Ashton Johnson : Local Mother
The day that Ashton Johnson became a mom was the best day of her life. After persevering through the mental and physical toll of fertility issues for four years, she felt blessed to give birth to her son, Everett, at the end of 2022. “From the moment I first held him, I knew I was always meant to be his mom,” Ashton says. “Now, Everett is at the age where his personality is really coming through. I have loved every stage, but I love seeing him become his own little person. He is kind and sweet and loves snuggles. He is great at telling everyone ‘No,’ and he loves to belly laugh with his favorite people.”
Even though Ashton loves being a mom, it was hard at first. Not only did she struggle with fertility, but she also experienced a lot of postpartum anxiety. Though she had dealt with anxiety her whole life, she was unprepared for how it would feel as a new mom. “It took some time to overcome the brunt of it, and medication helped the first couple of months. I struggled to return to work; I felt like this wasn’t what it was supposed to be like. I wanted to be with my baby and raise my baby, not have someone else do it,” Ashton says. “As he has gotten older, the anxiety has lessened a lot, and it no longer leads to panic attacks. I also switched to a more hybrid schedule, which has greatly helped.”
As a Christian, Ashton says that her main goal as a parent is to teach Everett about Jesus and raise him to be a good man. “My entire job as a mom is to keep him safe while also teaching him how to follow the Lord and not the world,” Ashton says. I also know that one day, he will be a husband and father, and I want to raise him to be a good one.”
Ashton says she had the best example of motherhood from her mom, who was always caring and understanding. “If I am half the mom to Everett as my mom was to me, I will be the best mom,” Ashton says. “My mom and I talk multiple times daily, and it’s the best part of my day. Even if I knew I would be in trouble as a child, I was never scared to tell my mom anything. I knew she loved me unconditionally and still does. I want my son to feel that kind of love.”
One thing that Ashton is looking forward to experiencing with Everett is going on vacations. “I want to take him to as many places as possible because I remember traveling a lot as a child,” Ashton says. “I had the best childhood because of all the different cultures I had the honor of experiencing.”
Ashton says that her favorite memories with Everett are the first time she held him, the first time he smiled, the first time he belly laughed, and all of the other “firsts” that have changed her life. “I love the big hugs, the toothy laughs, and kisses he wakes me up with in the morning. Even the not-so-fun moments are learning experiences and a chance to grow,” Ashton says. “I am a completely different person. I no longer come first but in the best way. I love my title of ‘Mom.'”
Fun Facts:
- My dream Mother’s Day would include good food and lots of love. Nothing special, just spending time with my perfect son!
- The best advice I’ve ever received is that being a mom is both the best and most challenging thing you will ever do.
- One thing I want to do with my kid is take him on a family trip to the national parks.
- The one thing I wish I had known about parenting is that on the days that you think, “‘I could’ve been a better mom today,” it was probably a great day for your child. Kids seem to find all the good in everything!
- The best gift my kids could ever give me would be loving Jesus and spreading the love I pour into him.