Mary
Mary, a native of Rockford, Illinois, attended DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois where she received her BA in Secondary Art Education. In 2007, she moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa after accepting a position as a high school visual arts teacher with the Cedar Rapids Community School District. She and her husband, Collin, who is a teacher in the Iowa City Community School District, reside in Cedar Rapids with their daughters, Zoey and Munroe. Zoey is five and Munroe will be turning one in October 2016. In addition to being a full time mommy, full time teacher, and writer for the mom’s blog, she is also a professional artist who has shown and published works both nationally and internationally. Mary enjoys traveling, painting, and most of all, spending time with her family.
You Are Not Alone: Raising a Child With a Mental Illness Diagnosis
October is OCD Awareness month. I'd like to dedicate this piece to honor those who struggle with OCD or any other mental illness. Remember that you are not alone.
At the age of 15, I was diagnosed...
Sharing the Creativity: Reflections of an Artist Mama
I remember the smell of fresh oil paint, the floors covered in clay dust, the walls splattered with paint and posters. It felt calm and serene; I could hear the sounds of an Enya...
Bye-Bye, Birth Plan: When Child Birth Turns Life-Threatening
I would like to take a minute to dedicate this article to the amazing nurses and hospital staff at St. Luke’s Birthing Center, as well as Dr. Orr and Dr. Pickering of OB GYN...
Planes, Trains, and Lactation Rooms: Pumping While Traveling
This past Christmas my husband surprised me with a summer getaway to Italy for our 6th anniversary. It would be a "kid-free" vacation and the first time leaving our 9-month-old and the second time...