So much has happened over the past 24 hours, my brain and heart can barely take it!
For one, I defended my PhD dissertation, entitled “I Can’t Breathe”: The Rise of Asthma in Black Urban America at Columbia University yesterday, and passed with minor revisions! My committee even said they’d be nominating my dissertation for a prize! Considering I started off 2019 with about 1/5 of my dissertation done, being able to see it through was a labor of love, but I. DID. IT!! And it wasn’t trash! All I have to do is make a minor change to my bibliography and I can submit it and get my degree! A whole PhD! A whole Doctor!!

Blazer: Robert Rodriguez via Rent the Runway, Pants: And Other Stories, Top: Ann Taylor, Shoes: Cult Gaia, Glasses: Burberry
The most amazing part?!! I finished my PhD dissertation WHILE GROWING AN ENTIRE HUMAN!!! That’s right, we’re pregnant!!! Baby Kola is set to make an appearance right before the end of the year, and I am still in shock (even months after finding out) that God chose us to be parents, especially after the long and arduous road that it took to get here.

PhD Onesie: Etsy
I briefly talked about our pregnancy and fertility struggle a few months ago, and I’ll be sharing a future post sharing that entire journey, but just know that this baby is a MIRACLE because according to the doctors, I wasn’t supposed to be able to get pregnant naturally. BUT GOD!!!! *inserts quick praise dance while holding my belly*
I’ve actually had a pretty smooth pregnancy so far, for which I’m grateful, and will be sharing more soon about how my first trimester went, how I hid it for so long, how we told our parents and siblings, and much more! Now excuse me while baby and I sleep for the rest of the day because we deserve it!!
Wonder full! Great and Powerful GOD and may HE continue to be great in your beautiful life!
Woosh woosh woosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ijeoma, you have zero idea how happy I am for you. As in, you have NO EARTHLY IDEA!!! Ever since you shared about the struggles you had last year, I thought about you in that regard and hoped that God would come through, and YES HE HAS!!!!!!!!!!!
BUT GOD IJE, BUT GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations Ije!!!!!!!!! Many blessings to you and hubby and the new baby on board.
Congratulations again, having you in my prayers for a safe pregnancy and safe delivery.
I’m sniffing and dancing with you!!!! Congratulations!!!!!!! And thank you, God for this miracle! There’s nothing He won’t/can’t do! Congratulations!!!!
Congratulations on your blessings!
Congratulations! You are truly blessed!!
CONGRATS and BLESSINGS! <3
This is soooo much good news ha! CONGRATS to you. Goodness, this is really amazing and I wish you all the best as a mom and of course, as a doctor (!!). God is so good, and you are quite literally the testament to that
TEARSSS!!!! Congratulations Doctor Mommy!! ❤❤
Congrats x1000 love! Literally everyone I know is getting married or popping out babies? So proud of you for completing your PhD journey, and I can’t wait to get my hand on your thesis/book – both my elder sis and younger bro have asthma, so your topic hits home.
I’m praying you have a safe remainder of your pregnancy, and stress-free move “back home”. Truly excited for your new job, and I can’t wait to hear more about it soon. Jisike nne! Chukwu goziri gị?
Ami o nne!! Thank you for EVERYTHING!! I’ll definitely share as soon as I can!
BUTTTTT GOD!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
WON’T HE DO IT!!!!
Oh yes he would!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS BIG TIME!……you also had this certain pregnancy glow all of a sudden and I was wondering where it was coming from given the infertility news you shared on IG ,even the IG post with this slight baby bump in a gold midi dress plus the maxi cute dresses you chose to wear in your summer look book,it was good fishy but all in all his this is extremely good newss…..To be called MOM!!!……what a PhD gift from God Almighty!
Much Love Ij K…my lovely regards to JK as well.
P.S: So much for taking an IG hiatus earlier this year, resigning as a ‘SMS A’ and engaging in a lot of wifey duties and becoming a Mommmm *wink* (Yes I’m an avid reader of this mighty beautiful blog)
*all in all,this is
Ijeoma, Thank you for this news. You won the day for me! Gush, this is the biggest news and congratulations. Pregnancy looks good on you baby.
Thanks so much girl!
Congratulations ❤️❤️
Thank you!!
Congrats..”Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.. Celebrating with you and for you..Congrats again.
That’s one of the verses we’ve been repeating!! Thank you!
Omogosh! Congratulations Ijeoma! God is too faithful. I have no words! Congrats on your PHD, congrats on the baby, Dr. Mrs. Mom, it has a cool ring to it.
Princess Audu
Thank you hon!!
Congratulations, Dr Kola! I’m SO happy for you and bae! Can’t wait to hear your testimony when you’re ready but today, my day is made! <3
Thank you! I’m emotionally ready to share, but need to rest after all of yesterday’s excitement! Should be up on the blog next week!
Dr Kola!!!! Lady, you legit just made my day – I am so emo right now coz i am so happy for you!!! Congratulations for on finishing you dissertation, and CONGRATULATIONS on the Baby Kola. What awesome timing. I thought you were amazing before today, but realizing that you finished your PhD in 7 years while doing ALL THIS!!! Yaaassss honey! Thank you for being an inspiration. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, may it continue to be smooth. I hope being self-employed will allow you the time you need to revel in all things baby. For me the first two-three years were the best – that’s when, it seems, that you really get to witness the miracle of life. Congratulations again, stay blessed.
Thank you thank you thank you!!!
AWWWWWWWWW!!!! Congrats!!!!! I pray that you give birth to a healthy baby. I also love your faith. When doctors say no, BUT GOD!!!
Those two words are all you need – BUT GOD!!
Congratulations! I recently viewed the Instagram Post about trying to conceive and seeing these days later is beyond awesome! Congratulations Dr. Mrs. Mom??
Thank you! The journey was long but God knew best and I’m glad we didn’t give up on faith or hope!
I am in tears right now!! Isn’t He a GOOD God!! Congratulations to you and your wonderful family!!
Thank you!!!
Congratulations! I’m so happy for you. I don’t know why that I felt that you were hiding something from us. I’m glad that you are to be a mother real soon. Congratulations again! I see now the skin, earlier posting about pregnancy and the move. ❤???
Thanks so much Charlotte! Hiding it was so difficult but I really wanted to defend first and bought the onesie as motivation!
Congrats!! I am so happy for you!! Such amazing news. Wishing you many blessings on your journey!! GOD is awesome!!
Thank you!!
Wow!!!! Congrats!!!
Thanks girl!!
Omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m screaming CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Can you hear me????!?!!!! THIS IS YOUR YEARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beyond happpy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve never clicked on a notification so quickly in my life!!!!!!!!
I can hear you!! Thank you so much!!!