In Weeds to Wishes, you share your own journey as an educator and the valuable lessons you learned through listening, encouraging others, and even hardships. Why was this an important book for you to write?

Weeds to Wishes was an important book for me to write because it grew out of a deep desire to help others through the lessons I’ve learned along my own journey. There were times in my life when everything felt very heavy. 

I felt like I had accumulated so many “weeds” throughout life… the expectations, noise, pressure, and self-doubt, that I had lost touch with who I truly was. I wasn’t allowing myself the quiet moments I needed to pause, reflect, and reconnect with myself. Writing became therapeutic for me, allowing me to release what no longer served me. It allowed me time to shut out the noise, sit with my thoughts, and dig deep within my soul.

Through writing, I learned that I needed to release the “junk” that was weighing me down in order to make room for the treasures and a new beginning. Weeds to Wishes became a way for me to shed, heal, and trust God’s plan and purpose for my life. My hope is to share this with others who may feel the need to do the same.

I appreciated the candid nature with which you share your story. What was the most difficult thing for you to write about? 

Thank you. The most difficult thing for me to write about was losing my father and how his death changed my life in so many ways I never expected. I wasn’t ready, but truthfully, I don’t think anyone ever is. He was the glue that held our family together and the strong presence in my life that I leaned on.

Writing about his loss required me to sit with grief that I had often pushed aside in order to keep moving forward, especially since I didn’t know how to deal with it for many years. It forced me to acknowledge how his absence shaped the way I lead, treat others, love, and carry responsibility. Including that part of my story felt vulnerable, but it was necessary for me to move on and become the woman my father would be so proud of. Sharing it was both painful and healing, and it reminded me that some of our greatest growth comes from our hardest moments… our weeds.

Did you learn anything about yourself while writing Weeds to Wishes? 

While writing Weeds To Wishes, I learned that I can do anything I set my mind to, even during the tough times. I learned that I needed the tough times (the weeds) to help strengthen me and create the person I was always intended to be. Without the “tough stuff,” I couldn’t have written the book and, in turn, couldn’t help others along the way.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from your experiences?

I hope readers take away that showing up and truly listening matter more than having all the answers. Some of the most meaningful growth in my life came from the hardest moments,  the ones I never would have chosen, but that shaped me and strengthened me. I want readers to see that even in the tough times, something good can come from it (a blessing in disguise) when we stay open, present, and willing to learn. In the end, it really does come down to mindset and choosing to see challenges not as endings, but as opportunities for growth and purpose.

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