing story. I did not I did not do that well.
Mia:It's always nice to have a story behind a name. Otherwise, it's just like, I mean, did you guys, like, have your first kiss in a booth? Is that the situation? I'm like, no. It also means cozy dwelling place, which I don't think is a bad a bad meaning.
Carrie:That's not a bad meaning. And and you said her middle name is May, and she was born in May?
Mia:Yes. So That's cute. So how beautiful is this? The year that she was born, I had had somebody text me a year beforehand and say, April showers bring May oh, no. No.
Mia:It wasn't even a year before. So a year beforehand was when I'd had my my second surgery, and I had it in April. And I remember going in, being willing, but, like, you know, that was a surgery where I actually, like, like, cried on the table because I just was like, I just don't wanna have to keep doing this. And, like, god, I'm willing. Like, however you need to do this, I'm willing, but, like, I just this is such a bummer.
Mia:Mhmm. And I just remember crying and being, like, but I'm willing, you know, and whatever it takes, and and I'm just gonna keep walking forward believing you're gonna give us a baby. And that was in April. Well, then, like, it was, like, the following May that she was born. I had someone text me when I posted about the fact that we were pregnant, and I posted it ten weeks because, you know, well, somebody told me not to post because I could still have a miscarriage.
Mia:And I was like, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. So I posted about it. Like, I was like, stop it with your fear mongering. So I posted about it, and a friend text me and she said, oh my gosh. I'm so excited for you.
Mia:April showers bring May flowers. Now she didn't know the baby was gonna be born in May because if you looked at the timing, it would have been June. Okay. But I because I'd had so many surgeries, I ended up having to have Booth nearly four weeks early. Okay.
Mia:So she she had text me April flowers being May showers, and then she told me about how we were coming in. When when May hits, there's a valley in California called Death Valley, and it's completely barren. But the year that we were heading into was a super bloom, and and and May was when the super bloom starts. And it's basically when Death Valley becomes incredibly fertile and, like, everything comes to life. Oh.
Mia:And it just felt so significant to be like, I have this, you know, from Death Valley to, like, the super bloom. So I would call her my little super bloom. Love that. And then my mom's middle name is May as well. So It's
Carrie:adorable. Yeah. Adorable. Oh my gosh. And now she's you said she's nearly
Mia:nearly three? She's gonna be three in three weeks and she's do not believe the lie that girls are very placid and like wanna just sit People? Play tea parties.
Carrie:I'm I'm in the thick of it with boys, so I'm curious.
Mia:I mean, everyone's like, oh, you're so lucky. Like, girls are so much less work than boys. And I'm like, have you met my girl?
Carrie:She's my girl?
Mia:Girl is the most active kid that you've ever met. Like, she's busy bumblebee. We call her our quirky bird. Like, because she's, like because she's a quirky bird. But, like, she comes by it honestly because, honest I'm very quirky and so is drawn.
Carrie:I love that. What what is what is the lord teaching you in motherhood right now with an almost three year old?
Mia:You know, god's so kind about having a blueprint for every person. Mhmm. And I'm definitely not the mother I thought I would be. You know, I think I thought I would be way more strict and way more no nonsense and, like, you know, that's kind of how I was raised. Like, you know, you fall over.
Mia:My mom was a nurse and so, you know, and it's by the way, my mom's saved now and she's amazing. Oh, got no longer struggling with anything. But, like, the you know, we we like, I was right you know, my dad my mom married my Sunday school teacher, which is very sweet. So I I I grew up with a very kind, intentional dad and, like, very, very soft hearted and very practical, and, like, Jordan is very much that. My mom is she's like she's one of my best friends, but, like, she's more the person you wanna hang out with, not the person you go to for nurturing.
Mia:Mhmm. So I think I thought I would be, like, kinda no nonsense like that. And I tend to be a little bit like no nonsense in life. Let's just get it done. Mhmm.
Mia:When Booth was born, I remember holding her and just feeling, like, overwhelmingly grateful. And, also, you know, that hormone dump you have, like, like, a day and a half after
Carrie:pregnancy? Yes. It's major.
Mia:Well, fortunately, my sisters warned me about that, and they were like, listen. You're gonna be, like, overwhelmed with,
Carrie:like all things.
Mia:We're gonna feel all the things. Like but don't worry. It's not real. So I remember, like, sitting, like, on the end of the hospital bed with this little baby being, like, like, crying my heart out and, like, saying to saying to my husband, do you think she's mad that she has to live with us?
Mia:Like, she got to live when she was living in him and, like, she was in heaven and now she's with us for the downgrade.
Mia:And, like She's stuck
Carrie:here with us. I've I would have the same feeling.
Mia:Yeah. Like that that moment me? Is
Carrie:Am I gonna able to do this?
Mia:I know. I was, like, 40 when I had her. So, like and I, you know, I had nanny a lot in my life and, like, worked at at childcare centers. I had even, like, done a course to get certified as a childbirth educator, like, and teach prenatal classes. Oh, wow.
