Hi ya’ll! I’m Mary. I am a counselor and a former NICU mom. I love to create all things, from a nifty spreadsheet to a full-fledged diy wood project. It feeds my soul in so many ways. I find purpose in using my gifts and skills to serve others through my creations, including my writing. itshourlife is no exception. Here, I intend to create a place where I can share what I have learned and provide a place that others may find inspiration to live for the hour.
I have always been an inquisitive and creative person for as long as I could remember. My family grew up with very little, and I never really had any toys. At age 5, I could remember toting around my prized possessions, a small sketchbook and pencil, everywhere. I immediately felt so much joy drawing and painting. It was as if the world around me melted away when I was creating a picture. I even found joy in cleaning and organizing things. Marie Kondo, watch out! heh
Naturally, I majored in fine arts in college but I soon found it to be unfulfilling. I know…it was a major disappointment because it seemed like a no brainer! I then turned to my other natural inclination, pondering about why people did the things they did–why I felt the way I did. This–was the start of a journey that has led to me earning my Masters in Clinical Psychology.
It was not until I had my daughter in 2017 that my journey changed drastically again. My girl came extremely early, arriving at 26 weeks gestation. It was one of the most stressful times of my life, placing this on the same field of losing both of my parents years before. The NICU has taken my transition to motherhood to a whole new level (of stress) but when I look at my little Lucy, I am filled with so much gratitude and joy.
I currently work outside of the home as a psychology instructor, counselor, and clinical director of a non-profit half of the time, and the other half of the time I get to be with my family. I get to stay at home with my girl, playing and creating memories. I get to watch her grow, which is honestly one of the most fulfilling things I have experienced. I am happily married to my guy, who makes my life a dream with all of his love, good looks, sarcasm, and hard work. It is the best of both worlds and I feel blessed to be able to continue to use what I have learned through my clinical training and life experiences to create and inspire others.