ISSUE 02 $8
A Portion of Proceeds Donated to P.I.N.K. of Terre Haute
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Reinventing Mom Motherhood is hard. Stay-at-home moms, working moms, single moms, whoever you are – it is hard. The days can be exhausting, endless and frustrating. I don’t mean to shed a negative light on motherhood, of course. There isn’t a mother out there who at the end of the day would change her decision to have children. But, that being said, it can wear you down. It can make you forget about who you are outside of your motherhood and household duties. I have “reinvented” myself a number of times over the last three years. I have gone from mother of one, no work schedule, completely devoted to my baby, to freelance writer, to fitness instructor, to mother of two. I will have adapted more by the time this article comes out. With each day, week, month and year I am changing along with my family. I am the type of person who has to constantly be moving forward. When I’m not, and I get caught in the mayhem of my day-to-day, I forget. I forget who I am. I forget what it’s like to take time for myself and feel attractive both for myself and my husband. I forget what it’s like to have fun outside of Little People and princesses.
6:30 a.m. I hear Maggie cry. I wake up to get my 14-month-old her breakfast. 7:00 a.m. McKinley wakes up. At 3 and a half years old, she is more self-sufficient. Without guilt, I put a cartoon on the television for her so I can address Maggie and my empty coffee pot. 7:30 a.m. I drink coffee and prepare lunches for McKinley’s school day and my husband’s work day. McKinley is now ready for breakfast – pop a frozen pancake in the microwave, and serve. 8:00 a.m. I kiss my husband goodbye as he heads off to set displays and serve clients. 8:15 a.m. Fold the laundry in the dryer from the night before, throw more in the washer. 8:30 a.m. Dress for the gym, inevitably check the mirror. I look so tiredmore coffee. Shake it off. It’s worth it for my one hour of sanity today. 8:45 a.m. Throw the kids in the car, drop McKinley off at preschool, then head to the YMCA to run, or whatever is on my agenda today. 9:30 a.m. After delivering Maggie to the childcare and talking to likeminded mothers, I finally get around to exercising. 10:30 a.m. Pick up Maggie from the childcare room – at this age she is so excited to see me. 11:00 a.m. Arrive at home and put Maggie down for her nap. I shower, eat and address my work for the day. 12:30 p.m. Lay down for a quick nap before Maggie wakes up. 12:45 p.m. Maggie is awake and ready for lunch. I drag myself off the couch, pour a glass of tea, and get her out of bed. She kicks and giggles with excitement. Sigh. If only that could fuel my emptying energy meter. 1:45 p.m. Put Maggie back in the car and pick up McKinley from school. 2:00 p.m. Serve up snacks for both kids and allow McKinley to watch a cartoon so she relaxes for a half hour. She hasn’t napped more than an hour and a half her whole life and at 3 and a half, she doesn’t much at all any more. If I’m lucky Maggie will nap but, with sister home now, probably not. I need more caffeine. 3:45 p.m. Get McKinley ready for swim lessons. 4:00 p.m. Head to the YMCA once more for swim lessons and a little play time with Maggie. 5:00 p.m. Pack both kids back in the car, snacks provided, and drive home. 5:15 p.m. Bath time for Maggie and dinner for McKinley. Say hello to my husband and ask him how his day was. Grab a much needed beer. 5:45 p.m. Provide Maggie – my good eater, with a substantial variety of food for dinner including sweet potatoes, scrambled eggs, cheese, chicken, blueberries, really whatever I have available she will eat. And then some. 6:30 p.m. Put Maggie to bed. 7:00 p.m. Put McKinley to bed. 7:30 p.m. Eat whatever we have prepared for dinner tonight. Thankfully, my husband cooks so we take turns depending on the menu and day. Make sure I don’t have an assignment due I may have forgotten about. 7:45 p.m. Clean…clean, clean, clean, clean. Then clean some more. 8:30 p.m. Settle in bed with my husband to watch whatever show is on the DVR or Netflix. 9:30 p.m. Sleep, hopefully.
