I am a military wife (retired), stepmom to two adult kids, Glammy to five grandkids, a career professional, and a Jesus follower since childhood. I am also a recovering perfectionist, control freak, and workaholic. My husband calls me Cupcake and says I am “something else,” which is a subtle way of saying I overdo everything. My mom claims that I can be “a bit much,” and according to my dad, I came out of the womb talking. I guess some things never change. I still talk a lot. Storytelling, mentoring women, and sharing lessons learned are my jam. 

Baby books say my name means “lively,” but I haven’t always felt lively. I wasted many years drowning in self-inflicted stress, stress-related illness, work, anxiety, frustration, and worry. Living a balanced life, with God at the helm, was not on my priority list until I had no choice but to slow down and trust Him. I guess I should have added “cancer survivor” to the list of qualities that define me.

In 2020, I rededicated my life to the Lord after a lifetime of selfish ambition. It has been a journey, but the most important thing I have learned so far is that God never intended for us to live overwhelmed, hurried, and burned out. He desires to give us an abundant life, a balanced life, which I believe requires vigilance, intention, and surrender. 

At the age of 51, I am having a blast! If I am not exploring the back roads of wine country with my husband in “Marilyn,” our 1968 C-10 pickup, I am playing at a dude ranch, cheering at a motocross race, hiking mountain trails, reading, writing, and blogging on my back patio, or watching documentaries and re-runs of Friday Night Lights in my jammies. Learning to give up control, embracing imperfection, and adding fun, self-care, and rest to my life have been a game changer. Now, I can honestly say I am living up to my name!