A brief look at life along
my journey.

      Some believe their journey can be summed up quickly; I could say the same for the most part. Southern born and raised. I grew up in a one-red-light town in rural America. I have two older brothers and parents who taught us the meaning of unconditional love, loyalty, compassion, and perseverance. Currently, I find myself exhausted and looking for joy every moment. 
   I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 26 years. After five years of dating, I took his last name, and he took my heart. We have three beautiful children; our oldest daughter is finding herself and enjoying her gap year or two, our middle daughter is in high school and keeps us busy going from one gym to the next all over the South, and our son, the caboose just started his first year in middle school. I find joy in the moments I have with them.    
   I have held many jobs throughout my life. Each one taught me valuable lessons along the journey. I started work as a babysitter in middle school, then went on to waiting tables, and worked as a secretary for a heating and air company and a finance company. Quite possibly, the job that changed me the most and taught me how to look for joy even in the deepest of valleys was working for Family & Children Services. When you look into the eyes of a child who has experienced the worst and been exposed to the unthinkable, that child can still find a way to smile; it gives you a different perspective. The most rewarding job was when I left the public sector to be a stay-at-home mom for nine years. During this time, my husband and I bought a fitness center and became part owners of a Mixed Martial arts academy. After five years, we sold the fitness center and had our partner buy out our part of the academy. Our kids were getting older and busier, so something had to go. As the kids grew older and our youngest prepared to start elementary school, I decided the time was right to return to work. I rejoined the working world as a secretary for an attorney. Then COVID changed everything...   
   In 2020, I worked for a dear friend but could not shake the feeling that I was meant for something greater. My one regret through the years. I never completed my degree. I never thought I would return to college; mom life kept me busy. Then COVID. The world stopped, and we found ourselves amidst a global pandemic. Looking back, I can see God's hand in my path, but amid life's chaos, I could not see my future. To be quite honest. There are still days I question the path He has before me. I anxiously applied to the University of Memphis and was accepted. I spent three and a half years doing homework, taking tests, participating in Zoom classes, and writing papers while attending volleyball matches, basketball games, and other activities for my kids. I completed that journey. The journey has been a long, winding road; I have found myself doubling back, but somewhere along the way, I learned that joy is in the little pieces of life. We could all benefit by stepping back and seeking joy, even on the hard days. Because one thing I have learned is "the days are long, but the years are short." (Gretchen Rubin)​

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Living a Joy-filled life,

Thayer