Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison O’Brien.
Hi Madison, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. Before we get into specifics, could you briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story is by no means exceptional, although my milestones are pivotal to the story of me as they are in any human life span. My passion for theatre began in high school and transferred into my studies at Texas A&M. In college, I came out as a lesbian and was privileged enough for this to be a seemingly un-traumatic experience. In my senior year, I met my now wife, who also attended Texas A&M, and we are about to celebrate almost 11 years together. My career started in professional theatre at the Alley Theatre and Theatre Under the Stars in Houston. I soon realized that this was not the lifestyle I wanted and gained my certification to teach theatre. My wife and I married in 2017 and moved to Corpus Christi while planning our wedding.
In 2018, we began our journey to build a family and completed reciprocal IVF. We were successful in our first cycle and had our spunky 5-year-old daughter, Amelia. Writing became an integral part of my life during this IVF journey. Writing has always tugged at my heartstrings, but during this journey, it became clear that this was a process to share, educate, and celebrate. Starting my blog, 2 Moms Are Better Than 1, and sharing our experiences created a space for us to embrace curiosity and feel seen throughout the process. This blog blossomed into social media, specifically Instagram, and has continued to be a platform for snapshots of our lives. Still, it provides a creative outlet reflecting my identity as an artist, wife, mother, and everything I strive to be. During our time in Corpus, I became a Senior Writer for Coastal Bend Moms Collective in my free time, which gave me a more visible readership and a larger platform to educate and empower.
In 2022, we decided to grow our family and, after 3 cycles, were pregnant with our miracle embryo, which is now our second daughter, Eloise (10 months old). With a newborn and toddler, we moved to San Antonio in the summer of 2023 and are beginning to re-establish life in a new hometown. I continue to write as a mechanism to recenter myself, share my experiences, and hopefully provide visibility to two mom families and our paths in modern society.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road? If not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life always has speed bumps and struggles along the way. My Dad always says that everything in life is a “season.” It comes and goes. Some seasons are sad, some happy, and some exciting, but all ebb and flow through the course of our lives. These seasons usually center around pivotal moments that change your perspective or the trajectory of your life. Most recently, the addition of our second daughter is truly a miracle and a story of success against all odds. The road to her was bumpy, with three cycles of fertility treatments and one miscarriage. This path made me discover that there is not enough dialogue about pregnancy loss and even more so pregnancy after loss, and it became another platform to echo, if not by choice but through necessity.
I am drawn to rephrase this question of who has impacted my life in a “smooth” way or has made my life smooth? In college, my roommate’s mother took me in as her own, and for the past 14 years, I (and as my family has grown, them as well) have been considered sisters and family in the most profound sense. This family has and continues to make my life smooth and positively impact me regardless of the season. It has allowed me to show my daughters that family goes so much deeper than blood, and family can be built by those who uplift and cheer you on as you do the same for them. Mama Sampson and Kasey, two members of this family, passed away in 2021 and 2023, respectively. The void that they leave is immense, as is the grief. I think of them and how I wish I could share Eloise with them, how I wish they could see how Amelia has blossomed into her person, I wish I could ask for advice and guidance, I think of how my girls would be different if they were still around to impact their life. No one ever tells you that grief makes the roads past the loss a little less smooth.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
I am the Fine Arts Coordinator for South San Antonio ISD. Although my job now works with all mariachi, visual arts, theatre, dance, band, and music in Pre-K-12, my background is in theatre. I specialize in technical theatre and find the most joy in working with my hands, building sets, hanging lights, or working backstage. In 2019, as a new mother, I earned my Masters in Educational Administration. Last year, after being in the classroom for 9 years, I was pregnant with our second daughter and felt it was time to move out. Although it was exciting to branch into new challenges and adventures (in a new city), this transition took more work than I thought. Leaving the life we had built and nurtured in our most vulnerable time of becoming new parents again still leaves a gap in our hearts and lives. Humans have changed, and I find this even more true as an adult. Surprisingly, theatre is not really what I am “known” for. Most would describe me as an excessively organized DIY-er with no filter, an introvert who enjoys reading and is drawn to the outdoors and water. I wouldn’t say that I have any epic or outstanding achievements, but I am most proud of the life Krystal and I have built. Our two daughters and our life together are everything I could have dreamed of. Other achievements will always pale compared to my pride when we are all together, playing on the floor, giggling, singing, and simply being.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I don’t think I can isolate one specific childhood memory but rather a series of experiences that molded my passions, hobbies, and skills as an adult. As a child, my family, specifically my father and brother, always worked on remodeling or other DIY projects. Most of the time, these projects were held at home. I have pictures of myself on a ladder with my Dad checking electricity or peeking through a hole in the sheetrock as a toddler. I pride myself now on being able to complete my own DIYs and having enough knowledge to muddle through fix-its that inevitably occur as a homeowner. These experiences gave me a vision of the big picture and zooming in on impactful details. It also probably gave me too much confidence in what I could do. When I find myself in a pickle, I know my dad or brother is always a 2 am phone call away to attempt to fix an exploding faucet that ends up calling the professionals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.2momsarebetterthan1.com
- Instagram: @2momsarebetterthanone
Image Credits
Wildflowers Photography Texas