Mia:So like, was like like, you know, the head knowledge was like all there and like the the like practical knowledge of like, have I you know, I I used to look after a little a little one year old who was blind, you know, and like had him till he was like, four. And, you know, I I looked after a one year old and newborn twins until the twins were, like, three. And he said there was no shortage of, like, experience, and none of that freaked me out. But I said to god, how do you how do you want me to raise her? And he literally says, like, just one thing.
Mia:He says, protect her peace. And to be honest, that's been my compass for everything. Does that mean I cuddle her all the time? No. But has that meant meant that I've been way more way more patient and way more tender hearted towards her?
Mia:Yeah. You know, would I have naturally been a co sleeper? No. I read baby wise. I was convinced I was gonna be a baby wiser.
Mia:And that kid's co slept every night. She still co sleeps. Like and, like, I said to Jerome, what if she's in our bed till she's seven? And he goes, how great would that be? And I go, I know.
Mia:Like And that never that never like, somehow, like, gotta get your kid out of your bed. And I'm like, no. Like I like it. You know, like, I I did contact naps. I never thought I would do contact naps.
Mia:I thought I would be like, wrap them tight. Good night. Like, so I think, I think getting a blueprint from heaven, like, is so important. I don't think God tells you what to do. I think he tells you how to do it.
Carrie:I love that.
Mia:Yeah.
Carrie:That's so good. And each child is is unique.
Mia:Yeah. Because the next one he might be like, no, listen.
Carrie:Yeah. No. This one,
Mia:Yeah. He's gonna need to Yeah.
Carrie:Hammer down. Yeah. That's so great.
Mia:Yeah.
Carrie:My last question, I guess, is is what would what advice do you have for new moms that are listening? Like, Say your baby, they're having a baby this week, they're coming home, what advice would you give someone who has a Practical little advice,
Mia:mean, even if you have a very close knit family, I think there is something so special about it just being like you and your husband and your baby at the hospital or at your home for the first few days. I was so glad we did that. Like, we didn't really have a lot you know, my my pastors who are, like, two of my really close friends, they came to the hospital. They came for, like, half an hour. Mhmm.
Mia:You know? And then two of my friends came for, like, you know, ten minutes. Like but we didn't actually have a ton of people. And then even that first two weeks, I think we had one or two people come by. I think coming home and, like, just having a rhythm just with youth youth three and learning a new rhythm is really special.
Mia:I think, you know, I I think it's a great perspective to have. Everyone will tell you it goes so fast. It goes incredibly fast.
Carrie:It really does. You know,
Mia:those those nights where you're waking up three or four times a night, one night, it's just not gonna happen and then it's gone. Mhmm. You know? And I will say, like, not many moms would say this, I cherished the waking up at night. Like, I loved it.
Mia:Like, I would be it would I would feel like the presence of God. I would feel like this is so special and it felt so holy to to be like it's just you and me and the holy spirit, you know? And I think, you know, that's obviously not everybody's experience. Like, believe me, there has been nights where, you know, my daughter for a year was like she was such a great sleeper as a baby and then she, like, hit, like, 18 and just was like, I'm gonna wake up every night and just wanna party for three hours. Hang out.
Mia:Oh, yeah. I've yeah. Looks like a rage. And I'm like and and I'm telling you there's nothing you could do to get her to sleep, like, in a shorter period than three hours. It was and it you know, that was a very hard season.
Mia:One of the things I think for me is I would I always went back to God did this for me.
Carrie:I was gonna ask you if how often in those hard moments because I I know a friend of mine had a baby and then her her child got really sick really quickly and they didn't know if the baby was gonna make it. She ended up being okay within the first few weeks, but she told me when she got to bring her home a month later or so I did this. I will never. Yeah. She's like, I got God's like, she's a miracle.
Carrie:Mhmm. I will never take like, I don't care how much she poops, I don't care how often she wakes up, I don't care how often if I have to stay up all night and stare at her, I'm so thankful. And I think there's probably a different level of gratitude from your journey and your story.
Mia:Well, the thing is about perspective as well. When you see children as every kid's a miracle it is a miracle that like God thought these two are gonna be the perfect stewards and I'm gonna knit knit this little soul and this little spirit in that womb. I'm gonna take it out of myself and knit it in that way. When you think about it like that, it, like, changes the game. Yeah.
Mia:You know, when you think about, like, this kid one day is gonna do something and know god and and, like, I get the opportunity to be a part of that. Look how special, you know? And so, like, yeah, my kid, my head bat me and sink her teeth into my shoulder and, like, and I'll be, like, you know, and, you know, for us, we've had, like, you know, we've had a few little, like, challenges and I think I think you're thinking about it though is like a whole life, you know? Yeah. You know, one of the things like Booth's had some, like, some weird texture things and, you know, in some in some weird, like, you know, like, she she doesn't wanna bite into things, like, she's like, except unless it's my shoulder.
