I recall back in college praying about becoming a missionary. I told God I would willingly forgo a family for Him.
That wasn’t His plan!
My husband, John and I married right after he graduated college. God used John to inject some much-needed humor into my serious life! Besides keeping me laughing, he pulls me away from the pen and into the great outdoors. We enjoy biking, walking our Rottie, Minna, and stargazing from our deck during the summer. We also love history and traveling together. Some of our misadventures while traveling include accidentally destroying a five-star hotel room in Paris (NOT my fault!), being chased down a street in Hong Kong by a man with a rickshaw, and following a sign in Jamaica, “For the Adventurous” only to land on a nude beach! Like many, we have stayed close to home recently, and have managed to keep ourselves out of trouble.
I am the blessed mom of three daughters. God knew we needed each and every one to grow us into who we are today. Some of my favorite moments with my girls include deep conversations during “laundry folding parties,” binge baking while rocking to Christian radio, and creating beauty together through gardening, painting, and gourmet cooking. Some days I feel nostalgic for yesteryear, as we have started launching our family.
Our oldest, Kira, is now graduated from college and married. My son-in-law, Baby, is the blessing I have prayed for ever since first holding her in my arms. Together they create content to witness for God and, they have made us grandparents! Our second, Elyse, is also married and will soon graduate from college. We are so blessed she and her husband, Antonio, live close by and we see them almost weekly. Antonio is quite a blessing to each of us. Our last, Evita, is graduating high school soon and we are so excited to see what plans God has for her!
I am so deeply blessed to be surrounded by these wonderful people. They keep me sane! They keep me in constant communication with God as I pray over them continuously. And, they help me keep a sense of humor.
I didn’t need to forgo a family in order to be a missionary!