About Me

I was born in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1974 and lived on a small farm in Greencastle, Pennsylvania until--when I was eleven years old--my family moved to a small farm in East Tennessee. I spent as much time as possible on horseback before graduating from high school in 1992.

I've always enjoyed reading, writing, and singing, and I played flute and piccolo in high school.

I'm extremely close to the family into which I was born, and I consider "daughter" and "sister" vital parts of my identity.

I studied English at Maryville College and--upon graduating in 1996 with a B.A.--moved to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, where I met my ex-husband later the same year. I followed him to Dallas, Texas; Harrisonburg, Virginia (where our son Cade was born, in 2000); and Richmond, Virginia, where I live, today.

I earned an M.A. in English from James Madison University in 2002. In 2004, my ex-husband and I separated, and we've both since remarried. There are few things of which I'm more proud than my husband's and my relationship with my ex-husband and his wife. Together, the four of us are raising an amazing young man!

My husband Jim and I dated at Maryville College in 1994 but--until 2007--hadn't seen one another since our graduation in 1996. Three months after reconnecting, we married in my parents' front yard. Clementine joined our family in 2009 and Charleigh in 2010. We suffered a miscarriage in January 2012, but Chip joined our family in November 2012.

Currently, I'm teaching English for a career college and homeschooling three of my children while also wearing an entrepreneurial hat: I work for myself as a eulogy writer and photographer. To learn more, click here.

I blog primarily for my children but hope I'm shining the light of Jesus for others, along the way. I asked Christ into my heart when I was eight years old but am sad to think of all the dark places into which I've carried (or dragged) Him. My path hasn't been straight, but I haven't walked it alone for thirty years, and I'm so thankful to have been neither left nor forsaken by my Lord.

5 comments:

  1. Anjie Henley led me to your blog and I have to say I really connect to your words. I am a SAHM as well. I married the love of my life in 1986 and we have 4 boys. The oldest is my stepson, who I met when he was only 20 months old, in other words, he doesn't remember me not being in his life. We then had a son together, who is now 24 years old and in the Army. We had a miscarriage when he was 9 months old and went on to have our second child 20 months after our first. I have had lots of physical and medical problems, so even though we wanted more children, we didn't have another until 2006 after 3 more miscarriages. Our youngest starts school in Powhatan, VA on Tuesday, Sept. 4th. I too accepted Christ at a young age. I was 12 and at summer camp when I asked Him into my heart. Like you, I have not walked a straight line when it comes to my faith, but I have never felt alone or that God had forsaken me even when things were painful and difficult. I love to meet people who also live near by and wanted to drop in and say hello and that I enjoyed your recent post about over dosing on Religion. I REALLY related to that! Check out my blog: healthmatters4u@blog.com

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    1. Thanks, Fern, for stopping by! Nice to meet you! I tried to visit your blog but am having trouble w/ that address?

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  2. Awesome...just an awesome way of putting things...especially the part about walking 30 years NOT alone.

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  3. Brandee, we just met this week via marriage letters. I lived outside Richmond, VA for 10 years and noticed that you live there now. Maybe we'll have to meet in real life the next time I'm down that way.

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