I was born and raised in El Paso , Texas . I come from a family of mostly educators. My grandfather taught High School math and my grandmother taught first grade for fifty one years!!! My mother and father were also teachers and eventually became administrators. They are now retired and live in El Paso . I have one younger brother who lives with his wife and their daughter in Lubbock . I graduated from High School in El Paso way back when and went on to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with Reading and Early Childhood specializations. After graduation, I married my college sweetheart Yancey and we moved to Arlington , Texas . I worked for a carpet company for just a short time and realized I was “a fish out of water” and quickly found my way into education! I started my teaching career in September of 1980 in a second grade classroom in El Paso . After a few years, I began teaching Kindergarten and have never left. I dearly love five year olds and their wonderful eagerness for learning!!! My family and I moved to Animas in the summer of 1991. I received my Masters degree in teaching in 2000 from Grand Canyon University . I also had the honor of being named Animas “Teacher of the Year” that same year. Yancey and I have two daughters, Erin and Jordan, in which we are very proud of. They are both living in Lubbock . Erin graduated last May from Lubbock Christian University and is now teaching and Jordan attends Texas Tech. Yancey and I really enjoy living in the beautiful southwest part of New Mexico .