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And this schedule is when nobody is sick, injured, or otherwise out of the ordinary. Throw those curveballs in and watch the rest dissolve into a mess of unproductivity and despair. As a mother, it is important to have something for yourself. It isn’t selfish. It’s self-preservation. Our children become a reflection of us. McKinley shows me signs every day that she watches me, appreciates what I do for myself and aspires to do those things one day. This doesn’t tell me that I’m not spending enough time with her, this tells me that I am showing her that I deserve respect and I care about myself –something I pray she does as a growing girl and will carry with her as an adult. It is the hardest job. I’m sure there are plenty of individuals out there who could disagree, but until you’ve walked in the shoes, given up who you were to become who you are with a child, you can’t fully understand. But the moment you stop trying, stop caring about your needs, your appearance, your happiness – that’s when your family will notice. Reinvent yourself. Do it time and time again. Never get tired of who you are – and if you are tired, change. Be happy with you. Be the best you that YOU can be for your family. They are little reflections of you. - Erin Gregory
“ I will have
adapted more by the time this article comes out ”
photography by MG Photo Co
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With LOVE in the air and Valentine gifting on our minds I thought I’d share some of my picks from a few of my favorite websites and small biz shops for those unique Valentine gifting ideas. “Etsy” is one of my favorites for one of a kind handmade gifts from home goods, jewelry and baby gifting. This site offers a great selection and communication to the seller very easy. “Uncommon Goods” is perfect for unique and quirky gifting from jewelry, scarves, home or kitchen. Be sure to check these out and gift for your family and friends, knowing your money will be paying for a quality handmade gift. Locally owned “Brick & Mortar” shops are the heart of Small Business everywhere. Be sure to shop local any chance you can and support the makers who spend many hours perfecting their products.
- Yvette Morgan
Momma’s Kitchen 8oz candle: $16 - Anitque Candle Works www.antiquecandleworks.com
Jewelry by Hendersweet: $30 - Etsy www.hendersweet.etsy.com
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All My Heart Hand Warmers: $26 - Uncommon Goods www.uncommongoods.com
Hubby Mug: $16 - Etsy www.clickandblossom.com
Personalized Keychain or Necklace: $18 and up - Etsy Turn your child’s art into a personalized keychain or necklace. www.habitnationusa.com
Personalized Love Birch Cuff: $100 - Uncommon Goods Handmade Brass Cuff, made in the USA www.uncommongoods.com
Hand Embroidered Initial Necklances: $38 - Etsy www.merriweathercouncil.com
I Love Hearts Large Canvas: $36 - Uncommon Goods Perfect crossover bag to run errands or use for travel. Holds up to 60lbs and folds up nicely. www.uncommongoods.com
Route to Love: $130 - Uncommon Goods The perfect gift for Newlyweds, long distant family and friends, made in the USA. www.uncommongoods.com
“Mama Bear� t-shirt: $35 - Loved by Hannah and Eli Check her out on Instagram... so many choices! www.lovedbyhannahandeli.com
Gifts For Your Valentine 25
Boss Lady: Aleah’s Meals Girl boss and softball mom, Aleah Neal, is up and at ‘em bright and early, grocery shopping and preparing meals for over 100 people daily. We had the privilege of getting to know her better, and finding out just how rewarding her career is to her. Tell us a little about yourself… I am a 31 year old mother of two beautiful and spunky daughters, Zayley Jay and Farrah Lin, and married to my high school sweetheart, Wesley, for nearly 11 years. I am the typical crazy travel softball mom (Go Warriors 07!) who spends many of my days taking my girls to practices and tournaments nearly every weekend, within a 3 hour radius. I have a great circle of friends that make our lives fun and exciting and I love being in a big family. One day I hope to have another child, but my husband and I are putting that off just a little bit longer. How did you get started in the industry? I was originally working for a caterer who was contracted through Meals on Wheels. I was approached to take over the contract, and have been doing so ever since. Then, this past March 2016, word got out that the meals were nutritional and offered at a good price, so The Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club asked Meals on Wheels to start a meal program for their after school program. The contract was offered to me, and I gladly accepted it. It has been very rewarding for numerous reasons. How long have you been doing this, and what drives you to continue? I originally started catering in early 2013, and by July of 2014 I took over the contract alone. These are great programs for our community - there is a great need for seniors and young children to receive nutritional, freshly made meals. I take my job very seriously and I love what I do. Knowing that I am truly helping so many seniors and young children receive food 5 days a week makes my heart very happy. What does your day to day routine look like? Some call me crazy, but I literally go grocery shopping every week day! I have nearly outgrown the kitchen I rent from, so I can only stock pile for a day or two, plus the random essential things I keep on hand. People around the community recognize my girls and I as soon as we walk in. It’s not normal for a woman with 2 girls dressed in school uniforms to push around a cart full of groceries at 7am or earlier, so people quickly learn our faces. Over the years I have made many acquaintances who keep up with what’s going on in our softball world and our day to day routines. This is one of my favorite things about my day. I generally drop my daughters off to school around 7:40, and head straight to work by 8am. I cook approximately 70 hot meals, and around 40 cold sack meals, fresh every day. This past summer was absolutely overwhelming, yet exciting - The Boys and Girls Club needed 3 times as many meals daily for their summer program! The total meals this summer was amazing - I’m still not sure how we pulled it off! I shop, cook, package, clean up my mess, and send all of the meals out the door for volunteers to deliver. After all of those meals have left, I deliver anywhere from 3-7 meals myself, and am home by noon. It’s a lot of hard work, but with the help of my mom over the last 2 years, and now a friend who works 2 days a week, it always gets done. My mom has since opened up her own business in Sullivan County. My friend still works two days a week, I work alone the other three.
