Meet our January Mom of the Month, Brooke!

Thank you Brooke for taking time out of your busy day to answer these questions so we can get to know you better!  As many of you heard, Brooke is going to be a MOPS Coordinator next year.  She is also hosting a MOPS playdate next Wednesday, January, 30th! 

Tell us about you and your family...

My immediate family is myself, my husband Bruce, my 2 ½ year old Libby and our dogs Nellie (French Bulldog) and Tuffy (English Bulldog).  My family is all local (mom, brother, sister, in-laws, nieces and nephews) and my husband’s mother lives in Seattle so with all that, there is a lot of large family gatherings. 

How did you meet your husband?

My husband and I actually met on match.com.  I’m still surprised that I met him that way.  After we met we learned we had one of those Harry Met Sally stories at the end of the movie where they say “and we never met”.  

We were on a date one night near Greenlake, and he said “I used to live around this area, let’s drive by my old place”.  As we drove, I told him about how I used to housesit for a good friend for long stretches of time in the Greenlake area. Turns out Bruce and my friend were next door neighbors.  She had warned me that there were several guys living next door who liked to throw big loud parties, but they were cute and seemed nice.  For several years I house sat for weeks at a time in the house right next door to where my future husband was living.  “And we never met.”

What are you most proud of?

My daughter of course.  The family we have built and our commitment to her and our marriage.
She is our miracle.  Due to some medical issues, doctors gave me less than 40% chance that I would ever get pregnant as well as have a successful pregnancy.  After extensive fertility treatments, I did get pregnant.  The doctors said their goal was to get my pregnancy to 26 weeks.  Anything after that was bonus.  I made it 38 weeks!  Libby is my personal proof that god works miracles.

Tell us about your pinterest crafting and projects... what are some of your favorite creations?

I LOVE PINTEREST! And yes I actually do many of the things I pin.  Most recently my favorite creations are converting a hallway closet into a Kitchen/playroom for Libby, and making Libby a chalkboard table from an old coffee table.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?

You know your child better than anyone.  Trust your instincts not necessarily what all the “guidebooks” recommend.

 What was life like before you had children? Can you tell us about your career?

I got a lot more sleep on the weekends and I got to go to the bathroom in private.  As far as my career I spent the first 9 years out of college working as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for injured workers.  Then I changed course and was a Call Center Director for a 12 state area of the American Cancer Society.  I loved that job, but at that time, I needed to make more money than a nonprofit could afford, so I spent the last 5 years (prior to being a stay at home mom to Libby) teaching Leadership and Management skills at Premera Blue Cross.  Being Libby’s mom though is the best and hardest job I have held. 

What types of things relax you?

Being near water relaxes me, whether a beach, a boat or a bathtub.  It’s the best medicine for eliminating stress for me.