I was raised on a big farm in Montana. I grew up milking cows, feeding chickens and riding on the back of my horse Troubles. My best friend! I was wild and free, roaming forest and climbing mountains and swimming in rivers and canals. There were more cows than boys though so when I was eighteen I moved to Provo, Utah to go to BYU. There I met my husband Paul and three months later we were married. He missed his home in Georgia so we packed up and moved there. It was a culture shock for me living in such a big city but I got a great job in the heart of Atlanta. I worked on some of the first office computers as a wire operator for a large stock firm.

Over the next few years I had two boys and two girls. The joy of my life. So that I could be a stay at home mom, I started my own childcare facility and here I learned some profound lessons about children and how to teach them, love them and hopefully they learned from me. It was challenging and fulfilling. Fifteen years later we packed up our little family and left the heat and humidity for the beautiful state of Utah!

We quickly fell in love with the seasons, the people and friends and family. I needed employment so I started a business doing something I was good at. I was a professional organizer for small companies and homes. There were so many important life skills I learned in this phase of life and developed life long friendships. I did this for another fifteen years. During those fifteen years, 11 grandchildren came into my life! As my kids grew and left home I decided I wanted to try my hand at another career, so a good friend and I started sewing ballroom gowns for girls and women. We worked hard and honed our skills until we got asked to do costumes and gowns for many high schools and BYU as well as UVU! It was a blast but intricate and delicate work.

For the past five years I have worked here at Odyssey as an instructor. I love working with children! I love the staff here! I am learning and growing even in my mature years right along with the students. It is my hope I never stop learning. Learning is still my favorite pastime!