Gratitude and Thankfulness. These words and feelings have been felt and said by me at an exponential rate in the last year, especially in the last few weeks. I started my creative writing journey as a teenager. I was going to be a writer. That's what I believed when I was in my early 20's. Then life took different turns and twists. I was on track be a teacher while taking classes at a community college in Washington state. Then I relocated and started studying business at a university in Florida. I eventually settled on Bioprocess Engineering in North Carolina and received my BS degree.
I loved, lost, grew. I learned courage and determination. I worked my way from a technical support representative to Team Lead to Technical Manager to Director of a 40+ person multinational Technical Support department at an engineering software company. I felt grief that shattered my heart and left a hole of aching despair in my chest. The greatest lesson I've learned is I can't regret my past, I can't regret the decisions I've made as they have all led me to the life I have now. And this life is one that I am eternally grateful and thankful to live.
It was sometime in April 2024 that I turned to my husband and told him, unequivocally, that I was going to be a published children's book author. I expected a smirk, or a muffled laugh. Instead, I heard a simple "Ok". In my disbelief, I clarified and reiterated my plan. He simply said that he believed in me, had seen me accomplish the impossible before, and that if I wanted to be a published children's book author, then that was that. Fast forward to November in the same year and I'm officially a published children's book author through Inner Peace Press.
Gratitude and Thankfulness. I'm grateful and thankful to Heather, my publisher, for taking a chance on fate and a chance on me. I'm grateful and thankful for my husband for innumerable reasons, but especially for believing in and supporting me. I'm beyond grateful and thankful for my children, who we fought for and struggled to bring into our family. I'm grateful and thankful for my parents and brothers. I'm grateful and thankful for my best friend and biggest cheerleader, Jessie. I'm grateful and thankful for all my friends, family, acquaintances, and supporters. I'm grateful and thankful for all those who attended my launches, both in person and virtually, to help celebrate this momentous milestone in my life. I'm grateful and thankful that I have the life I do, the people in my life that I have, and the ability to hopefully impact positively children and families who immerse themselves in my book. Thank you.