“Live a Great Story.” That’s our aim. Right?! I hope to connect with you through My Story thus far or through my future blogs, which I’m very honored to start writing for Austin Moms Blog. Here’s My Story opener.
I’m a person that doesn’t sit well. After leaving the Dallas burbs after high school, I started exploring new places every two years. This wasn’t by design, but just how things went as a person who thrives on learning, adventure, and organized chaos. Going to a few schools and gaining a few degrees led to the first moves. I became addicted to the rush of big city living after some incredible years in Chicago, New York, and an amazing decade exploring Europe while based in London. Five years ago, my father-in-law had a stroke, and we realized that we were too far from the ones we loved the most. So, we ended up buying an unfinished home in Austin after only seeing the floor plan, a webcam walk-through, and a neighborhood scan via Google Maps. It all worked out beautifully, and we haven’t moved in four years. That’s a record! Plus, we convinced my parents and my brother and SIL to move here, too!
That’s the top layer of my life – the logistics. Another layer is with whom I’ve chosen to spend my life.
During my last semester of high school, I sat next to a guy with the most stunning blue eyes. I had mono most of that semester, but once I got back to school, we really hit it off. We had the struggle of how to manage the relationship when we are at different universities. So, we were together and then apart and then together forever after. It often amazes us how even though we met at such a young age, we continue to be very similar humans. John and I love traveling, meeting people of different cultures, laughing with friends, hiking, the beach, emphasizing gratitude and the gift of life, a good jazz bar, pondering life deeply, exercising regularly, eating clean foods, drinking a beverage while listening to music, and most of all, being with our family.
Which brings me to how I spend a lot of my life…with my family. Thirteen years ago, we were blessed with our lovely Adelaide. Her steady nature sometimes makes me question that she is actually my child. We couldn’t have asked for a better eldest for our family. Two and a half years after Addy was born, Seren came into our world. Her name means “star” in Welsh, and we have no doubt that she will continue to be bright, radiant and noteworthy throughout her life. Four years after Seren was born, hubs convinced me that a third child would round out our family. He was right. Jonah has been a family bonus with his funny ways, sweet eyes, and unconditional love (especially for his mama). Our entire family also includes two rescue dogs that remind me every day how wagging is so much nicer than barking – unless there is a baddie out there!
Here’s the part of My Story that isn’t directly devoted to the above.
I have had the great fortune of interacting with thousands of families as a friend, stranger, parent, aunt, camp counselor, preschool teacher, soccer coach, and a pediatric physical therapist. The older I get and the more experiences I have, the more I realize what I don’t know and the need to always be kind and accepting of others (and myself). We are always learning and doing our best. I feel blessed to have a profession that I have always loved and am grateful for every precious child that I’m able to work with as a pediatric physical therapist. The strength of each family as they face the unexpected always inspires me.
My Story also includes an entrepreneur’s life. When I had my second daughter I realized that new parents are not provided with much information about supporting natural development and play. I thought that healthcare professionals were the perfect ones to share this information. Following, I have created the first online platform (mykidblooms.com) for healthcare professionals to provide eLearning opportunities for parents and caregivers.
I feel blessed to have had a colorful life so far filled with amazing interactions, travel, adventure and lots of love. I’m looking forward to creating the rest of My Great Story and sharing some of the more exciting, more moving, and more thought-provoking chapters with you!
