:: Down with Detroit ::
I’ve been a life-long resident of Metro Detroit. I grew up in the family friendly city of Livonia. Even though I moved twice while growing up, my parents made sure we only moved a mile or two down the road each time. They wanted to make sure that I stayed in the same school and kept all of the friends that I had made since Kindergarten. My husband was always nearby (Farmington Hills) and I never knew it until years down the road when we met in college. Currently we live in Northville and love the small town charm that comes along with living here. We love frequenting Guernsey’s Ice Cream in the summer and Parmenter’s Cider Mill or Three Cedars Farm in the fall.
:: My Life ::
I graduated from Michigan State University (go green!) with a degree in Advertising. My husband and I met on a camping trip the summer before my senior year. We began dating shortly thereafter and were engaged 2.5 years later. A year before getting married, we moved out to the San Francisco Bay Area so that my husband could pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Nothing will test your love quite like moving 2,500 miles away from your friends and family all while planning a wedding and starting a grueling graduate program. We were married at the beautiful Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth in July 2006.
During our four years in the Bay Area we enjoyed wine tasting in Napa Valley, relaxing on the beaches of Santa Cruz, and exploring the attractions and culture in San Francisco. After completing his program, we moved to Houston for a year so he could complete his clinical internship. We quickly fell in love with the laid back culture, tasty BBQ and warm weather year round.
While my husband was working on his degree, I worked in the marketing & advertising field for some well-known companies. When it came time to search for a place to settle down and raise a family we knew we both wanted to move back to Michigan. This is where our friends and family are, this is where our hearts are.
When I’m not folding laundry, picking up Legos or chauffeuring the kids around town, I enjoy spending time with my friends. There is nothing better than some ‘me’ time with your girlfriends. I love photography. I’ve been designated the CMO (chief memory officer) of our household and love making digital photo books for our entire family. I am a self-admitted addict of reality TV. I try to live a drama free life, but for some reason I love watching real life drama unfold on the small screen. I’m a huge MSU Football & Basketball fan – so if I can’t make it to East Lansing for the game you can be assured I’m tuning in to watch it on TV. I grew up dancing so I love practicing yoga when I have downtime. It helps me keep my Zen while chasing little ones around all day.
:: Babies and Beyond ::
Parenthood did not come easily for us. After years of struggling with infertility, we were blessed with our three boys – Jonathan (5) and twins Nicholas & Lucas (3). All of the boys were born prematurely between 33-35 weeks weighing 3-4lbs each. Experiencing infertility and prematurity put our faith and marriage to the test like nothing we had experienced before.
Being a boy mom can be challenging, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. They are obsessed with baseball, soccer, basketball, swimming, Legos, dinosaurs and fire trucks. They love to explore and never want to sit still. But at the end of a long and exhausting day, all they want to do is cuddle up with their mama and watch a movie. It truly melts my heart.
After working in Corporate America for 12+ years I made the difficult decision to become a stay-at-home after having three boys under 3 years old. It was a very challenging transition for me since I had worked tirelessly to build my career while my husband was earning his Ph.D. Not to mention how lonely and isolating it can be when you’re home with three little ones all day everyday. However, I’ve been fortunate enough to create a tribe of mamas (SAHM, Working, Moms of Multiples) that continue to support and encourage me on a daily basis. It’s so nice to be reminded that we are all in this together. Being a mom is THE hardest and most important job we will ever have.
