Latoya Giles
Bio
I'm just a single mom tryna make it. Come with me on my journey through life in writing... "A dream deferred is not a dream denied"... "Life is not a crystal stair..."
Stories (83)
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That's Just My Baby Daddy...THE BOOK
This is a series. It was a book at first. Here is some background information: Wade is my oldest daughter's dad. We grew up on the same block. We met when I was 6 and he was 7. He had stolen my brothers bike. I went to confront him and that is how we met. We became friends later in life, our teenage years. He helped me study for my permit test...
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Confessions
That's Just my Baby Daddy
"It takes two to Tango", as the saying goes. Everyone knows it. Sperm meets egg, they intertwine and a baby is formed. Inside my belly, growing bigger by the day. Then my baby is born. I went through this process twice. I have no regrets. I did however, ask "dad" if he wanted to proceed because I DID NOT want to be a single mom in need. How ironic it is that it happened anyway regardless of my foresight and plan. "Dad" is not around in any capacity to lend a hand. Just sees his kid on holidays if that and random cashapps. Being a single parent is hard. He gets to relax and be free while all the responsibility falls on me. It's all good though because both my babies know, mommy got they back "until my eyes close."
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Families
Dear Journal
The last few days have been so eventful. My past love is back! I think I told you that last time. Guess that shows how excited I am. You know what though? I am gonna say that I am cautiously excited. Remember, I had already resigned myself to the idea that I will be single until I die. When the girls grow up and move out, I will have a dog. Cats have been growing on me lately though. My neighbor has one. He is fat and cute. He is murder on my allergies though, the kids too. Sometimes our allergies act up even when we take Benedryl. I don't know...
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Confessions
Dear Journal
It's Friday. It is a beautiful day. It is over 70 degrees outside today. I have been optimistic the last few days. I like it. Ideas have been flooding through my brain. I try to write something everyday. I rode by some woods today and saw some tents. The homeless people are branching out or maybe there are more that have come to the area. On the other side of the street is the original area homeless people had tents in. I joked with my kids saying we are gonna be doing that. Riding by and seeing it again today made me seriously think about actually living outside. I found out that there is a thing called "glamping". It is glamorous camping. I now want to find some land and buy it. I want to get an RV or a trailer or maybe even build a house on the land. My neighbor and I had talked about buying sheds and connecting them to make a small home. There are so many benefits to living that way. The only thing for me is how do we shower and/or use the bathroom. I figure we would just take tub baths, no showers. I can get a generator for electricity. I am really considering this.
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Journal
Beyond Belief
I tell myself (fairly often) that I do not believe in ghosts, right? I feel like if I don't believe, I won't see or hear them around me. That proved to not be the case at all! Spirits will make themselves known if they want to be acknowledged. You are at home alone and something falls on the floor.
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Horror
Dear Journal
Dear Journal, This is my first entry. I have so much to talk about, so many to things to say. Where do I even start? I guess I will start with the stuff that is in the front of my brain first. So, there is this girl I have been seeing around. Well, it's a little more than that. I have talked to this girl and I have a superficial relationship with her mother. The girl is a year older than my oldest daughter. The mother is a year or so older than me. Mom has two other children. She has a younger daughter that is about 4 and a 7 month old infant son. On the outside, they appear normal. They have a house and a vehicle. The kids go to school. Mom doesn't work. She doesn't have any visible disabilities. She could be impaired mentally some how and maybe that prevents her from being able to work. I know for sure that the family receives government assistance. I know for sure because we had a conversation about it. I had mentioned having and using food stamps and she related by saying she gets stamps, cash assistance as well as subsidized housing. Shoot! I wish I could get subsidized housing lol.
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Journal
Cycling
I am a single mom. I had my first child at the age of 20. Being a parent can be difficult for someone in their 30's, so being only 20 and being a mother was daunting. I was so afraid that I would not be a good mother. The negative thoughts nearly consumed me. On paper, I was an awesome mom. I had a well paying full time job. I was college educated. I had gone out and bought a car a month before giving birth. I signed the lease to an apartment when my daughter was just 11 days old. Life appeared good on the outside. I was on maternity leave for 12 weeks. I enjoyed the time with my baby.
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Psyche
Stepping out of the Closet
I was born in the 80s. I grew up in the 90s. During that time, homosexuality, transgender and/or same sex marriage/relationships were taboo. AIDS was being called the "gay disease". Being gay was a punchline. People used being gay as a way to emasculate a man. Gay was used to describe a man doing anything remotely "feminine". It was socially acceptable back then to use words that are considered slurs today. Gay men and men that liked to wear "womens'" clothing could, and would be assaulted or even murdered. Gender reassignment surgery was known as a sex change and was not openly discussed. Families would be embarrassed to have a homosexual child. Homosexuality was not shown on tv. It was the ULTIMATE sin.
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Pride
Single Mom Chronicles
I have been a single mother since 2008. I became a double-time single mom in 2015. Two men left me alone to raise two daughters. My children are quite literally my world. I lost my identity when their dads decided to leave. As I write, my only identity is being a mother. I have no social life. I have no boyfriend. Taking care of my children consumes me. I have to work to make ends meet. I still fall short. It was (and still is) suggested that I get a second job. I continue to refuse. If I am always at a job, when will I see my children? When I am away, they miss me and I miss them.
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Confessions
Hometown Heroes Too...
"Hometown hero, hero of mine; Save me, save us...shine. You don't wear a cape like superman; I'm still a fan and follow you avidly. Lemons given out by life is our new norm, but true to form, you never changed: extending your hand, using your name. We all lift you up and aspire to the same..."
By Latoya Giles 4 years ago in Humans
