FOCUSSPOTLIGHT
Layla and Dustin Drawdy with (L-R) Stephen, William with his future wifeCourtney Christian, Dax and Abel (in Dustin’s arms).
cook and clean like a pro and was always my biggest fan. They’ve both adored their grandchildren since the day they knew they were on the way. My parents divorced their spouses in my early teen years, but I remained in touch with my stepdad Randy Carlisle until he passed away in 2014. As one of the hardest working men you could’ve ever known, his love and influence in my life was profound. Dori and I remain very close; I’ve never felt like I wasn’t hers and I’ve loved her the same way. My younger sister, Tiffany Carlisle Lewis, is one of my best friends. We’ve been through some tough times, but together and through God’s mercy, here we stand tall and strong. I dearly love her, her husband Brian and my nephew Joshua, as well as my older brother Aaron, his wife Missy (Young), and their four daughters: Danielle, Taylor, Courtney, and Alyssa. I love my ENTIRE family very, very much. I’m so thankful my extended family has taken a huge part in my life. I like to credit my late grandmother, Peggy Carlisle Tanner, and my grandmother Stella Lambert Pemberton for their roles. Peggy is the reason I love to cook and am obsessed with holidays. She took PAGE
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Dustin and Layla have been married eight years.
us to church at Eastside Baptist on Calhoun Street and was such a hard worker who taught us everything she could. She absolutely adored her family and especially her grandkids. Thankfully, she’s always with me in my heart. Stella, also known as Brownie, is one of the most loving, honest Christians you’ll ever meet; a picture of good, to me. I adore her and love that I can still hug her neck. Focus: How did you meet Dustin? In 2003, I took a job at ProSource (formerly Terra Asgrow, a Plant City agriculture supply company). As a third generation, Florida tropical freshwater aquarium fish farmer, Dustin came often to purchase supplies for the farm. We met in 2004 and started dating the same year. On August 4th, 2007, in celebration of our third year together, he took me to the Thunderbird on Treasure Island and gave me a gift bag full of hard to open items. When I finished getting through to the bottom, I looked up in confusion because there wasn’t a gift in the bag. By this time, he was down on one knee, holding a stunning ring, asking if I “would do him the honor of becoming his wife.” We’ve been married eight years now.
Dustin is my everything, my best friend and my soul mate. I’ve been in love with him since our first lengthy phone conversation 12 years ago. I don’t like to do much of anything without him. I never ever dreamed I was worthy of a man like him and thought I’d never find this kind of love. Boy, was I wrong! He thinks he’s the lucky one, but I think it’s me. Focus: You have four sons, right? Our children are our greatest gifts. William Drawdy, 23, a TECO Lineman Apprentice who’s engaged to my precious future daughter-inlaw, Courtney Christian; Stephen Drawdy, 19, a Strawberry Crest graduate [2016] and Bass Pro Shop fishing department salesman; Dax Drawdy, 5, and Abel Drawdy, 3. I absolutely adore and love caring, cooking and doing things for them and making amazing memories with them. I’ve been so abundantly blessed and only hope I’ve made them as happy and proud as they’ve made me. God made me for them. This is His purpose in this life for me. The wife, the mom, the friend... It’s precious that my amazing, supportive parents-in-law, Marcie and David Drawdy, revolve their lives around their grandchildren. I also
have great relationships with two sisters-in law, Kayla Drawdy and Amanda Drawdy, and my awesome brother-in-law Hunter. Kayla has our sweet nephews, David and Jackson; and Amanda and Hunter have The Princess Charlotte (only girl of 7 grandkids). Focus: Tell us about your work with Diamond R Fertilizer? I am an agriculture account manager, a multi-crop consultant, and saleswoman. We manufacture fertilizer, sell crop protection (chemicals), cover crop, food plot and grass seed. We also scout and offer lab services. I started working for Diamond R in 2006, after working for Seedway, a Lakeland agricultural seed company and selling ads for ITF magazine. Diamond R discovered me there and offered me a sales position. They had no presence here in the strawberry market. I used to load, deliver and unload my own orders, and could run a forklift better than most. So, what started out as nothing more than me with a stack of credit applications, a truck and blind ambition, has now outgrown our third location with an amazing staff that services Central Florida for five sales reps. As one of very