Living My Dreams

Question: You mentioned that you were passionate, from an early age, about creating artwork. Were there any other things you were passionate about, but had to forgo to pursue your CTMH dream? Do you plan to pursue any of those other dreams? --submitted by Gretel, August 27, 5:17 pm

Answer: You're right, Gretel! From an early age, I loved my scrapbook pages more than almost anything else. I used to joke that my albums slept better than I did, because I often fell asleep with my layouts and photos spread all over my bed. I'd just curl up awkwardly around the edges of the bed, not wanting to wrinkle a single thing!

At about the same time, I developed a real love of performing—I was in my high school madrigals singing group, and I also acted in a number of musicals. The part of "Rosie" in "Bye, Bye Birdie," remains a favorite to this day! After high school, I attended college and planned on a degree in vocal performance—opera was my passion, can you believe it?

I still love singing—but these days, it's mostly in my car, or at home with my family, or in church rather than on the stage. I don't long for the fulfillment of that dream, because as I matured, so did my dreams. (And if you've ever seen me "acting" silly in any of our Convention videos, you'll see that the ham performer in me is still alive and well!)

Some of my stage dreams were replaced by motherhood, which was a quieter goal I had always harbored, but didn't realize how fiercely important it was to me until I held my first baby in my arms. It was easy for me to channel my dreams into my passions for raising children and providing for them.

My father imbued me with a passion for good, hard, honest work from the time I was a little girl, and I knew that no matter what I did for work, that I'd do it with my whole heart and soul. When that passion for hard work connected with stamping and scrapbooking, it was an explosive combination. I just knew that family and Close To My Heart were my callings.