About
A few things about me...
*I was born in a mining town in Montana while my uncle sat in the waiting room with a coloring book and chocolate milk. Consequently, some of my earliest memories include him teasing me about being stuck in the waiting room with a chocolate milk and coloring book. I've always believed in the art of making a good first impression. My family didn't stay in one place for long. Between the ages of eight and fourteen, I attended five different schools, in as many different towns. No, my parents weren't in the military. My dad was just transferred often. I still view my hometown as the place I was born. It's where my grandma lives in the same house as when my mom was a toddler. It's the one place I can look up at the clear, starry sky, listen to her wind chimes, and think, it's really great to be home.
*My dad was a bakery manager when I was young. My early memories involve visiting his bakery and having frosting roses placed on my palm. I also remember the year my first grade class visited the store on a field trip. I knew everything, obviously, being that I was the baker's daughter. It was so much fun to direct the class on how to slice fresh baked bread. Not really, but I wanted to. When we returned to the classroom, our teacher pulled out a large sheet of butcher paper and had us write a gigantic thank you note for my dad and his co-workers. She also suggested we draw a picture of our favorite part of the field trip. Most kids drew donuts, cakes, some even drew a picture of my dad with his brown mustache and glasses. I drew a picture of the yellow school bus.
*I played on a State Championship Basketball Team my junior year of high school. Actually, I was a substitute point guard, but let me tell you, I performed the bench cheer to the best of my abilities. My skills were breathtaking. In honesty, I wasn't a starter the year we took the championship, but I loved basketball. I still recall the thrill of running into the gymnasium to the music of the Pep Band. Although I don't remember every game in the seven years I played, I'll never forget how amazing it felt to swish a three-pointer and receive high fives from my teammates, some of the greatest athletes I've ever known.
*After college, I married my sweetheart and became a military wife. Despite two long deployments and many sacrifices, I've never regretted our life together. We have three children who keep us busy and fill our house with lots of legos, cartwheels, and the clickity-clack of tap shoes. Despite being in the military, we've only moved out-of-state once, and now we're back where we started.
*I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease after my youngest was born. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I was downright appalled. After all...my dad was a baker! I don't regret going gluten-free. After years of physical ailments, I am finally healthy. Sure, there are foods I desperately miss, but not enough to forgo the diet and suffer the stomach aches, head aches, canker sores, and other symptoms I'd adapted to for years. To read my articles on celiac disease, visit www.celiac.com.