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Photography by Ashlee Sappingfield
I would imagine your career is very rewarding. What is your favorite thing about your work? This is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done besides becoming a mother. The first time I received a letter from a 92 year old woman who could barely write due to her shaking, I cried. She took the time and pushed through her pain to write me a note telling me she appreciates the meals and she wouldn’t know what she would do without this program. That was truly heartwarming, and drove me to do the best I possibly can to make this program a success. When The Boys and Girls Club [opportunity] came along, I was unsure exactly what they did. I quickly found out that they do such great things for our community, and they recognized a large demand for a hot meal program. The kids there are always happy to see the food come in the door, and when it first started, I received many hugs and genuine, appreciative “thank you’s” from the kids. The kids were all very happy to receive a hot meal before going home. I cannot find the words to say how that made me feel, but “complete” is a close way of expressing that feeling.
What is your biggest challenge in this industry? The biggest challenge in this industry is budgeting food. The amount of money I am paid per meal sometimes doesn’t cover my expenses. Out of every meal I make, a dollar comes out in fees and rent. I am always looking for deals and buying in bulk when space permits. I have had some great months and some not so great months. When you see places donating to Meals on Wheels, that is not a donation to my program. I have never had any type of donation ever given to me - I run solely on a fixed budget that I have to plan as cleverly as possible. Someone once told me that in order to make a profit you needed to go 3 years without much of a pay check. This is very true in my line of work – I have learned that the hard way. I am always looking for new ideas and new strategies to help this program grow and prosper. Right now there is a need for volunteer drivers. One hour a week, every other week, or even a month can make a big difference in a lot of lives. Where do you hope to be in 5 years? 10 years? I hope to be doing this for the rest of my life. I absolutely love this job and the hours. It allows me to do a great service, make some money, be done around noon, and have the rest of the day to spend with my kids and husband, doing everything we need and want to do with softball, concerts and other activities. My dream job since I was a child was to be a mother. I wanted to be a stay at home mom, have lots of babies and be a great wife - so far, so good! Not many people can live by the motto “Do what you love, love what you do”, but this career has truly been a blessing. - Lori Mitchell
What is your favorite thing about your life, and how do you like to spend your spare time? My favorite thing in the entire world is being a mother. My daughters bring me more joy than I ever thought possible. My oldest, Zayley, is the most loving and eccentric person I have ever known. She’s an amazing athlete and has a bright future ahead of her. My youngest, Farrah, is my little cuddle bug. She never meets a stranger and is a friend to everyone. She stands up to bullies, and makes me proud to be her mama. When I’m not being a taxi for my girls, my husband and I enjoy going to many concerts. I love music, and it has always had a huge influence in my life - music says what your soul can’t always say. If we aren’t on a softball field or at a concert, we are at family dinner on Sundays, which is something we all truly enjoy. I also enjoy becoming obsessed with TV series’ to the point most people don’t. I let myself indulge a little too much in the characters! Who have been the most influential people in your life? I am lucky to have had many influential people in my life. The first one that comes to mind is my hero, my Papaw J.D. Snider. He has taught me that if you work hard enough at something, you can achieve it. He has always been a father figure to me and has always made me feel that he loved me more than anything in the world. My mom, Robin Croft, has always shown me that no matter what life throws at you, you fight back. She was a single mother raising my brother and I, working 2 and 3 jobs at a time. She wasn’t always able to attend things she wanted to, but she always made sure we had food on the table, a nice roof over our heads, anything we needed, and an amazing Christmas year after year. She is an amazing woman. Last but not least, my grandmother Linda Snider is a major influence in my life. She helped raise me, and showed me that life is too short to let people mistreat you. She taught me to stand my ground, to love what I do, and that a grandmother’s love is unconditional. I can never repay her for all that she has done for me.
