I’m an only child who was born and raised in Vicksburg, MS. For any readers who went to LeTourneau University, my early years were spent in a Tournalaid home surrounding Mr. Letourneau’s plant along the banks on the MS River. While growing up, I was involved in dance from age 3 through high school and college where I was on the dance team at the University of Southern Miss. I even took and then taught beginner ballroom lessons as a young adult. I had the seed of adoption planted in my heart as a young girl when I learned that my grandmother had been adopted and then adopted my uncle. The magnitude and gravity of adoption was not lost on me though I was only a child and I knew that day that I wanted to adopt one day. Thankfully, the man I would meet in my mid-20s via e-Harmony, “Tim in Houston,” would also have a love for family and be open to adoption as well. After a year of long distance dating, I moved to the HKA and we married and started a family right away. I began my Ambassador business with Noonday Collection in 2017 out of my desire to have impact on families in vulnerable communities so as to prevent orphans while supporting adopting families here. Tim and I started Sportball North Houston, a multi-sport instruction business, in 2019. As a volunteer coach for our kids teams for many years, he realized that he loved coaching and is passionate that sports can benefit all kids and all kids should know how to play to have fun and stay active!
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Tim and I have 4 children. Marlie loves both ballet and basketball and is a member of the apprentice company of Kingwood Dance Theatre, Kingwood Youth Ballet. Reed loves all sports, but especially basketball and has played with Upward at Woodridge for several years now. Marissa enjoys dance also and has recently become an avid reader. Aaron came home to us in 2016 through adoption from China and loves video games, the color green, and attending Sportball classes.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
Before I became a mom, I was a elementary school teacher both in MS, and then here for Spring ISD. I then became stay-at-home/homeschooling mom. Now I am also a double business owner. As a homeschooler, I love getting to see my kids learn and grow academically, especially the process of teaching them to read. As an Ambassador to Noonday Collection, I love traveling to meet the Artisans in other countries and hearing how my work matters so much to them and their families and I love supporting adopting families with my business.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Chelsea’s Deli, Chachi’s, and Lupe Tortilla
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I have lived in the HKA area since 2007.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
Oh gosh- A person I admire is Sheryl Rowland. Three of our four kids so far have had the amazing experience of participating in KDT’s The Nutcracker ballet and she is a wonderful director, makes each of the young people she works with special, and has been pouring her love of dance into the community for over 40 years!
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
My friends joke that my family will always choose 1 of 2 places: Hawaii or Disney World. Why? They are our “happy places.”
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
27 Dresses (it was the movie we had just seen before my husband proposed) or The Proposal & Friends for a TV show
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Oh I try not to do this unless asked (by them).
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Actually I don’t keep a bucket list. As a homeschooler, I know when my kids, who I do life with all day, every day, leave the house, it will be especially hard. So, I add things to what I call my “empty-nest list.” Some of the things I would like to do when I have less responsibility as a mom is to volunteer to hold NICU babies at TCH, to more service activities/projects, and travel more.
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
I don’t really have a go-to band. As a chauffer to my kids and their activities, our go-to radio station is KSBJ though!
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I’m not sure!
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
Moving from rural MS, to the “concrete jungle” of Houston, my home sickness was (and still is) comforted by driving through the “livable forest.” So yeah, I love the trees!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
In 5 years I’ll be in the THICK of teen years– with 3 teenagers and a tween!
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I love working grid logic puzzles.
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
the Kohala coast on the Big Island of Hawaii– I love where the black volcanic rock meets the blues of the ocean
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
I love Spring and my birthday is in April (I share a birthday with my mom whicch is special). My favorite holiday is hard– a tie between Thanksgiving and Christmas. No one single day–
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
I need more time.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Often it’s my kids! Because I want to be better for them, or because they actually do something/have a better attitude than I do at times!
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
gardenias, coffee
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Where my husband and kids are
