g i n a

I was born and raised in Texas, thought I would always live in Texas…thought wrong.

Last year, after the youngest of my 3 daughters graduated high school, I packed my belongings, and moved “next door” to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Love it. Mean it.

But before all of this…there was that…

I graduated high school in Spring, Texas…from there, moved to Temple, Texas to attend junior college for the next two years. I waited tables when I wasn’t collecting college semester hours, in hopes of saving up and going to North Texas State in Denton and studying journalism. My big 19 year old dream was to one day move to Manhattan, live above a bagel shop, write for a living and look super cute while doing it.

That never happened…but what did happen is even better…Paige Elizabeth, Laken Emily and Hannah Kate happened. And that’s all that matters to me.

After my youngest headed off to kindergarten I returned to college, earning my bachelor’s degree in communications. Our little town had little to offer with this particular degree but after a sad loss at the high school the journalism teaching position was vacant.  I never wanted to teach. That was not a career goal, but I knew teaching would afford me a schedule that mirrored my girls, so I applied. I was offered the position, again went back to school to get certified in secondary journalism education, and over the next 8 years produced 8 yearbooks, a student magazine, a print and online newspaper, learned the art of photography and developed a heart for high school students…I did my best to make the minutes I had with them the best minutes of their day. It was not about the yearbook for me. It was about God giving me an opportunity to love a heart, encourage a talent, and offer some hope.

So my Manhattan was a dusty West Texas town and my bagel shop was a classroom until I quit my teaching job in 2012 and moved to Lubbock, Texas to start Rabbit Martinis juice bar…It was a smash but my energy crashed. It took me a year to open and only 6 months to close. The events after that will be shared…but not now.

When wondering what to title my new blog one of my daughters said, “Mom, call it Rabbit Martinis. That is still your story.” Yes it is.

I will forever love to write. I will forever love story. I love photographs. I love people….

So I blog…

Oh…one more thing…I will be changing my last name soon. Yes. I’m getting married. I’m so stupid in love…I spent years skeptical…not anymore…

It exists people…Cupid is in the house.