Daily Inspiration: Meet Umeka Wright

Today we’d like to introduce you to Umeka Wright.

Hi Umeka, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am a wife, mom, counselor, blogger, and so much more. Sometimes I feel like I am everything to everybody, which is the life of a busy working mom of six. I started the blog Blended & Loving It in 2012 as an outlet to share my grows and glows of blending two very different families. Our blended family journey started off so rocky and bumpy that it was very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. So the blog was my way of creating my own light and attempting to look for the positive within our blended family and stop focusing on the negative. The trials and tribulations will consume you, your thoughts, and your family if you allow it.

I must say, God was truly my saving grace, I prayed day in and day out, longing for peace. Married 15 years to my “MY HAPPILY EVER AFTER” we blended our families in January 2006. Professionally, I am a school counselor specializing in adolescent and teen substance abuse prevention and interventions. It has always been my passion to help others, especially children. Being an educator for ten plus years and a former caseworker for Child Protective Services counseling has always been in my blood. I created Blended & Loving It as a stage for all mothers, bonus moms, bio moms, and soon-to-be bonus moms to collaborate, motivate, educate, and encourage one another.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The last 15 years of blending our family have been challenging but yet very rewarding at the same time. I tell myself it is not the challenges that define our relationship as a family, it’s how we tackle the challenges that come our way. We decided early on that we will operate as one unit, one family, regardless of our last names and DNA being different. When blending so many different personalities and attitudes, we have had our fair share of challenges and obstacles, but we use those moments as lessons to learn and grow from. Although we have had our fair share of challenges throughout the years, those challenges and obstacles made us who we are today.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are a blog and family that want to encourage, motivate, and inspire others as they travel along their blended family journey. My love for children and all things family is what swayed my professional career to school counseling, and my own blended family experiences is what pushed my career as a certified life coach specializing in remarriage and blended families. The struggle of trying to find the right balance and blend for my own blended family is what influenced me to begin the blog Blended & Loving It which ultimately led to writing the devotional Blended & Loving It a Thirty day for Devotional for Blended Families. Our devotional offers spiritual guidance, encouragement and motivation to individuals in blended families, newly blended families and soon-to-be blended families. Blended & Loving It~ A Thirty Devotional for Blended Families is an amazon best seller and sure to be a blessing to all families.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I try to make it a priority to work hard during business hours to ensure I am available for my family in the evening, therefore I try to limit my apps, books and podcast to make sure I am truly present and in the moment. My books and podcast list are forever changing, right now I love the podcast PR yourself by Leah Frazier and I also enjoy the YouVerison (Bible) app for my devotionals and daily scriptures. My guilty pleasures would be TikTok, Instagram and Clubhouse, I consider these apps my de-stressors.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.blendedandlovingit.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blendedandlovingit/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blendedandlovingit
• Clubhouse: @umekawright

Image Credits
Marcus Owens- Mo Storyteller Charles Gbadebo – SoSo City Ginger Matthews -Images of Corrin Photography