Mia:You know? So she, like, you know, she eats, like, you know, 15 foods and that's it. And, like, I think that's so, like, reassuring for parents to hear. Like, all my kid will only eat, like, 10 things. Mhmm.
Mia:They're gonna be okay. I had a friend whose kid only ate baked beans for, like, two years. And, like, now they're now they're, like, doing great. Like, they're, like, graduating from high school.
Carrie:Honestly say that. It's good
Mia:to hear. I just think that you've gotta have like a lifelong perspective. So like in the season we're in at the moment, we've just spent like thousands of dollars on occupational therapy and in myofunctional therapy and speech therapy you know, because Booth has, like, quite a big delay on, like, speech. But, you know, I think sometimes blocking out some of the the external voices and just celebrating the moments you're in, celebrating the little wins because nobody's noticing the wins more than you guys are. You know?
Mia:And then and it's about what you choose to what framework you choose to put around things. So, you know, we got told, you know, I remember getting this piece of paper and, you know, I didn't wanna have my kid assessed because I was just like, no. I don't want the labels. I'm glad I do because now I have a piece of paper that's that that essentially says like, you know, she's behind, she's behind, she's behind, she's behind. And I just I chose to get that bit of paper and I went home and I anointed her mouth with oil and I said, god is giving weight to your words booth.
Mia:And like and if he wants to hold them back for a little while, that's okay because he's giving the weight of heaven on your words. You know? And I said everything that feels like pulling you back is like a bow and arrow. God's gonna shoot you forward and you're gonna hit the target. You know?
Mia:And so we just speak that stuff over her. It is amazing the power of your words. You know? Like, I don't like hearing parents say you know, my one of my friends said them at the mall the other day and, like, someone said, you little monster. And I was like, oh my gosh.
Mia:Don't call your kid that.
Carrie:Like Yes.
Mia:It matters. Like, you're in such a naughty little girl. No. Don't call her that. Like, you I think it really matters.
Mia:And and, you know, I talked to her mom last night and she was like, yeah. But, like, she goes, I just she goes, I feel like I'm failing because, you know, I just, like, I get so mad that I just scream at them. And I'm like and I was like, yeah. But I said, what if you thought about it? Like, you know, this this girl's pregnant again.
Mia:And she was like, but I'm, like, got this 18 old, and I love him so much but I just like I scream at him because he just like won't listen and he's like you know and I said well you know I said to her like how's I didn't even answer that question I said how special that that God thought you were doing such a great job and and you were such a great steward that he was like, let's give him another one. You know? And I think that reframes it a little bit and makes you you know, nobody ever learned from from someone highlighting what they were getting wrong. I think people learn from highlighting what what you're getting right. You know, whenever I'm being a jerk or, like, being, like, horrible, like, god doesn't say to me, you're being a horrible person.
Mia:He says, you know what I love about you, Mia? I love that you wanna lift people up. And you don't even need to address the bad. Like, you you just address the good. You know?
Mia:And tell people who they are, not who they're not. So can I say one other thing? Please do. I just wanna talk to, like, all moms really. Like, not that I know anything because I only have one three year old, but I think it's really important that you don't idolize your kids, and you don't make having kids an idol.
Mia:You know? Because if you make anything having an idol, you'll do anything to get it. Mhmm. And I think you wanna get it god's way. You know?
Mia:You wanna have a story that says, look what the lord has done. And I and I say that a lot on podcast, but I'm like, the fact that you get the opportunity to have a story that says, look what the lord has done, like, is pretty amazing. I don't think people will if you strong-arm heaven and you just dig your heels in and make it such an idol that you, like, you force God's hand, I don't think it has you know, God will bless it and God will do something beautiful with it anyway, but I don't think it has the same power as only God. Yeah. So and I think that is a lifelong thing of not making your children your idol.
Mia:The same as not making your husband your idol. Yeah. You know, it's like, at first, I go to god and then everything else is just, like, a part of, like, the life that I'm stewarding and, like, the the the way that we're building the kingdom together. Mhmm. You know?
Mia:So, I mean, I've obsessed with my daughter. I love her. She's she's unbelievable, but I just I won't make her an idol because at the end of the day, she's not mine. She's God's.
Carrie:Amen. That's so true. Yeah. That's a really good reminder. Yeah.
Carrie:I need to hear that. That's so good. Well, Mia, thank you so much. You're just there's so much wisdom. Your faith radiates.
Carrie:Like, I feel like this room is just filled with with
Mia:Oh, good. With the
Carrie:holy spirit and with your faith and with with encouragement. You have a total gift for encouragement I'm sure you know that but you're very you're very encouraging so I really appreciate you like taking the time to share this story and I really think it's gonna bless so many moms
Mia:I hope it does I hope we get lots of miracle pregnancies like I hope someone listens to this with the doctor's report in one hand Mhmm. But with, like, you know, a random Australian, like, in their in their ears going Yes. I promise you, God wants to do this for you. God wants this for you more than you want it. And, like, if you would just trust him, he'll give you a he'll give you a blueprint, and he will come through.