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The Swirl World

Celebrating and Elevating Black Women - mind, body, soul and spirit!


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#221| Kiss Of Life

August 9, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

shareasimageKeisha_KissOfLife

Vedad and Keisha Vlahovljak have been married for six years and are expecting their little girl any day now.

The “kiss of life” is so sublime!

All the best to Vedad, Keisha and their soon-to-arrive bundle of joy.

 

“You gave me the kiss of life

Kiss of Life

You gave me the kiss that’s like

The kiss of life.”

From the lyrics to Kiss of Life, sung by Sade. Writers: Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale, Peter Gabriel, Helen Adu, Paul Denman. Copyright: Real World Music Ltd., Angel Music Ltd.

 

The Swirl World Team is committed to sharing 365 days of inspiration in 2015. Our goal is to help you stay motivated and inspired by bringing you positive, uplifting images and corresponding thoughts.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Copyright ©2015 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, The Swirl World Inspiration Daily™, Swirl Nation™, All rights reserved. Photo used with permission.

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Filed Under: Black Girls, Black Women Living Well, BW/WM, Fantastic Fans, Inspiration Daily 2015, Interracial Families, Mixed Race Tagged With: baby, baby girls, Black women, interracial, interracial marriage, interracial relationships, pregnancy, swirling, White men

#94| A Nice Way To Start

April 4, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

shareasimageKambreyAndKaelie

Babies are such a nice way to start people.

We think so, too!

Kambrey and Kaelie are first cousins living in Lafayette, LA. They are so gorgeous and adorable!

Tammy, their Grandmother, calls them “Bayou Bébés.”

We’ll be featuring more photos of Kam and Kae, so stay tuned.

 

The Swirl World Team is committed to sharing 365 days of inspiration in 2015. Our goal is to help you stay motivated and inspired by bringing you positive, uplifting images and corresponding thoughts.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Copyright ©2015  Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, The Swirl World Inspiration Daily™, All rights reserved. Photo used with permission.

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Filed Under: Inspiration Daily 2015, Interracial Families, Mixed Race, Series Tagged With: babies, baby, brown babies, girls, mixed race

Is A Baby In Mike’s Future??

December 9, 2013 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 4 Comments

big camera hides mans faceLast week we kicked off our Mondays With Mike series and introduced you to writer and blogger Michael Miocevich (My-oh-see-vitch), a native of Western Australia who is now our guide to Swirling in Australia.

(Mike also lends us his brain and lets us pick it at will).

In his first post Mike received three questions, one of which was to tell his idea of a fun date.

Whelp, Mike’s response generated this follow-up question from a fan on our Facebook page:

“I wonder how Mike feels about women with children?  Is that deal breaker? It seemed like his perfect date would be for a women with no children and free time to spend a whole day (not knocking it but I have two boys who come first). I just wonder if this isn’t even considered when looking for a mate . . .  Sorry I’m soap boxing :: steps down::”

This is quite a legitimate question, particularly because dating with children is a reality for millions of singles. I forwarded the question to Mike as fast as my little fingers could type it.

So, hmm . . . . Is a baby in Mike’s future?? What followed is Part 1 of his very thoughtful response:

CRYING BABY BOY 1

“This can be an interesting but also sometimes a hard topic to talk about. Some men can be rather apprehensive, as often while they can relate to the woman they are dating, they might feel a gulf between them and her children. This is more a psychological barrier than anything. The man doesn’t know exactly what role he should play, and also might worry about the notion that he might be seen as someone who is supplanting the child’s biological father. This can be rather conflicting, and I have seen marriages being broken up early due to the intervention of kids vs their parents new husband/wife. I have seen this both in relationships of divorced men and divorced women, so there is no finger of blame being pointed here. If this is noticed early on, with the children not getting along with the new partner, it really does need to be addressed as soon as possible.