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Going Au Naturale 46
Aracari: A New Way to Lunch With the growing trend of clean eating and watching what we put on and in our bodies, it was the perfect time to open an organic, vegan restaurant that focuses on raw dishes and cold-pressed juice. We wanted to learn more about Aracari Kitchen, and what made Jennifer Hale, owner and entrepreneur, decide to open here in Downtown Terre Haute on the corner of 5th and Wabash.
Photography by Ashlee Sappingfield Tell us a little about yourself… I was born and raised in Vigo County on a small farm. I have always enjoyed fresh produce but didn’t realize how fortunate I was to have it growing in my front yard until I moved to Chicago for a few years. While in the city, I noticed that people didn’t really eat fruits and vegetables because produce was either too expensive or too scarce. So in coming back to Terre Haute, I’ve been involved in many local food movements and hope to educate not only my children, but others in the community on the importance of food security and the health benefits of eating “real” foods, as opposed to processed foods. What sparked your dream of opening a restaurant, and what made you choose Downtown Terre Haute? I have always wanted to be a small business owner. Becoming a restaurateur is a progression of my experience working with farmers, food producers, food co-ops, and being a proponent of eating “real” food. In choosing a location, I feel that Downtown has traditionally been a proving ground for innovative startups and small businesses. I love the idea that most of the customers walk to our location whether from ISU’s campus or a downtown business as this creates more synergy and active motion in our town. What can we find on your menu? My goal when opening Aracari Kitchen was to fill a gap in the Terre Haute area by creating a unique menu with locally sourced and
unprocessed foods. As it turned out, vegetarian and vegan items became the top contenders for what I wanted to serve. Where do you source your ingredients? Our ingredients come from multiple sources. We strive to get the majority of what we serve from local farmers and producers in the area. We work a lot with Hale Farm, the Pickery, Harvest Bakery, Rex Roasting Co, Twilight Dairy, Vermillion Valley Produce, the White Violet Center and many more! How will your menu change with the seasons? The menu will change to reflect the changing availability of seasonally fresh local produce. As an example, we have farm to table dinners on the first Friday of the month. We also have Sunday Brunch to offer a change in our regular menu. These two meals always feature local and seasonal food and are items that are not found on our regular menu. What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs wanting to open a restaurant? My advice to other entrepreneurs that are wanting to open a restaurant would be to put together a good team of people and to be open to working with local producers. Having a solid support system is crucial to keeping up with the demands of the business, but knowing where your food came from and being able to share that with your customers is a beautiful feeling. - Lori Mitchell
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Dream A
Litle Dream With Me 58
A Castle Wedding
Courtney and Cody Strain, Wabash Valley natives, first met while partaking in an Indiana State University campus ministry in 2013. At the time, Courtney was a freshman at ISU and Cody a junior. Their love for each other grew over time as they shared their faith and family. Since then, Cody has graduated college and began work in law enforcement in West Terre Haute. Courtney in in the process of earning her Bachelor’s in Family Studies at ISU and takes part in a work/study program at the Vigo County YMCA. After two years of dating, on September 15, 2015, Cody decided it was time to make a decision and proposed. When asked how he knew she was the one, Cody explained that there wasn’t a definitive moment. It simply developed over time. “Courtney is the sweetest, kindest, gentlest and most genuine person I have ever met,” he said. To ask the big question, Cody took Courtney to her favorite restaurant in Indianapolis - Iozzo’s Garden of Italy, and afterwards the couple went for a walk along the canal, where he then proposed. “He had asked my
best friend, who I hadn’t seen in months, to hide and take a picture of the proposal,” Courtney exclaimed. “I was so overwhelmed when he went to give me a hug I bumped into him and knocked the ring out of his hands and it almost into the water!” The two spent the next year organizing the wedding at Courtney’s father’s church in Clay County. The wedding and initial reception took place on October 22 at Heritage Baptist Church in Coal City. Clayshire Castle hosted the dinner and party that followed, located just outside of Bloomington, Indiana. The bride wore a beautiful white lace gown designed by her mother. The day was simple, modern, and elegant. - Erin Gregory Vendors Flowers: Poplar Flower Shop Cake: A Taste of Ever After Ceremony/Reception: Heritage Baptist Church Dinner Reception: Clayshire Castle Rings: Osterman Jeweler’s Photographer: MG Photo Co.
