As a young girl I grew up in a Navy family with two parents who were Hospital Corpsman and did their Reserves at The Amphib Base in Coronado. My Father went on to be a Fire Chief and my Mom went on to be a Nurse. There was always a sense of service in my family even in times of adversity. My family was sure this would create grit and character in me. As I grew up I went to college for Teaching Special Education because I myself have some disabilities. It took a lot to get through school but I was passionate about teaching kids right versus wrong and that disabilities do not define them.
When I was 26 I met a Navy SEAL whom I dated, fell in love with and came to understand to Teams with. Unfortunately, the relationship did not last due to him having a larger dedication to his job and purpose with his mission, but in time I grew to understand his vocation as a SEAL. I learned these men have a very special calling on their heart, and that sometimes if not always, they feel it necessary to live a life unlike most without the white picket fence and the family of five kids. I learned through many tears and tons of personal growth plus never giving up on my daydream to create something beautiful from my experience that there must be a reason I was brought to go through adversity like that. So, I applied to a job in Coronado at a local coffee shop where all the SEALS go and I now do floral design for the coffee shop and have made many, many friends with Team guys! I firmly believe optimism can change your whole life and that you can bloom where you stand. You don’t have to have life all figured out, but one day at a time, with every step you take, trusting your gut and being authentic to yourself you can find that doors have opened to you in ways you never thought possible! As the local Barista/Floral Designer I am entrusted with not only these SEAL’s favorite coffee orders but their day-to-day life. I take great pride in that and hold all I hear to myself. Some of these SEALs are now regulars and I have their orders ready for them when they return from work or a mission. I believe having a heart of service and turning a painful situation into a graceful one has given me a heart for the Teams.
