Graduation. Class of :((:2015:)):

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Elenor Roosevelt 

((It's hard to believe that 5 years ago I graduated from Salisbury U. and almost 10 years ago I graduated from high school. So much has changed since those last 10 years and I am so grateful. I have endured a great deal of pain but I have gained so much more. I am stronger, wiser and much more confident. I know who I am and I know why I am here. I don't have to time to let others bring me down and I don't want to be someone who complains and brings others down. Knowledge is gained through experience and I am looking forward to learning, experiencing and loving through the next chapters of my life. I'm so lucky to have my husband, my family, friends and most importantly my faith to guide me through any trial and any storm. I can and I will. 

Here is the speech I was honored to give to the graduating class of 2015 at EUMC. While I have never been asked to share any wisdom based on my young life I can honestly say I am so glad I was able to. We all have a story and we all need to share it. We need to realize life isn't easy but we don't have to do it alone. I hope everyone can reflect on where they are and realize it's not where you've been and it's not yet where you can go.))

Keep on, keeping on.


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Good evening,

         When I was first approached to speak to you tonight I have to admit I was a little confused. I often forget that I am 26 and have been a graduate of Salisbury University for 5 years and a teacher for CCPS for 3 years. My journey thus far has been extremely rewarding despite many setbacks and trials I have had to face. I hope that throughout the upcoming years of your life that you remember to keep your faith and enjoy the j o u r n e y!

         When I graduated from high school I remember feeling so excited to start this new chapter, but  I was also so apprehensive. I was looking forward to being on my own and becoming a teacher, something I’ve dreamed of doing since I was a little girl with my stuffed animals. However, the day I was dropped off at Salisbury I was overwhelmed. I had never met my roommate, I wasn’t sure what to expect for my classes and to be honest I could not imagine leaving my family and not seeing them every night. During this time my family was experiencing a great difficulty that affected me directly. I remember experiencing a great deal of stress that affected my mood daily. I was impatient, insecure and quite honestly a little angry. My relationship with my boyfriend was negatively affected, as was my relationship with God. Luckily, my roommate was an honest and caring person and became a wonderful friend to me. My boyfriend was encouraging and ever so patient. But most importantly, one of the RA’s in my building changed my life by a simple invitation. Megan was always so positive and so encouraging and one Thursday night at Cru (Campus Crusades for Christ) I found out why. She was in love with Jesus and lived to worship him and show his love to others.

         On this particular Thursday night I was not sure what I was about to enter into but I knew I desired a spirit much like hers. What I experienced was truly life changing. These people were so free and so giving in their worship that I truly felt moved. I remember crying in my seat and feeling overwhelmed, but in a new way. I was overwhelmed with peace and love. I made Jesus a renewed priority in my life that night and I decided from that moment on to continue my journey with my faith instead of my head. Cru became a safe haven for me and encouraged me weekly to grow in my relationship with God, which enabled me to grow in my relationship with others.   Throughout my college years I did face temptation but I learned from my mistakes and I kept my goals in mind.

After my freshman year, my family officially became a family of 3 and I learned to start being honest with myself and with others. I learned that it is okay to take time for yourself and to eliminate people from your life that “suck” the life out of you. After the Fall semester of my sophomore year, my boyfriend, Andrew left to study at a different college and I was left to transition myself again. Instead of worrying, I learned to become more independent and more driven. I joined a club field hockey team and began working as a child sitter at a nearby church. My grades became better and I was exercising daily which improved my overall attitude. Cru continued to be an amazing source of love and peace for me at my time in Salisbury and it led me to a core group of friends that forever changed my life. I joined a bible study circle with 5 girls and throughout the years we met, talked, cried and laughed together. We would go to the movies together, beach trips, more beach trips and I eventually lived with 7 of them the last 2 years of my college career. Brooke Pinder and I had known each other since high school but we developed a new relationship that I still treasure today. The last semester of my college career brought new excitements and new fears as I quickly realized I was nearing graduation again and wasn’t quite sure if I was ready to be on my own. During my last 3 months of school I was lucky enough to be accepted to a study abroad program for part of my teaching internship. I completed 6 weeks of teaching at a school in Delmar, MD and I completed 8 weeks of teaching in New Zealand.

