You have to know who you are, to make sense of where you're going...

For years I had struggled with continual stomach pains. My doctors tried numerous ultra-sounds, blood tests, and a colonoscopy by the age of 21. Without any conclusive results I lived through and grew accustomed to the pain. Several years after the tests my mom attended a medical seminar and come home insisting that I get tested for Celiac. With her medical background and God-given intuition, I was afraid of the results and put the test off for nearly a year. When the blood results came back it was clear that I had been living with the enemy for years: gluten.
 While I am intolerant to gluten, I choose to not let it define who I am. For three years now I have been blessed with the opportunity to work in a metropolitan school district in Indianapolis. Each day I wear a variety of many hats: educator, counselor, mom, nurse, judge, social worker, and mind reader (this of course is my favorite).  All I know is that I hope my students have learned as much from me as I have learned from them.  Through them God continually molds me to the person he wants to be.  I am the clay and he is the potter. 
Although teaching is my strongest passion, I also love times when I can go for runs, cook, read a good "adult" book, travel, visit wineries, and spend time with my family. I am lucky enough to come from a loving family and have the most wonderful boyfriend, Grant.  He has been a strong support in my gluten-free endeavor.  I consider myself extremely blessed, and am ready to tackle this  journey of gluten freedom.