If you are on this page … it probably means you are a bit like me and like to know a little more about the person behind the browser, the woman who writes the posts, takes the pictures, and records the videos.

I could give you the basic biography. I am a 40-something single mom of two daughters who works in an administrative job. I received my Associate’s Degrees from Snow College and Salt Lake Community College and my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Utah (GO UTES!)

I considered it, but then I asked myself, does that really tell you about me? Maybe the surface stuff. I have a feeling you might want a little bit more. Here goes …

I call myself a non-traditional traditionalist. My entire life, I have craved the life that many I knew had. Born and raised in the same town, lived in the same house until I graduated high school. Eventually, get married, raise a family, and become a stay-at-home mom who joined the PTA and did volunteer work. A little bit like Carol Brady, June Cleaver, or Donna Reed.

I should have realized … early on that my life was just not meant to go that route.

My childhood was spent as an Army Brat, and I lived in many places across the United States (literally from sea to shining sea) and Europe with my mom. This early exposure to cultures and the world significantly impacted who I am today. These experiences gave me a love of people, cultures, traveling, and the desire to learn as much as possible.

During my first year of high school, my mom retired from the United States Army, and we moved to the Beehive State and lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. I graduated from East High School. After high school, I moved to Ephraim, Utah, to attend Snow College, where I earned an Associate of Science in General Education. I then chose to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the beautiful state of Indiana.

After my mission, I started working administrative jobs in education. While I enjoyed the work I was doing, I never felt like I could find an area that I “loved, ” so I never went back to finish my schooling. Instead, I focused on my social life, making friends, traveling, and working on enjoying my life. I felt a void in my life, so I started trying different things, such as volunteering for Utah’s Junior Miss (now known as the Distinguished Young Women of Utah), Best Friend’s Animal Society, and more.

The most significant void I had was that I had a strong desire to be a mother. So when the idea of becoming a foster parent presented itself in 2013, I felt strongly that this was a path I was supposed to take.

As a foster parent, I welcomed nine children into my home. Working with these children and their families has been some of my life’s most challenging and rewarding experiences and motivated me to return to my schooling and continue my education. I earned an Associate of Science in Psychology from Salt Lake Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Utah. I had finally found what “felt right.”

Helping these families and earning my degree were significant rewards of being a foster parent, yet the greatest reward was being able to adopt my two daughters. Being their mother has changed me and given me the purpose I had been searching for.

One more thing…I feel is important to share about myself before signing off – I was diagnosed in the Summer of 2021 with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Learning that I have ADHD has had it’s challenges, and there have been some growing pains, but this diagnosis has brought a lot of peace and acceptance into my life.

Now I am living my non-traditional happily ever after. Yes, I am happy, but I still feel like something is missing. This brings me to why I am here on your computer browser.

I have known … for a while that Heavenly Father has a purpose for me. I have felt that he wanted me to use my voice to help others. I have spent the past few years trying to find what He wanted from me, but I have never felt like I was doing what He needed me to. I decided to stop trying to figure it out alone and to ask Him what He needed from me. You could say this decision was good or horrible; either way, He answered when I asked.

I believe He wants me to share my story and some of my life experiences to help others. Some of the ways I have done this is by using my voice as an advocate for those living with neurodiversity and mental health struggles to remove the associated stigma through education. I also have wanted to be an ally and advocate to help people understand that just because something is different, it doesn’t mean it is scary or bad. Instead, I believe differences are an excellent opportunity to learn, grow, and make new friends.

I hope this helped you learn a little more about me, and I look forward to getting to know each other better and maybe uplift and encourage each other and work together to help make the world not just amazing but a safer place for all of us.