I was born in Tyler, Texas on November 3, 1976. I have 2 wonderful, God-loving parents. I have an older sister, Shelley and a younger sister, Melissa. Shortly after being born in Tyler, my family moved to Port Neches, where my mother is from. We stayed there for a while and then we moved to Nacogdoches where my dad is from. When I was in second grade, my family moved to where they still live now and I began to attend Woden High School. I eventually graduated from there in 1995 as Salutatorian of my class. In August of 1995, I entered into Stephen F. Austin State University as a nursing major. God must have had other plans for me because my first 2 years of college were very much a struggle! As a sophomore, I changed my degree to elementary education. Meanwhile, my sister (Shelley) got married in 1993 and had a child (my nephew Ryan). She began college when she graduated but stopped to start her family. She also wanted to be a teacher so my getting into teaching inspired her to go back to school. It was so much more of a struggle for her being that she was a mommy now, and that was her first priority. She was my inspiration to do good. I thought, if she can do it, I can do it!! Oddly enough, we both graduated from SFA on the very same day with the very same degree!!! That must not happen very often!! Needless to say, I had two very proud parents that day!! I got my first teaching job at Alto ISD teaching little third graders. First year teaching is rough, let me tell you!!! The Lord knew exactly what he was doing by me not having a fellow friend during this very first year.....that is until Stephen came along. You see, my younger sister Melissa went on a mission trip to Lansing, Michigan a year earlier. She met Stephen. He took her under his wings since he was a southerner and that was just the southern gentleman way of doing things! At the end of my first year of teaching, I decided I would go and see my cousin who lived in Ohio. Melissa emailed Stephen and told him she wanted him to meet her sister. We began to talk on the phone. For me, I knew right away he was "the one" for me! We hit it off right away. When I made the trip to Ohio (this was the first time I had ever flown and I did it by myself), Stephen drove down and met me. For those of you who know me well, you know that just doesn't sound like me. The day I met Stephen, I changed. For the better of course!! I would have never ventured off by myself in this way.
Well, the rest is history!!! We dated from May of 2001 until June of 2003 when we got married at Woden Baptist Church at 2:00 in the afternoon.
After our honeymoon, we moved to Florence, Alabama. I wanted to find a teaching position so bad! I subbed in the city school system for 2 years. With no teaching positions coming my way, I grew more and more frustrated and depressed. We had talked about moving to Texas but then we found out that Stephen's dad had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. We felt like this was God's way of saying no way!! We continued to pray...Lord, where do you want us? Show us the way....Well, He did!!! I ended up getting my old job back at Alto, very same grade, very same classroom. The lady that had taken my place was moving to first grade. The only problem was, Stephen did not have a job in Texas yet. Well, 8 months later he did!! In Dallas, Texas of all places!!! If you had told me 5 years ago I would move to Dallas, I would have told you that you were insane!!! This was the most unlikely place for me!! But, believe it or not, we love it!!! I am still trying to find a teaching job here. I only see Stephen on the weekends but we believe that With God, ALL things are possible!!! He can do anything, include provide a job for me!!

Stephen's mom and Dad, Bill and Pat and his aunt and uncle, Roland and Ann

My nephew Ryan and niece Lauren....the best nephew and niece in the world!!!