TV personality, Eboni K. Williams host is about to take on a new title: mother.
On June 5, the 40-year-old attorney and The Real Housewives of New York City alum exclusively revealed to PEOPLEthat undergoing IVF treatment, she is now pregnant with her first child, a baby girl.
"Anybody who's gone through IVF or attempted IVF will tell you so many things have to go right for the final result of this journey to be a baby," Williams told the publication. "That's why I've called this 'my remarkable miracle,' because it really does feel like I've been the recipient of some very enormous favor from God above."
Williams underwent an egg retrieval at 34 years old, without specific plans for the future use of the eggs. However, six years later, from that single retrieval, she had a successful embryo transfer; likening the experience to “fate.”
"I did one egg retrieval at 34 years old, not really having a clear intention on if I would use those eggs or when I would use the eggs,” she recalls. “And six years later, that one egg retrieval led to one genetically normal embryo which led to one successful embryo transfer and — one pregnancy later — I'll soon have, God willing, one beautifully healthy baby girl. So it really does feel like fate."
The TV host told the magazine that motherhood wasn’t always a “dream or fantasy” for her.
"I want to say that with conviction and clarity; I was not the little girl that grew up fantasizing about having kids and what I would name them and all of that," she says. "That was not my dream or fantasy. I had no real expectation around it."
For Williams, it was an existential reflection on “legacy, love,” and life during the pandemic, that led her to explore her options on growing a family. "I was really thinking I would never use them, whether I got married again or didn't," she says.
"It was the pandemic and having some real existential conversations within my own self about legacy and life and love and the different ways in which I really wanted to explore family."
The first-ever Black Housewife of RHONY added that after liberating herself from societal standards around family she broke free from the notion that she had to follow the conventional timeline and expectations set by others.
"I really freed myself of the rigidness of what legacy, love, and family could look like," she shares.
"Those are the three pillars I reassessed, and it helped shake me from this idea of, 'I have to have it this way on this timeline everyone else is following.'"
Williams' decorated resume allowed her to redefine her version of the “American dream.” After realizing she was capable of providing a stable, safe, and secure environment for her future child, she now sees motherhood as a unique way to cement her legacy beyond mentorship and release the “shoulds” out of her life.
"There will always be that voice that says, 'Maybe I should have waited to meet a man and remarry before I had a baby. Maybe I should not be trying to do this alone.' But f--- that!" she says. "I'm not waiting. I'm 40 years old. I'm not waiting to build assets. I'm not waiting to build my career. I'm not waiting to travel. And I'm certainly not waiting to start a family."
She continues, "I just refuse to wait one more day, that's where I'm at. Everything I want to do, I'm doing right now. And I'm excited. I feel as ready as I'm ever going to be."
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Now and then, the beauty industry releases a two-in-one product that makes life worth living again. One of those brands is REFY.
The Hype Behind REFY's Face Sculpt Moisturizer With Built-In Roller
The company shook the industry when it first released its REFY Glow and Sculpt Face Serum Primer With Niacinamide. Now they’ve come out with a moisturizer version of the product. The Face Sculpt by REFY is the world's first moisturizer with a sculpting piece attached.
The product aims to lift the skin while hydrating it at the same time. This is music to my ears, since it’s one less step I have to take separately and still get my facelift.
Face Sculpt by REFY is the "world's first facial sculpting moisturizer that instantly lifts, defines and hydrates."
REFY
Key Ingredients in REFY's Sculpting Moisturizer: What Your Skin Will Love
Before I try any product, I always look at the ingredients. It’s important to know what's going on with your skin. Doing this extra step can help you learn the benefits or risks you’re up against. I love that this moisturizer is filled with glycerin and provitamin B5.
Glycerin is incredible for deeply hydrating the skin, which is essential since I have dry skin. Provitamin B5 is an ingredient I rarely see in most skincare products. It’s excellent for calming the skin and reducing redness. This can come in handy on mornings when your skin is puffy and needs to calm down.
How To Use REFY’s Face Sculpt Moisturizer for Best Results
When applying the product, I learned that patience is key. Rolling the moisturizer into your skin won’t melt in as quickly as using your hands. I found this beneficial since it meant the moisturizer was slowly working its way into my pores, instead of forcing it in. I worked the “roller” in upward motions to ensure I got the face lift effect I sought.
Although the facelift didn’t come instantly, I knew it would come in time if I were consistent enough—four weeks to be exact.
REFY
Four-Week Facelift or Nah? My First Impressions
The website shows various final results after using the moisturizer for four weeks. Several women are posing with pride, showing off their final results. There was a slight difference in lifting for each face. In addition, their smile wrinkles have subsided.
I look forward to these results as I continue to use this product consistently. I encourage everyone to check out the results on their website, as they're worth looking into before you start.
After using this product immediately, I noticed a noticeable difference in hydration. The moisturizer created a luminous effect on my skin that I deeply appreciated. I also loved how much it helped with lymphatic drainage. Since I had to work in the moisturizer, the rolling motions helped smooth out my skin. Allowing for a depuffing effect before starting my day.
Final Thoughts: Is REFY's Face Sculpt Worth It?
I give this product a 10 out of 10. It's perfect for all skin types, but especially those looking for a subtle face lift. With patience and commitment, your skin can be perky and ready for the day!
Remember to roll day and night so your skin can stay plump.
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