Meet Emily!

 I am so grateful to Emily for sweetly succumbing to my pleas for people willing to be interviewed.  


Let me tell you a bit about Emily.  She actually has been reading my daughter, Maria's, blog for some time.  Maria also read's Emily's blog,  Bananas & Bees.  I started reading Emily's blog at Maria's recommendation.  Now, I would recommend to you that you check it out as well.  You'll learn that Emily has a kind and patient husband, an adorable little boy and creative twin girls.  


Emily actually flew to our town last May, by herself, to meet Maria in person for the first time.  While I can't quite bring myself to recommend this, it worked out well for the two of them.  They hit it off as if they'd known each other for years!  

It happened to be the week-end our son, Sam, graduated from High School.  Although Emily had not met him before that week-end, she bravely sat through that ceremony with us.  She was also here to meet Bode the very first day we brought him home.  So you see, she's practically family.  

Here's the results of my e-mail interview with Emily:

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What is your earliest memory and how old were you?

Some of my earliest memories are from my fourth birthday party.  My mom made a Holly Hobbie cake and hired a magician to come to our house and perform some tricks.  We had a handful of kids from the neighborhood there and I remember blowing out my candles.  In my mind the cake was almost too pretty to eat!

Tell me something about which you feel passionate.

I feel passionate about lots of things, but most important on my list is children.  Under this big umbrella I could list out some specific areas like childhood literacy, orphans, and mothering my own children.

Tell me something about your childhood.

I am an only child.  I think this comes with a lot of stereotypes like being spoiled or being socially awkward.  I certainly don't think I was spoiled (we always lived below our means) and I enjoyed using my imagination as I played by myself.  That being said, I had many friends and am a part of a large extended family.  I have twelve cousins on my mom's side and five cousins on my dad's side, so I was around other children all the time.

Tell me your first memory of knowing you were loved.

My mom always made sure I knew that I was loved.  I remember many moments where she displayed that love to me-- holding me when I was sad, taking care of me when I was sick, forgiving me when I said I was sorry, and hugging me when I came home from school.  There are just too many memories to list!

Tell me something that frightens you.

Crowded elevators frighten me.  I usually won't get on one.  I'll either take the stairs or wait for another elevator.

Tell me something you have accomplished that pleased you.

I was teacher of the year for our school in 2007.  That made me feel pretty proud.

What was your first job for money?

My first official job was as a cashier at Hobby Lobby. I was sixteen and worked there until I graduated high school.

Tell me about your first experience leaving home.

My first time to be away from home for an extended time was after I graduated high school.  I flew with two friends to Europe for four weeks.  I had been saving my money from my job at Hobby Lobby for a full year to pay for my ticket and have money to spend as we traveled.  We visited six countries--crashing on friends of friends' couches or staying in weird European hostels.  We even camped in a tent on the beach in Pisa, Italy for five days.  We had adventures in France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic.  It was my first time to be so far away and to be completely in charge of all of my decisions.  It was an amazing trip, and I think it prepared me to leave home to go to college a few months later.

Do you think of yourself as an organized person?  Why or why not?

Sort of.  When it comes to things like my closet or kitchen pantry I think I do a pretty good job.  When it comes to paperwork, I am a complete mess.

Tell me of a time you used your creativity.

I love to write, so my blog is one way I try to express my creativity there.

Is there a particular person who had great influence on you and if so who and how?

Of course my Mom had an incredible influence on my life.  So did my Grandmother.  But another person was my friend Kim.  I met her when I was in eighth grade and she was a sophomore in college.  We went to the same church and she helped out in the youth ministry.  I was in a slightly rebellious phase and she decided to befriend me and pour into my life in a major way. She took the time to pick me up from school, take me out for ice cream, or hosted sleepovers for me and a few of my junior high school friends.  She also led us in several Bible studies and let her own life be an example of what a Christian woman should be like.  Now that we are "all grown up" she is still one of my closest friends and I feel that her personal discipleship helped keep me on the "straight and narrow" during those precarious teen years!

Tell me something about your views on spirituality.

You know that old song "Victory in Jesus"?  It sums up what I believe-- Jesus died for my sins, was buried, and raised on the third day all according to the Scriptures. "I heard an old, old story, How a Savior came from glory, How he gave his life on Calvary to save someone like me."

Did you go to camp as a child?  If so, do you have any fun stories to share from that time?

I grew up going to Falls Creek, a Southern Baptist youth camp in Oklahoma.  Just about everyone in the state of Oklahoma has either been to Falls Creek or has at least heard of it.  I have many, many memories of going to camp there.  The biggest thing to me at the time was the strict dress code that was enforced.  Shorts had to be to the knee-- no shorter.  And we had to wear dresses to Tabernacle services at night.  I was not into these rules at all.  Drove me nuts.  But I was completely wrapped up in myself at the time, sadly to say.

If you are married, tell about first meeting your spouse.  Was it love at first sight or did it cook up more slowly?

I met my husband Mike while we were both attending Oklahoma Baptist University.  I was a sophomore and he was a junior when we met.  I thought he was tall, dark and handsome, and I was anxious to meet him.  He was a studio art major and so was my roommate, so I got to know him through her.  We were just friends for about two months before he asked me out on our first date in September 1996. We dated for two years, got engaged in June of 1998, then got married in June of 1999.  Twelve years and three kids later, we're still going strong! :)

Tell me about your children.

I have seven year old twin girls named Hannah and Leah and a two year old son named Lucas.   

They bring me so much joy!

Tell me something about your time as an adolescent.

I was quiet and insecure most of my adolescent years.  I was obsessed with music and going to shows.  I pretty much lived in my large collection of band t-shirts, thrift store jeans and low top black Converse sneakers.

Tell me of a time you experienced loss.

Well, my most recent and most painful loss was when my mom passed away on May 3, 2011.  It has been nine months since she died and although there is something to the saying "time heals all wounds," I still miss her so much.  I still cry just about every day.  I still wish she was here and find myself thinking "I can't believe she's gone!" all the time.  I miss talking to her and spending time with her and seeing her love on my kids.  I miss going out on double dates with her and my dad.  I miss our family traditions and celebrations.  I just miss her.  BUT, as I grieve I have HOPE because I know I will see her again one day.  She followed Jesus her entire life, serving him faithfully until the day she died.  I look forward to the day I will see her again.

What do you do for a living?

From 1999-2007 I taught sixth grade language arts at a nearby middle school.  I loved it, but when I started having babies I decided to be a full time stay-at-home mom. That's what I do now and I wouldn't change it for anything!

What do you currently most enjoy to do with your free time?

Reading, cooking, baking, writing, spending time with friends or family.

Tell me something new you've recently learned.

How to take pictures on my "fancy" Canon.  Mike just bought me a new lens, so I want to work on becoming a better photographer so I can better document our family's history.

Is there something new you plan to learn?  If so, what?

I would love to learn to crochet! Oh and the photography thing too.

Whether I've asked a fitting question or not, tell me anything about yourself that you wish to tell!

One of the best things about blogging has been the relationships I have made along the way.  Like you and Maria for example!  Coming to Wyoming last May to meet you all was such an incredible trip! I hope to do it again one day! :)

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Thank-you, Emily!

Anyone else willing?   If you are interested, you may see questions here.  I am enjoying these interviews.  You don't have to be someone I know for me to interview you! You may e-mail your answers to me at onlythemanager@yahoo.com and I will be delighted to do a post featuring you! I will be featuring more interviews as they come in.