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Twin Cities Mom Collective

I am a Twin Cities Mom: Donnie Belcher

by Kim Mortensen

This week’s I am a Twin Cities Mom feature is all about Donnie Belcher

“I am so many things, but there are three roles that are most important to me. First, I am a new mom to Amelia Rena (who will be 5 months old soon). Second, I am a life partner to Camron. Third, I am a daughter to Wanda Jean (who I affectionately call my Twin), who is currently winning her fight with cancer which she was diagnosed with earlier this year. I am a writer and excited to share via Twin Cities Mom Collective soon. I work as a marketing, strategic planner, DEI consultant, and professional in Communications. I am also an avid scrapbooker and plant mom. I am passionate about helping others close the gaps between where they are and where they want to be as well as helping others to make the spaces that they occupy more equitable, particularly for those who have been historically underrepresented, under-resourced, underestimated and overlooked.”

I am a twin cities mom: Donnie BelcherWhat do you love about calling the Twin Cities home?

I have a Great Aunt who migrated here from Missouri, where most of my family currently lived about 40 years ago. My mom & I joined her at the beginning of my high school career. I graduated from North High School, moved to Chicago for college, stayed there for almost 20 years, and returned home because I craved the natural beauty, the beautiful diversity, and integration. I wanted to be closer to my mom, who I’d lived so far apart from for so long. I also reconnected with my High School Sweetheart, and we had our first child together this year (*cue the violins lol*).

If we peeked in your purse right now, what would we find?

My planner and planner stickers, a disposable mask, too many ink pens (I’m obsessed), my overstuffed wallet, lipgloss, lipstick, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, noise-canceling headphones, an extra phone charger, blood pressure medication, my keys, including my car keys (which I recently found out can remote start my car, which I’ve owned since April, right before my daughter was born, and had no idea my car had that feature), a citrine crystal, a little vial of dirt that I keep from my family’s land in Arkansas that has been in our family since the mid-1880s, fingernail clipper, and peppermints. I carry so much because I like to be prepared!

How do you prioritize friendships and connections with other women?

Friendships are so important. I have been blessed with a great circle of friends. Out of my close circle, I only have one friend who is also a mom, so lately, I have been craving to be in community with other moms (especially new moms like me). The pandemic has made making those connections so challenging, which is why I’m grateful for communities like this one.

Being a mom is no easy task. How do you relax and take care of you?

Whew! I am not always great about relaxing and taking care of myself. But, when I do, I enjoy time alone to scrapbook, journal, read and take bubble baths with all of the oils, salts, bath bombs, etc. I can find. I also really enjoy my morning cup of coffee. But, I find that the best time to have some me-time is at night after my daughter goes to sleep for the night, and I always do at least one thing that helps me relax. Also, my partner and I go on at least one official date per month, involving my daughter staying at my mom’s overnight. The date part is often rather short though because we both enjoy getting the extra uninterrupted sleep!

What’s been your greatest joy in motherhood?

My greatest joy in motherhood so far has been getting to know my daughter, as well as watching her discover her voice (which involves lots of rhythmic throat sounds and high pitched screams right now) and how to work her spacesuit (her body). She’s mastered her hands and has recently discovered she has feet.

What have you found most challenging in your motherhood journey?

The most challenging part of motherhood is to not stress. I am a super planner, so I can get obsessed with metrics and milestones. I am learning that my daughter will do things when she is ready and that there is no exact timeline for development. I am learning that the best thing that I can do is be present, not stress, and shower her with love.

How do you hope your life influences and/or inspires other women?

I hope that my life influences women to remember that they can always make another choice. To never feel backed into a corner or never feel like they can’t do something. I also hope that my life inspires women to live and walk in their truths, live and learn out loud, and, most importantly, find joy when and where possible. I’ve been through a lot in my life, including surviving a sexual assault and being a mom to 4 angel babies. Still, through it all, I’ve never lost my motivation to keep going. I’ve survived 100% of my worst days so far, and I hope that my life reminds other women that they too can not only survive but thrive.

Twin Cities Favorites

Date Night Restaurant: Rojo

Best place to hang out and have some fun: Paisley Park – I always leave so inspired

Local Boutique: Ragstock – always!

Local Coffee Shop: Caribou – I’m obsessed with the Caramel Cooler and it’s so Minnesota.

Locally based online business: The Future

Donnie owns a consulting firm called Work With Donnie and you can find and follow her on Instagram @donnienicole84.

We love having the opportunity to share the personal sides of local Moms of the Twin Cities! If you would like to recommend another local Mom you think should be featured in our I Am a Twin Cities Mom series, please email us at info@twincitiesmom.com.

Kim Mortensen is the Co-Owner of Twin Cities Mom Collective. She has held many different titles throughout her life including, teacher, fundraiser, coach, and marketing professional. However, the titles held most dear to her are wife and mom. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Alex, and together they have three kids, Lucia (10), Ellia (9), and Decker (7). Kim is passionate about connecting women through the journey of motherhood, normalizing the hardships and challenges that come with the territory, and finding moments of joy and celebration in between.

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