Other times it can be the wrong thought for men that if they were to date a woman who has children from another relationship, that immediately they would be expected to provide for those children as well, when what they want is freedom and fun to develop a relationship with someone who is unattached or has no children. This is a rather selfish way to go through things in life, always wondering what people are trying to get from you. Often the women who these men could date and have children already are quite used to providing for their children, and aren’t expecting their new beau to walk in and be immediately put on the spot for financial help. It would be my hope that if a person did date and fall in love with someone who has children, that they would offer to help out as a gesture of love. It says he cares for you and your children, even though they aren’t his biologically. A man is going to have to face up to this eventually, so if he doesn’t think he can manage it, he’s better off not stringing someone along, thinking that he’ll eventually come around to it.

So where do I stand in all of this? I’m 38, so I am kind of on the fence in regards to starting a family with someone I meet. On the one hand I might have left it too long, as I’d like to be the kind of guy who spends times with his children and is active with them, rather than being too tired after working to do so, and leave them to be raised by the TV. On the other hand, who says that this should be the case? If I were to meet the right person, why couldn’t my life be structured to have a decent job, but time available to spend with my wife and children? These are questions that can really only be properly sorted out once I have met that special person who is right for me. It’s got to be a joint decision. Trying to plan out things exactly how you want them to happen is an exercise in futility. Better to have broad plans that move you forward and are able to accommodate any curve balls thrown your way.

As for dating women who already have children, I don’t see why not! If we are lucky enough to make a connection with someone who excites us, challenges us, is great to be with and who you don’t know if you could be without, I don’t see why them having children would be such a barrier to having a relationship with them. The above preconception is something a lot of people automatically make as they have no experience of such situations. I would be prone to them myself as I have only dated women who were previously single and without children. To be honest perhaps I was too limited in my view of what a fun date would be because of it. Another limitation is that my place isn’t that huge, so dating a woman who has children and is looking to emigrate to Australia might be a touch difficult as I don’t have a lot of space for more than one other person. This is likely to be something which changes in the future, but at the moment it is likely to be a factor. However, as with all things, any problems will have a solution.

In which case a date with a women who has children might involve a day at the museum (the American Museum of Natural History is absolutely fantastic and I could have spent days there when I was in NYC) or a visit to a park for a picnic. If we go to a park I am going to have to pack a cricket bat and ball so we can have a hit before lunch (yes, I am going to hold on to my Australian sporting identity darnit!). A nice lunch and a walk around the park while the kids go roughhousing nearby. Pack it all up and head to the movies (at a cinema or at home) for something light-hearted and pants-wettingly funny, or even do so at home on the couch. If I have been dating the woman for some time, then reading the kids a story before bedtime, or even make up one of my own for them would be really cool. Then the rest of the evening can be spent talking and being together on the couch, conversations of everything and nothing, and sweet kisses before parting.”

Stay tuned for Part 2, where Mike gives us insight into what a man thinks when he considers dating a woman with children.

MIKE MIOCEVICHGot questions for Mike? Send them to us via inbox on Facebook or email them to ASwirlGirl@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Follow Mike on Twitter @500and50, read his blog at 500and50.com, or message him on Facebook.

Join in the Fray: What are your thoughts on dating someone with children?

Copyright © 2013 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, All rights reserved.

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Filed Under: Mondays With Mike, Special Tagged With: Australia, babies, baby, Black women, Black. White, Blog, blogger, child, children, dating, deal breaker, Facebook, interracial, interracial dating, interracial marriage, interracial relationships, love, Michael, Michael Miocevich, Mondays With Mike, swirling, Western Australia, white

My BIG, HUGE Announcement: I Have A New Baby-And It’s A Girl!!!!

April 30, 2013 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 11 Comments

view of a baby girl making a face

Remember back on April 1st when I told you that I would have a special announcement to make at the end of the month?

Well, my BIG, HUGE announcement is:

I Have A New Baby-And It’s A Girl!!!!

*Beaming with pride*

Just kidding. Sort of.

(I am shrieking with laughter, because even when I’m totally serious, I play too much).

I don’t have THAT kind of new baby!

