Thank you so much for stopping by my About page. I’d love to invite you to pour yourself a cozy cup of coffee or tea, settle into your favorite chair, and give me the honor of sharing a bit of my story with you.

As you read about the journey God has taken me on over the past 60 years, I hope that you’ll feel encouraged and begin to trust me as a fellow traveler in this beautiful (and sometimes messy) adventure of motherhood and home.

My story might not begin the way you’d expect, but it’s a powerful testimony of God’s grace, faithfulness, and redemption.

As I scroll through the internet and social media, one thing stands out—there’s no shortage of people calling themselves experts. You might be wondering, Who is this woman, and why should I take her advice? Fair question! I’m so glad you’re here, and I hope to answer that right here on this page.

Who Am I?

First things first—I’ve walked the road you’re on! I’m an imperfect mama to four amazing (and equally imperfect) humans, and I’ve been at this motherhood thing for 35 plus years. I’m a wife, a mom, and a follower of Jesus. Over the years, I’ve made some great choices as a parent… and some not-so-great ones. But here’s the good news: I made it, my kids made it—and by God’s grace, they’re now thriving adults building beautiful lives of their own.

Motherhood has been my greatest joy and also my greatest challenge. I wouldn’t trade a moment of it. While my role looks different now that my kids are grown, I treasure each season and look forward to all the years we still have together.

My husband Jeff and I have been married for 37 years, and we adore our family. In addition to our four grown kids, we’ve gained four children by way of marriage and currently have 8 grandchildren.

By God’s goodness, we remain a close-knit crew. Even with the distance between us, we stay connected through phone calls, FaceTime, and as many in-person visits as we can.

We look back on our parenting years with so much joy. Were they challenging? Absolutely. It was a lot of work, often exhausting, and filled with moments that stretched us—but it was also deeply rewarding, full of laughter, love, and so many sweet memories. Every ounce of effort was worth it.

While we enjoyed every stage of raising our kids, the teenage years were our favorite. That might surprise you—but it’s true. Sure, there were bumps in the road as our kids grew, made mistakes, and found their way, but those experiences shaped them into the strong, wise adults they are today.

It breaks my heart when I hear mamas say they dread the teen years. I understand the fear, but I want to walk alongside you and remind you that parenting doesn’t have to be led by fear.

Mentoring Life

Another meaningful part of my journey has been my role as a mentor. In addition to over 35 years of motherhood experience, I’ve had the joy and honor of walking alongside many young moms God has placed in my life, offering encouragement and support.

I’ve spent years soaking in all things motherhood and home—not because I’m a Martha Stewart or Joanna Gaines (though I adore Joanna and wouldn’t mind being her friend! 😘)—but because I believe every mom, including you, can create a home where her family feels safe, loved, and truly cherished.

As I’ve shared coffee dates, lunches, walks, and heartfelt conversations with moms over the years, it’s been a true honor to listen to their stories—their struggles, victories, and everything in between. I’ve had the privilege of speaking to groups where my talks centered around motherhood and home, and now I’m thrilled to bring that encouragement to a wider community—that’s you!

I truly believe that the role of mom is the most important role you’ll ever hold. Families are the backbone of our society, and I have a deep desire to bring us back to foundational values like love, respect, discipline, consequences, responsibility, and forgiveness. I’m especially passionate about intentional motherhood—and even more so, intentional motherhood at home. If you want help to be more intentional in your motherhood journey, check out my Intentional Motherhood & Home Course!

My Life & Testimony

Let me give you a brief window into my life—one that spans 60 years and has been shaped by God’s faithful hand every step of the way. I believe our stories matter, and to fully understand who I am and why I’m here, it’s important to start at the beginning.

My childhood was anything but easy, yet as I reflect on those early years, I can see God’s presence woven throughout. When I share my story, people are often surprised. I frequently hear, “I never would have guessed that about you.” That always makes me smile because it’s a beautiful reminder of the transformation God can bring into any life.

My parents divorced when I was 11, largely due to my father’s gambling addiction. My father had a very prominent job in Philadelphia from which he embezzled several hundred thousand dollars as a consequence of his addiction. We lost everything, including our home and most of its contents.

My family went from having everything to losing it all in the blink of an eye. I remember stepping onto the school bus the day after my father’s name was in the newspaper for embezzlement, feeling overwhelmed with shame and fear. I was only 8 years old at the time.

It didn’t take long for my mom to recognize that she needed to remove us from an incredibly toxic environment. With incredible courage, she packed up her four kids and left the marriage. My father eventually served time in prison for his crime, leaving my mom to fend for herself with no financial support.

All of this transpired before I turned 11 years old, and the years that followed were far from easy. There are countless stories I could share from that time. I may open up about them further along this journey, but what I know for sure is that God was there, protecting me, guiding me, and sending people into my life who led me to Him.

Given my circumstances, my life could have easily taken a very different direction, but my strong, beautiful mom instilled in me a deep sense of morality, kindness and love.

At 16, I was introduced to what it meant to have a personal relationship with God. I placed my faith and trust in Jesus, and He’s been with me ever since—through every high, low, and everything in between.

As a teen, I learned early how to manage a home out of necessity. I cooked, cleaned, cared for my siblings, and took on responsibilities far beyond my years—essentially stepping into a parenting role while still growing up myself.

As a teenager, I often stayed up late into the night—rearranging my room, tidying up, and creating little cozy corners. Looking back, I believe that’s when my passion for “making home” truly began. Even then, something in me longed to create warmth and comfort in my space. I’m forever grateful that God planted that desire in my heart so early on—it’s a passion that’s only grown stronger with time.

My Family

From the very beginning of our marriage, Jeff and I shared a deep desire to honor God in the way we raised our children. We committed to learning everything we could about parenting—reading books, taking classes, and gleaning wisdom from our parents and others who had gone before us.

Though we didn’t call it “intentional parenting” back then, that’s exactly what it was. We set meaningful goals for our children and our family, always through the lens of a Biblical worldview. We aimed to pursue those goals in an environment rooted in love, grace, and God’s truth.

As you read my blog, you’ll begin to see what that looked like in real life.

Our Home

Early on, I learned how to make our home feel cozy without spending much—because with six mouths to feed, clothes to buy, and team fees to cover, every penny counted. Rearranging furniture, shopping sales, thrifting, repurposing, refinishing, and embracing DIY became second nature. Looking back, I’m truly grateful for that season—it taught me so much and shaped the way I approach home today.