Upon graduation from University of Memphis (formerly known as Memphis State University) in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in education, I married and immediately moved to California. As I was working with reciprocity to gain a California teacher's license, I discovered we were expecting our first child. Staying at home with my young children was important to me, therefore I changed gears and began working as an onsite apartment manager in a small community in northern California. As my children became school aged, I chose to homeschool. Using the Abeka curriculum, I taught and tutored my three children in all subjects for the next thirteen years. During this thirteen-year span, my family moved to Texas, Kansas and now Mississippi. Following all respective state graduation requirements, I followed a college bound curriculum for each of my children. Teaching each to read brought me much joy and satisfaction as each child learned in diverse ways, included in the Abeka scope and sequence were methods and practices that met each child's need. My favorite subject to teach during those years because it was so much fun, was all forms of science. Physical science included laboratory experiments with forces of nature, photosynthesis, and pond scum. Growing bacteria found within those pond specimens was quite interesting! Within biology, we dissected various forms of preserved water life and animals. We chose to study a pig dissection as opposed to performing dissection ourselves due to squeamish participants, including myself! Chemistry brought interesting and amazing experiments as well. I discovered my absolute love of numbers during those years as well. Above all, I love the process of teaching letter/sound correspondence, the written word as well as facilitating the ability of self-expression using our spoken and written language. Later, I served as an ARI, reading specialist, in a public-school kindergarten classroom while working towards a Mississippi Educator license. Since I prefer to focus on reading and writing, I found being a teacher tutor most rewarding. Most recently, I spent three years tutoring Kindergarten and first grade at an afterschool program. Literacy opens so many opportunities to children and adults alike, I wish to further pursue a mission to teach the English language to anyone wanting to learn. I love to kayak on our local reservoir, create clothing with my sewing machine, produce endless patterns through crocheting and knitting and all things coffee.