SMALL TOWN FARM GIRL. BIG CITY DREAMS.

I get you because
I’ve been you.

How did I get here? Not the easy way, that’s for sure! Growing up on a farm in rural Ohio, my love of classical music stood at odds with the land of Friday night lights and basketball tournaments. 

I remember turning the radio on Saturday afternoons and listening to the Met broadcast while helping my mom with the weekend chores, dreaming of visiting New York one day. I had seen photos of Juilliard and pictures of NYC only in movies. I had a poster of Carnegie Hall on my bedroom wall, and no clue how to get there.

Girls like me stayed home and went to the local university. And that’s just what I did. And I was miserable. And so I left 2 years later. Over the years I worked at Kmart, McDonalds, Olive Garden, and anywhere I could, while fighting for my dream once again.

I met a boy, married that boy, lost a kidney, moved 2,000 miles from family, was tossed an autoimmune diagnosis that kicks my butt, had a baby, had a super scary surgery that tried to kill me but didn’t, and I’ve still managed to stay married to that sweet boy I met at 21. 

I’ve had plenty of excuses to lay down and quit. And yes, there were many times I questioned and doubted and lost confidence in myself along the way, like, um, yesterday. But I learned a lot too. Like how to persevere when it feels hopeless, how to be resilient when I’ve failed, and how to re-invent when the dream just doesn’t look possible anymore. 

My journey has not been in a beautiful straight line. But the good ones never are. 

Still looking for my fancy street cred and glittering credentials?