Hometown: Garland
Present City: Murphy
Education: Bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education with a minor in special education
Profession: Full-time parent
Tell us about your family.
My husband, Mark, and I have been married for 12 years. We met in middle school and started dating our junior year of high school. We have four children, two here with us and two in Heaven. Our son Liam is 6, and our daughter Eliana is 4. We lost our middle sons, Emery and Jesse, on January 10, 2020.
How about your work or volunteer life?
For about four years, I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer with an organization for mothers of pregnancy and infant loss, Gathering Hope, in their yearly loss mom conference. It is an organization that is near to my heart for the support I received after the loss of our twins.
Any favorite hobbies?
I’m an avid reader and also enjoy baking bread, a postpandemic hobby. I love to travel and am always looking forward to another trip and planning all the places I want our kids to visit.
What are your favorite places to travel?
We were lucky to live in Germany for a time while my husband was in the Air Force. Some of my favorite places we traveled were Cres, Crotia, the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland and Cinque Terre, Italy. For our 10-year anniversary a couple of years ago, we had the opportunity to camp and hike around New Zealand. It is such a beautiful country; from glaciers to the jungle, there is so much to see and experience.
What brought you to Wilshire and when?
We moved back to Texas in 2023 and started visiting Wilshire in June. We found Wilshire through CBF’s church directory and a family recommendation. We were looking for a church that welcomed and loved everyone. We immediately knew Wilshire was where we needed to be.
Where are you engaged at Wilshire?
I’m a member of Labyrinth Class and the Weekday Education Committee. I just returned from Wilshire’s trip to North Macedonia to work alongside CBF field personnel Alicia (my sister) and Jeff Lee.
What do you think God is up to in your life?
My Epiphany star word was “begin,” and I have seen God use this word to encourage me to do things I’ve not had the courage or opportunity to do before. Recently I had the opportunity to speak during Wilshire’s Hannah Service about my personal story of loss. It was definitely out of my comfort zone but was a beautiful part of my healing journey.