I am going to go ahead and let you know this will be long. I have had the tugging at my heart to share my testimony. Many of you know and many who don’t. So, I am a small town girl that has resurfaced to the small town life. I am from a family of four siblings. Two older brothers and a younger sister. My parents raised us in a Christian home and have continued to walk a life of faith. They are dedicated parents and grandparents that have given us all a foundation that is solid. For that I am THANKFUL! At a young age of 5 this family of 6 was given a challenge. My brother and I were riding on a go-cart in the back yard. I was too short to reach the pedals so my bother was the pilot. These were the days of no helmets. My hair became entangled in the rear axle and I was scalped. I don’t remember alot of details but pain is not one of them. I can recall some things that occurred. I spent six weeks at Baptist hospital. Unfortunately my scalp was not able to be reattached, but I lived! Yes, I wear a wig and always will. My family went through their own challenges and to this day I don’t know them all because life for me was in the hospital. As a parent now, it’s AMAZING the STRENGTH, my parents had to deal with it all! When I returned home I was favored a little but still not sheltered. For that I am grateful because life continues on! Through faith in God that my family had, he carried us on! Growing up wasn’t always easy! Teenage years, I was awkward but who’s isn’t?! God loved me and so did my family! I went to college and of course pursued the medical field. I attended WCU but didn’t make it into the nursing program, so I returned home and went to CVCC and gained my Associates in Emergency Medicine. I worked for Gaston County EMS as a Paramedic for 5 1/2 years. During this time I met Mark. We met at a homecoming at WCU in 2000. From a little flirting, to soon after a few dates, I knew he was someone special. We dated for a 1.5 years and he proposed to me on April 1st. He went through the proper channels of asking my parents for my hand in marriage and their blessings. A true gentleman. We then joined as husband and wife in 2002. We were blessed with so many friends and family and their support in our marriage. We continued to live in Gastonia for an extended 5 year plan. (Hahaha). I returned to school and obtained my Nursing Diploma. I then began my career of a Labor and Delivery RN. Mark went back to school also. Then finally, the girls came in 2008 and 2011. I did have a couple miscarriages in between but again God gave us STRENGTH! As a little girl, I always had the plan of being married and a family. Now life was good. Don’t get me wrong, we had our growing pains as any married couple does. Mark had a job that required him to travel. I worked weekends, which allowed one of us to always be home with the girls. It worked for us! So fast forward to November 2012 we celebrated 10yrs of marriage. Mark turned 40 on 12-7-12. I planned a boys getaway to Vegas for him to celebrate the BIG 40. Him and the boys left on a Friday and returned on Sunday late. He then left out Monday morning for work with expected return Tuesday or possibly Wednesday. I had yet to see him from his trip or hear all about it. It was Monday night/Tuesday morning that I received the phone call from the hospital that I was needed immediately. Three thoughts crossed my mind; he had a heart attack, a stroke, or he’s dead. That is what a medic brain does to you. Mom and dad immediately came to the house after waking them from their sleep. Mom stayed with the girls and dad drove me to Spartanburg. I didn’t want any of this to be happening. I really expected to walk in there and hold his hand and tell him everything would be ok. But i knew it was bad if they didn’t let me talk to him when the hospital called. Yes, Mark had experienced chest pain prior to all this but always down played it to me. He also had elevated blood pressure on his yearly checks but never followed up. Therefore he went years without treatment when he probably should have been treated. Mark lived an active lifestyle and occasionally kept himself in check with his eating. So when I arrived at the hospital they took me to the consult room with the chaplain. My fear was growing. The doctor gave me his apologies and said Mark had passed. He was found by EMS in cardiac arrest after they were called for chest pain. How was I suppose to continue? How was I suppose to tell his family and friends? And we all know Mark had a LOT of friends! But God gave me STRENGTH and carried me again. It’s so true that you never know why things happen! And to this day I still don’t know WHY, but life lives on! I had two of his BEAUTIFUL girls that now depend on just me! I am so THANKFUL that I am able to continue on with them! This end was HARD to grasp for a lot of people and still is. (If you only knew the pile of Kleenex here beside me as I type this.) Mark was a God fearing and loving man! I look forward to reuniting with him in heaven! The girls and I then moved back home, knowing I couldn’t do it all by myself. We lived there for a year while I built a house here in Maiden. Now to learn life as a single widowed mother?! This is were the foundation that my parents laid for me took to a whole new building level. See, I turned to daily devotions, praying for help with any thought that crossed my mind! For God to please give me STRENGTH to get out of bed! Encouragement and drive to not loose this time that he gave me! It still was a struggle for quite some time, but once again life continues on! Forwarding on, the house was finished and I Love It! I’m THANKFUL again to be able to raise the girls here! My parents are minutes away and help with the girls on the weekend as I continue to work on the weekends. They are continuing laying a Christian foundation with my girls. This I know will give them the STRENGTH they will need as they grow. Even though I don’t get to actively attend church on a regular basis, I continue my daily walk with God. He gives me STRENGTH! I have dated after Mark passed and I will admit, that is a challenge on a whole new level nowadays. But I pray that God is in control. The men that I have met has been for a purpose. Some have helped me heal by sharing my story and giving me insight, others were entertaining. I have also been able to rekindle a drive I knew I had, but lost. I am an Independent Consultant for Rodan + Fields. I am loving the drive these consultants share every day with each other. I LOVE helping others love the skin they are in. I am going to build a team that loves to help others and grow personally! This business is AMAZING and is going to open doors for so many! It is through Jesus Christ that STRENGTHENS me that I will continue to live life! My message is to know that each and everyone of you have that choice too! Take care of yourself and do the daily walk. If you have a dream, MAKE it happen! Life is FULL of challenges and that’s for every single person. With that being said, you never know what day is a challenge for an individual person. So be gentle, be loving, be supportive, be kind, be respectful, be patient, and the list goes on! Live LIFE AND LOVE!