         Somehow I had gone from a shy, worrisome girl to an adventurous (sort of…. my husband would disagree) and confident 21 year old. I remember the flight being so very long and I experienced homesickness on a whole new level. I remember calling home one day after school (4pm on a Wednesday and it was about 11pm on Tuesday at home) and asked my mom to please let me come home early. She and the rest of my family prayed for me and asked me to stay patient and soak in all I could. I decided to focus on what I had and decided to truly experience this culture I was blessed to be a part of. This became yet another life changing and inspirational experience for me spiritually, physically and emotionally. I became very attached to my home-stay family and still

speak with them today! I learned a great deal about the world and how amazing it is. I learned the beauty of being a teacher that inspires her students and teaches them valuable life lessons that they can only learn outside the classroom windows. (There the schools had a lot of windows and no walls!) I traveled all over the North Island and met some amazing people. Every person I met was so welcoming and embodied the “Kiwi way.” They were in love with their country and they placed values on their faith and family. The schools taught about Christianity and they had time to worship together. Stores closed before dinnertime so everyone could eat with their families, and on Saturdays there were market days, craft fairs and parades. On Sundays stores were closed and people enjoyed time with their families. I gained so many new values during my time in New Zealand that I continue to implement as a teacher, a citizen of a country I love, and as a follower of Christ.

         I graduated a week after returning to the states and I’m pretty sure I was still jet lagged during the ceremony. My graduation meant so much more to me than I even think I realized at the time. My diploma represented hope for my future and looking back now, I feel it was a reflection of my determination and the support of my family and friends who helped make it possible. I was the first in my family to graduate from college and I became the first teacher in my family. I was a graduate who was raised by a single mom that worked numerous jobs and sacrificed her time and money for my sister and I. My sister helped me to always remain true to myself and to never give up on my dreams. She was an example of that as a teenager because she started playing field hockey as a freshman in high school and despite many people telling her she would never make it, she became a Division III all-star athlete and a national championship contender. Salisbury was so good to me and I feel that when I left there I was prepared for so much more than a job interview.

         My life continued to take me on a path of happiness and love after I graduated. After 2 long-term substitute positions, I was hired as a Second Grade teacher and just completed my third official year in our county. I truly love what I do and thank God for the gift of working with such amazing children. I was engaged during my first year of teaching (guess Andrew wasn’t tired of me after all) and we were married here on June 22, 2013. My college roommate from my freshman year was my photographer and I get to celebrate her wedding very soon as one of her best friends! 

         I’m not here to tell you that the next 4 years of your life are going to be easy but I can honestly tell you that they will be worth it. Enjoy the little things. Enjoy the walks (despite how cold and rainy they may be) to the food hall, enjoy the late night talks with your roommate, enjoy the football games and most importantly keep God with you. Find God in the quiet moments outside, in a close-knit group of friends and during worship at a nearby church or group. When you feel alone or out of hope, reach out to friends and family. My family supported me at all times of my life and I still call them for anything today! Sandy was a great resource for me as she was always willing to listen and always reminded me of the love of God. Please believe in yourselves and enjoy this opportunity that you have been given and that you have worked so hard to achieve.  If you are seeking employment or starting a career after graduating from college I pray that you remain patient and allow God’s timing to guide your decisions. It seems like you are constantly forced to make decisions but I believe that when looking for a career or even a job to help pay for bills and loans, God will always provide. We just have to trust in his timing.

         Congratulations to all of you! I am praying for you and wish you all of the strength and happiness that you deserve! I’d like to leave you with these words before we depart:

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose, that prevails.

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you                                                                  hope and a future.

Walk on...

For as long as I can remember, people have asked me things like, "Why are you always so happy? How do you always stay happy? Why do you smile so much? Why do you say hi to everyone you see?" My answer has usually been just because I am so blessed. But really, it's so much more. I smile and continue to be happy because I have absolutely no reason not to be. Yes, I have bad days and yes I get frustrated and impatient but my faith reminds me that I am never alone. I was put here on Earth to help others find happiness and show Jesus love to them.

 My family like many others has overcome some extremely difficult challenges but we always come out stronger.We have learned that we cannot do anything on our own, so we don't. In my life I am still persecuted and told very hurtful things that do get to me. However, I know we are all human and I forgive them. If I had not learn the gift of forgiveness I'm not sure where I would be right now. As a child who has been involved in the process of divorce at different ages I know that there are things out of my control. I don't share a lot of my story with many people mostly because I don't want anyone to feel bad for me or my family. I also don't share the story because it is so painful that if people knew the things this person did they would look down on them and treat them differently. I figure it's not my job to judge them, they will get judged one day. I have seen physical, emotional and psychological abuse in different situations. I've been called fake, rude, lazy, selfish, etc. I have suffered insecurities and depression. I struggled with guilt and feeling helpless. I am definitely not perfect but I am confident in who I am. I know I do not purposely seek to hurt others. I try to go out of my way to  make others feel better. I have always struggled with painful confrontation and always hope to avoid it but I have learned to trust myself and if I feel passionate about something, I will speak up. I love seeing the best in others but I am not naive. I do not allow myself to be used and abused. 