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Breaking the Mold I had the privilege of meeting and working with the ladies from Patterns Optional for several years while we were all at David’s Bridal. These ladies took a risk and went into business for themselves, so they could use their own passion to create one of a kind, unique pieces for your event. From wedding gowns to Cosplay costumes, if you can imagine it, they can accomplish it. Tell us about yourselves… Kathy Dillon, 63, is originally from Clinton, Indiana. She graduated from Indiana State University in 1975 with a degree in Home Economics. She then married Bob Dillon and raised two children - Elizabeth and Matt. Kathy was married 37 ½ years before Bob passed away unexpectedly. Kathy’s interests extend into baking, gardening, and raising her new blue Great Dane puppy, Walker. Sarah Marchino, 40, lives in a tiny house with her husband Robert, teenagers Brock and Taylor, as well as their two cats and Husky pup. Sarah’s interests include, painting, sculpting, and video gaming with her household full of boys.
What inspired you to go into business together and open Patterns Optional? From the moment Kathy and Sarah met, they knew that their brands of crazy fit together well. Kathy’s classical training paired very well with Sarah’s more open interpretation of what should and should not work. Working within a corporate structure was very limiting. Often brides had less traditional ideas that could be made a reality, but not within the confines of corporate life. Starting Patterns Optional was a dream both ladies shared from early on in their working relationship.
Photos by Elizabeth Christjansen I think sewing is a lost art… How did both of you learn to sew? Kathy started sewing in high school and went to ISU to teach Home Economics. Although she graduated with her degree, her short stint student teaching changed her mind about teaching. Instead she worked in Columbia House’s warehouse until it closed in 2006. During those years, she made lots of clothing for her daughter Elizabeth, in addition to quilts for friends and coworkers having new babies or events. Sarah comes from a line of seamstresses several generations back. At four she was pestering her grandmother to learn. Out of frustration, her grandmother handed her a pair of scissors and told her to cut off the buttons on a shirt. In high school, she focused more on her artwork, but sewing has always been a long-standing hobby. In college, she started making costumes for herself and friends to enjoy on Halloween. An opening at Lucia’s led her down the path of alterations. Tell us about your background and where you got started as a seamstress? Sarah has been sewing professionally since the early 2000s, when she started doing alterations at Lucia’s Bridal in Terre Haute. In 2005, she took a position as Alterations Manager at David’s Bridal. It was during her time at David’s Bridal that she met and hired Kathy. It did take a bit of coaxing as Kathy had spent the past 25 years working at Columbia House. When they closed operations, she decided to put her skills as a seamstress to work for her and applied at David’s. Her sewing skills are quite developed as she often created items for herself, and her coworkers over the years.
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How have you transitioned from alterations to custom work? The transition from alterations to custom work has been extremely smooth. When you alter a gown, you are forced to decipher construction methods that were used by someone else. When creating a custom garment, we have had the opportunity to make those decisions based on a drawing before we ever lay scissors to fabric. Overall, making a custom garment is much easier. We can put it together anticipating what alterations may be needed. Kathy had a more difficult time transitioning to alterations in the beginning verses the other way around. Tell us about your custom work – what sort of things are you creating? Custom work is exactly what it sounds like. We sit down with a potential client and develop a sketch and plan to create a garment or item for them that would not otherwise exist. We are creating dresses for galas, wedding gowns for brides, and quilts for memories of those moments.
What has been your greatest success so far? Greatest challenge? The greatest success we have had thus far is making it! We have survived in a relatively new niche market for five years. The idea of what we affectionately call “geek chic” weddings is usually something people expect to be mocked on the internet. We have pushed past the naysayers to bring consumers elegant alternatives. The biggest challenge has been advertising. In the beginning, we tried all the usual modes of advertising. Television, radio, newspapers. None of them worked. Trusting our gut and relying on word of mouth and Google, we are slowly building a solid reputation. There are still so many people we need to reach and let know that there are options. Everything isn’t cookie cutter and you don’t have to give up on an idea just because one person says no.