No, I have THIS kind:

ForChurchGirls_avatar_FINAL

You’re looking at the brand new face of my upcoming blog and website:

For Church Girls

 Traditional . . . .Yet Contemporary Women

That’s right, I’m launching a new blog designed specifically for women of faith. The Proverbs 31 woman in the Old Testament and the businesswoman Lydia of the New Testament serve as the inspirations for the blog. Both were traditional women in that they were women of faith – yet they were contemporary for their time.

The purpose of For Church Girls is to serve as the go-to blog for women of faith. The blog will focus on spiritual things including inspiration, empowerment, and personal enrichment, as well as natural things that are also of interest and concern, including health, wellness, hair, fashion, and beauty. Moving forward, we will also hold monthly empowerment calls featuring guests who will lead discussions on a variety of topics.

This has been a particularly exciting week for me, not just because I’m undertaking this new venture, but because other bloggers like Christelyn Karazin of Beyond Black & White are forming networks and coalitions, and launching new websites.

This is a win-win situation for women seeking quality content.

I recently completed a Blogging School conducted by Rosetta Thurman, Blog Mistress of the Happy Black Woman. The class was filled with women who are starting new blogs and launching websites.

Writer and social commentator Angela Gatlin Keys is working on a new website. Celebrity stylist Kaye Flewellen of Just Ask Kaye is working on a new book and companion website, as is blogger Toni M, Blog Mistress of Petals.

Just this Monday, blogger LC Coleman of Colored Girl Confidential launched a new online networking and accountability group called The Colored Water Fountain.

And as for A Swirl Girl? Well, she’s going to Keep Calm And Swirl On!

KEEP CALM AND SWIRL ON

 

No worries; this blog will continue. I’ve got more good stuff coming up, including a special guest post from dating advice specialist and freelance writer Miranda Santiago, who will share some juicy tidbits about interracial dating and Latin men. Look for more profiles of interracial romance writers, and stories and photos from interracial couples.

And, of course, news and updates regarding my Swirling activity.

Back to the matter at hand:

Isn’t it wonderful that bloggers and writers are pursuing and fulfilling their dreams? And that’s the beauty of dreams: Everyone can have a dream, a goal, a vision – and everyone can realize their dreams.

The vision I foresee in For Church Girls is a website that serves as a safe haven for women of faith. Far too often these days, “Church Girls” are portrayed in a negative light, and viewed as thirsty, man hungry, gullible hypocrites who are silly and vapid. Yes, the Bible aptly describes such women; they do exist. Their egregious behavior needs to be challenged! Even though For Church Girls will project a nurturing environment, we won’t coddle anybody: Stinkin’ thinkin’ and behavior will be called out and addressed!

Our launch is set for May 11, 2013.

Till then, head on over and sign up for our updates to ensure you don’t miss a bit of the action!

 

Join in the Fray: What’s your opinion of modern-day “Church Girls?”

I have blogged every day in the month of April for BlogHer’s NaBloPoMo Challenge. Thanks for reading and do leave a comment!

Copyright © 2013 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, For Church Girls™,  All rights reserved.

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Announcements, For Church Girls, NaBloPoMo Challenge, Series, Special, Uncategorized Tagged With: Angela Gatlin Keys, announcement, baby, baby girl, Beyond Black & White, Bible, Black women, Black. White, blog launch, bloggers, blogging, BlogHer, blogs, Christelyn Karazin, Colored Girl Confidential, dating, dreams, For Church Girls, goals, Happy Black Woman, interracial, interracial dating, interracial marriage, JustAskKaye, Kaye Flewellen, launch, LC Coleman, love, Lydia, NaBloPoMo, new website, Petals, Proverbs 31, Proverbs 31 woman, Rosetta Thurman, swirling, The Colored Water Fountain, Toni M, visions, website

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Welcome!

I’m Michelle Matthews-Calloway, and I’m A Swirl Girl! Greetings to you from The Swirl World. We encourage Black women to expand their relationship options by dating and marrying interracially. Our overarching mission is to see Black Women live their best life. Come Swirl with us in The Swirl World™, where we celebrate Black women and the diverse men who love us!™

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