About Me

Wallace and Jenn, aka Momma, July 2021 eating popsicles on the back step.

My name is Jenn, but I’m most often called Momma, or Wallace’s Mom. I’m 36 and I’m a single mom by choice. When I grew up I wanted to be an archeologist, an author, an illustrator, a teacher, a chef, and a mom. As an adult, I’ve been a short order cook, a cashier, a bookseller, a student, a pizza maker, a nanny, a performance poet, a smut peddler, worked on a dude ranch, a bear maker, a tea seller, a breastfeeding peer counselor, a doula, a yoga teacher, a grocery order shopper, and I had a used book business. I currently am applying for disability due to multiple chronic illnesses greatly impacting my ability to function. I grew up in Michigan, called Chicago home for 6 years, spent a year and a half in Denver, back to Michigan for a spell, 9 months in Chicago, and the last 6 years have been back in Michigan.

My child, Wallace, was conceived via DIY alternative insemination with the help of a known donor. They was born March of 2013. I would very much like to have another child, but since going through pregnancy and birth my illnesses have compounded and I’ve spent the last 8 years treading water and trying to get doctors to believe me.

I started this blog as a safe place for me to talk about my feelings, plans, and experiences. I also wanted to be able to share with others who might be interested in starting a family on their own. I found much comfort and validation in reading the blogs of other families and found a sense of community through writing my own. Due to some privacy issues, many of my posts are password protected, so please email me if you are a friend or genuine follower. My email is goodfamiliesdo at gmail dot com. Oh, and the title is a reference to a children’s picture book… 50 points for anyone who gets it!