I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a full-time stay-at-home mom, and a part time middle school pom coach.
My family is my life – both our family of four, and my extended family. I am very close to my parents and my siblings. We are extremely blessed to be surrounded by the most amazing tribe anyone could ask for.
Born in Saginaw and raised in Midland, I am a Michigander to the core. We are so fortunate to live in a state surrounded by lakes with four amazing seasons. I could not be prouder of where I am from!
My husband and I have been married for 16 years this summer. I worked as a cashier, and he bought candy bars for months trying to get my attention – I was oblivious! We met young and got married a year later. I love him more each day. He is an awesome husband and father, who always puts us first.
Neither of us had completed college when we got married, but after being blessed unexpectedly {we were told we could not have kids} with our daughter, we both fought to finish college while working full time. It was not always easy, but it was always worth it.
Four years later, after both of us finally graduating college, we were blessed again with a beautiful baby boy.
Our daughter, Jorja Jean, is a 13 year old fiery redhead. She’s extremely smart, driven, and beautiful. We are journeying through the teenage years, although I think the preteen years may have been harder. Jorja is like her Dad in every way but her looks, which are mine. She is brutally honest, confident, and quick-witted. Jorja is involved in middle school pom and band, and ballroom dance, and soccer. She has always challenged us to be our best, and to try new things. She is my inspiration. Sometimes I feel like she is teaching me more than I am teaching her.
Our son, Wiatt Michael, is 8 years old with the biggest heart and undeniable intuition. He has sensory overload, which means he feels things differently. I believe this is his “superpower”. Because he is so in-tune to the world, he is also in-tune to others. He feels others’ pain and joy, and everything in between. Wiatt is involved in soccer, basketball, football, baseball, and hip hop dancing. He likes to be moving and playing. He is pretty much the opposite of his sister, except for also being intelligent. He looks like his Dad but acts like me. He cares for others, he thinks everything through over and over in his head, and he loves with all his heart. His journey in life has never been effortless, but he fights each battle that comes his way. Anyone who looks at him would never know how hard we worked to get him to this point. He is a well adjusted all American boy…except for the fact that we can’t get him to eat anything.
My degree is in architecture, so I am loving putting together our new home. I love crafting anything and everything. Pinterest has seriously become an addiction! All of us enjoy creating things. We cook together, paint together, and draw together.
We live to be on the soccer field! Fall soccer, spring soccer, coaching, practices, camps, and volunteering. I get giddy just writing their games and practices on the schedule…yes I might have issues.
I love cheering my kids on in whatever they are involved in. I knew nothing about pom pon when my daughter’s coach quit. But she had dreamed of pomming for years so, I stepped up to help out until they “found someone else”. Two years later, I am gearing up to enter my third year of coaching. As I said before, Jorja inspires me to do things, she pushes me to try new things. I never would have dreamed I’d be a middle school pom coach, but I am and I love it. I love the girls! When the season ends, I can’t wait until the next one just to see “my girls” again.
When I was a teenager I was diagnosed with a toxic mega colon. I have now had 13 abdominal surgeries, one of which was removing all but an inch of my large intestine. After my son was born I was diagnosed with chronic migraines as well as Crohn’s. I am so much more than my illnesses. I don’t let them define me.
My life is full of “labels” I never thought I’d have. I never thought I’d be able to be a mom but God blessed me with two amazing kids. I never wanted to be “sick” but I struggle with Crohn’s and chronic migraines. I never wanted to be a pom coach, but I am and it is so rewarding. I never wanted to be a stay at home mom; all the women in my life worked full time and I saw myself in a high powered role. But I am a stay at home mom, and I love it! Sometimes the things you never saw coming end up being blessings in disguise. They end up being the important things. How you handle them are what defines you.
