When Isaac first mentioned the idea of coming to Uplift, my immediate response was an emphatic no. I couldn’t imagine leaving the home we built and started raising our family in. I couldn’t imagine going from a 3,400 sq ft. home, to a small apartment that didn’t seem big enough for our family. However, as the idea lingered with me longer, I came to the realization that a lot of what my heart yearned for, could be made possible with this transition.  

For Isaac, I didn’t like seeing him in a job he didn’t enjoy. Not everyone loves their job, but it was a weight that left him discouraged more times than not. He had also been questioning a lot of things when it came to his faith and I knew this would give him the push to have to confront some of those issues. The process is not over, but it’s necessary.

For myself, the tension between work life and mom life started becoming more and more heavy. If I focused on my job, I felt like I wasn’t being a good mom. If I focused on Wrenley and Asher, I felt like I wasn’t being a good employee. There was way too much screen time to get us through the day and not a lot of patience on my end. By the time I got to the end of the day, I was emotionally and physically drained. That left Isaac with the leftovers, which wasn’t very much.

After further discussion, we both realized we wanted more for our marriage and our family. It wasn’t a big home or lots of money that we wanted to be about, but instead we wanted to pursue a life of truth and spend more time with the people that mattered most. Both of us have been high school coaches for several years and we are excited to be able to connect and pour into the lives of those that come to Uplift. We are aware that the upcoming summer may be difficult and there are bound to be more bumps in the road, but I am also hopeful that we will be met with joy and grace in this new endeavor.