Photo by Images Photography A lot of the inspiration for our custom gowns comes from our customers. Anyone who is looking for a unique wedding gown or prom dress has a personality and story that reveals itself during our consultations. Even our customers who are cosplayers relate to the characters that they want to portray. When developing the concept for a custom design, the sketch evolves as the customer describes what they envision. The custom work is extremely rewarding for us as well as the client. Bringing to life the outfit that someone has dreamed of, helping them past their own body issues to feel comfortable and beautiful. Those are the days the inspiration flows. How has showing at Comic-con (or others like it) changed the scope of your business? When we set out to open our own shop we were already prepared to do camouflage and less traditional wedding gowns. Exhibiting at conventions plopped us into an environment that felt like home. All of the clients we have met with, and worked with in these communities are as excited about Star Wars or Superman as we are about sewing. The creativity and imagination pours out of the attendees in a way that is truly contagious. Creating those relationships has inspired us to move beyond our original business plan and led us to work on projects we never dreamed of. Seriously, how many business owners can come home from work and say they made a cosplay outfit for a Care Bear, robes for kings and queens, or custom teddy bears for Chive Charities recipients?
What advice would you give other entrepreneurs wanting to open a business? Research, research, and more research. There are so many legal, financial, and business related factors that opening your own business is a huge learning curve. Make sure you aren’t going after a market that is already saturated or running with a concept that you get but no one else does. Stay away from anything that is industry terminology in your name or advertising. Just because you understand it from being in the biz doesn’t mean everyone will. You would not believe how many people thought we machined parts in the beginning. If someone wanted to learn to sew, where would you direct them? If someone were interested in learning how to sew, we would recommend JoAnn Fabrics for classes or Wabash Valley Fabrics for quilting lessons. 4-H is still a good resource, and cosplay groups are developing new sewing groups all the time. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 10 years? Our goal is to exhibit at San Diego Comic Con within the next few years. It would be an amazing opportunity to exhibit at the mother of all conventions. Beyond that, in five to ten years, we hope to still be here doing what we love. We plan on sewing till our fingers curl! - Lori Mitchell Patterns Optional is located at 1645 S 25th St. in Terre Haute, IN. Find them on Facebook @PatternsOptional www.patternsoptional.com Photos by Elizabeth Christjansen
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Fan Girl Friday When we ask for nominations for Fan Girl Friday, we expect to hear about some pretty awesome ladies. While it’s always a tough decision to choose a winner, we felt inspired by this young ladies story – someone who completed school against the odds, became a birth advocate, musician, Girl Scout Troop leader, surrogate mother, and has served our country. While we usually write an article based on what information was sent in, we couldn’t resist sharing with you the sweet words Bradley Uchytil wrote in to nominate his wife, Jessie. - Lori Mitchell
I would like to nominate my wife, Jessie Uchytil. While I couldn’t possibly go over all the wonderful things she is and does, I can briefly touch on the highlights. She was a girl with tremendous musical talent who came from a poor family in Wisconsin. We met there, and she told me her dream of studying music under her muse from band camp, one Steve Prescot, who at the time taught at Saint Marry of the Woods. To pay for school we both joined the National Guard, and we relocated to follow her dream. Despite an interruption to her schooling for a one year deployment to Iraq (where she was injured in the line of duty), she graduated in 2012 with a music degree. She has been an active member of the community music scene in the Terre Haute Community Band, the Brazil Community Band, and the Terre Haute Sinfonietta.
After having our daughter Sylvana, Jessie knew that pregnancy was something she was good at, and wanted to be able to share the blessing of parenthood with those otherwise unable to. To that end, she has been a surrogate twice, and she is working on a third that is to start in January. With her help, two families were able to welcome a set of twin boys and an adorable little girl. We’ve discussed having more kids, and we are now fostering to adopt.
She is also an amazing mother and a Girl Scout troop leader. I would also add she is an amazing cook, gardener, costumer, and holiday decoration creator, and a great person in general. When we take walks, she picks up any garbage she passes; she also made a care package for a homeless man, and provided for him some necessities and information on shelters. Seriously I could go on and on! Let’s just say I’m pretty sure she’s one of those people that is obnoxiously good.
Jessie’s greatest contribution, though, has not been in her sharing of music with the community, it has been her work with birth advocacy. In 2009, she gave birth to our daughter, and she found their subsequent care to be less than stellar. She began working with an organization called ‘Improving Birth’, which advocated for informed consent and improved evidence based maternal care. She has coordinated and executed three Labor Day rallies and fundraisers to help advocate for women’s rights in maternal care. Believing that the birth experience is one of the most important of a woman’s life, she has been studying to be a doula, breast feeding educator, and midwife assistant, and will shortly finish her certification with Birth Arts International.
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