Corpus Christi
Hi there Coastal Bend Friends! I am beyond excited for the opportunity that I have been given with CCMB. I’m originally from a small town in New York called Dobbs Ferry. Almost 20 years ago, a job transfer moved me to Alexandria, VA and about a year later, Virginia Beach, VA. I had finally found my home at the beach…and then I met my husband. He was Active Duty Army at the time so he whisked me away from the beach promising that in a few more years, after retirement, I would get my beach back. More than 10 years later, here I am! During the last 10 plus years, we have called Virginia, Alabama, Central Texas and Washington state, home. We finally decided to make home where we wanted to be and not where the Army sent us! The “few years until retirement” had turned into almost a decade but our family has been blessed to meet so many new people and have so many experiences that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. After a year long search for the best city and home, we decided on Calallen because of the community and the schools and it has not disappointed. It is so wonderful to see our son coming out of his shell and blossoming now that he knows this is his permanent home.
Moms
When she was 7 and I was 36, I became a stepmom to a pretty little girl named Taylor and at the age of 39, after a heartbreaking struggle with infertility, I finally became a mom to my handsome, curly-haired son, CJ. He is definitely our rainbow after the storm. He is the biggest blessing that I have received in my life. When I began to lose faith, God reminded me that it’s on His time and not mine. Becoming a Mama at a later age and after such difficulty has given me more patience and a different perspective than I would have had without the struggle. Due to the physical distance for many years, we missed a lot of time with Taylor so last year, at the age of 18, she decided to move to Texas to live with us and our family is now complete.
As I watch my kids interact, I am blown away by 2 things. First, CJ is about the same age that Taylor was when I first met her and now that pretty little dimple cheeked girl has turned into a beautiful young woman. Second, even with the time apart and the gap in age, they get along like they’ve never been apart. They love and fight without missing a beat.
Our biggest lessons over the last year are that parenting a teen girl and a young boy are not even anywhere on the same spectrum, becoming, essentially an overnight parent to a teenager is kind of like becoming a new mom. You can read all of the books, ask all of the questions and think you’ve got it all figured out and then you realize that you aren’t even close and you settle on keeping everyone alive and call it a success. Not having extended family around is hard but being able to finally call a place home after so many years of moving is an amazing feeling.
Blog
I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the CCMB Community. It’s only been a short time and I have already met some amazing Mamas. I look forward to sharing my story and experiences as well as hearing about yours on social media and in person at our events!