I can't help but feel overwhelmed  at this point in my life. I feel like I was just a timid little girl wanting to make my mom happy and be a good sister and friend. Now I am sitting in a church with an amazing teenage girl helping other girls find a prom dress for free. I am happily married to the amazing man I started dating 10 years ago. I am the proud sister of a girl who proved EVERYONE wrong and was a DIII All- Conference player and a collegiate coach. I am a teacher of 4 years and a grad school student on her way to becoming a school counselor. I have overcome some situations that I see people struggling through today and has caused them depression, abuse and grief. I hope to be a reminder to them that you can be the exception. You do not have to be succumbed to your past. You can break the cycle. People will tell you no. People will tell you you'll never go to college, you'll end up a pregnant teenager and you will never have a backbone. You will and you can. Sometimes I still cannot fathom why my mom, sister and I have the attitudes we do. But then I am reminded we live and love faithfully because we believe our Savior will guide us and protect us. We believe in something so much bigger than ourselves. We believe that we are so freely forgiven so we must forgive too. We believe that God loves us unconditionally and we have hearts that truly desire to know him more. My heart could b u r s t sometimes with the amount of love and peace I feel inside. I know I do not have to be afraid anymore and I know that I deserve happiness and love. 

I want nothing more than to share the love and peace of my Savior with my future kids, family, friends and world. When people ask me why and how I am so happy I will always point to God and give him all of the glory. I know from the bottom of my heart that I can do all things through him, especially because, I am surrounded by people who encourage, inspire and help me in all ways. 

Walk on through the wind

Walk on through the rain

Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on, Walk on, with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone 

"Life is a balance...

...of holding on and letting go."- Keith Urban

I find myself at a loss for words after hearing of so many people who have recently left us here on Earth. While I have faith that God uses these moments of our lives for a purpose and is always carrying us through, it's still hard. I sometimes can't even fathom the idea of losing a loved one close to me,  yet I know it is part of life. I think the best we can do to handle losing those we love is to honor them by living. Do the things you don't normally make time for. TELL people how you really feel about them. Be spontaneous. LIVE. I hope to always remember this and to live my life in a way that honors those who are not longer living on Earth and honor my creator whom I will forever owe my life and love. 


I wanted to share a speech I wrote for my husband's grandmother who passed away last March. She was quite the character but she really did have a big heart. I was blessed to know her and so grateful to see her laugh, yell and cry with my husband, her grandson whom she loved oh so much! Her daughters are a true example of living your life and they are the best Aunts I could ask for. Her legacy will most certainly live on through the color purple, the Irish traditions, the cackle and infamous stories and through the memories of her love. 

Miss you Nana! 

Nana Bunny

When I think of the Nana I came to know I instantly start to chuckle. There were few moments when she didn’t laugh at someone (usually Andrew or Katie) or she didn’t make us laugh. Some of my favorite memories of Nana include the first time I asked her about her birthday, which she replied was on October 30^th and that is why she was Spooooky. I’ll also never forget her advice to me upon getting my prom dress my senior year. I asked her for her opinion, I think, and she told me to not get white, no blue, no green, no pink, no red and definitely not yellow which of course was what I set my heart onI then asked her okay then what am I left with to which she replied black and walked away. . I also will always remember the way her eyes lit up when she saw Cal Ripken or some of her favorite others: Donald, Danny and Marty. She definitely had a thing for those blue eyes! I had the priviledge of spending many days with Nana in the Fetterolf household and am honored to know of the love and caring that went on in their house. Although at times Nana could use her wittiness to the best of her ability, she was always so loved and was quite the entertainment. She truly appreciated all that her kids and grandkids did for her and I could see that through her spirit while at Singerly Manor. Nana had a tough exterior at times but certainly had a huge heart. My mom even told me recently that during one of her first times at Cindy’s house, Nana sat with her and just spoke so openly. She remembered feeling so welcome and always felt comfortable talking with Nana.

I’m so blessed to be a part of this family and thankful for her being able to see her grandson get married in the same church as her daughters. If this family is any indication of her love, strength and thoughtfulness then I would say she fulfilled her job as a great mother. All of you in this room are here because you have been touched and influenced by this family in some way.  To me, there is no more powerful indication of the power of God’s grace. Let us always remember our job here on Earth and to not take one bit of it for granted. Up until her last days, Nana still found a reason to laugh and to have her nails painted. Please take time to laugh yourselves, to smile, say thanks to those whom you love and just live. I thank all of you for blessing my life and filling it with so much beauty. Nana was truly a great grandmother and will be surely missed. Please carry on her huge spirit and live with no regrets.

The Dash
by Linda Ellis copyright 1996

​I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars…the house…the cash
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real
and always try to understand
​the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

​So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?

"Every time we make the decision to love someone, we open ourselves to great suffering, because those we most love cause us not only great joy but also great pain. The greatest pain comes from leaving. When the child leaves home, when the husband or wife leaves for a long period of time or for good, when the beloved friend departs to another country or dies … the pain of the leaving can tear us apart. Still, if we want to avoid the suffering of leaving, we will never experience the joy of loving. And love is stronger than fear, life stronger than death, hope stronger than despair. We have to trust that the risk of loving is always worth taking.”