“Mom, I need you to drive me to basketball practice. We’re going to be late!” My son is driving me CRAZY! With lesson plans and dinner to prepare, I simply do not have time to drive my kids to their after school activities right now. 

Teaching at Mount Prospect Elementary school had been a dream of mine since I was five years old. As a current first grade teacher with a classroom full of merry, yet sometimes disobedient, students, I could not be happier to be part of such an amazing group of faculty and the entire school community. My classroom is filled with all of the decorations, supplies, books, and activities that I always envisioned having in my future classroom as a college student. I love my career, and am currently so blessed to be working in the same school that I once attended as a child.  

My family continues to amaze me each and every day. I am so lucky to be the mother to two wonderful little boys, and watch them play and fight with each other like my two little brothers once did many years ago! It is no surprise that they are completely enthralled in their basketball teams. We live, eat, and breathe basketball in this household, however I am completely used to this as I spent hours on the weekends as a little girl at each of my brothers’ basketball games. My two brothers, Jake and Josh, are beyond excited to have nephews who enjoy the sport as much as they do, and I love watching my own children experience the same exciting moments of this sport that I once lived through.

During my freshman year of college, I started an Instagram page called @aworldwithsmiles in hopes of spreading positivity and sharing inspiring news stories and quotes with my followers. 25 years later, I am proud to say that this movement completely took off and I have my own clothing line which includes happy designs and motivational quotes on each piece. In addition, I have gotten invited to speak at local schools in my community about the benefits of a positive mindset, and how to maintain that positive attitude. My intentions, as a young college student, of starting this Instagram account were completely undermined; this account skyrocketed into a movement which has  touched the lives of more people than I could have ever imagined.

As a five year old girl whose day wouldn’t be complete without playing “teacher” with her dolls, to a successful and inspiring mom, aunt, teacher, and advocate in her forties, I know I wouldn’t have gotten to the place I am currently at without all of the difficult times that shaped my perspective on life. It is easy to simply sit back and daydream a perfect world, however nothing in my life would have been accomplished thus far if it were not for those dreams motivating me to make them become a reality.