Five Years Later: A Family Update

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 It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since my last update! Life has been a whirlwind of change, adventure, and unexpected blessings. As I sit down to reflect, I can’t believe how fast my kids have grown up and how much our family has experienced. This has truly been an adventure!

From Tbilisi to Florida to Virginia

When I last wrote, we were living in Tbilisi, Georgia, embracing the rich culture and unique experiences of life overseas. While in Tbilisi, I graduated from BYU-Idaho! It was during COVID, so my graduation was virtual, but my family made sure to celebrate in a special way. Around the same time, Olivia graduated high school in Tbilisi, marking the beginning of her next big chapter.




From there, we moved to Florida, where we spent two years finishing our time in the military. During that time, David graduated high school and prepared for college. Looking back, Florida was exactly what we needed—a chance to catch up on overdue medical care and enjoy some well-earned stability.





After Florida, we moved to Virginia for seven months while Mike attended State Department training in Diplomatic Technology. It was a weird but exciting transition to become a family of five as David and Olivia had moved out for college. We also fell in love with Arlington—it’s such a hidden gem! I completely understand why people love living there.


Watching the Kids Grow Up

It’s amazing (and a little bittersweet) to see how fast our kids have grown. 
  • Olivia is thriving at Florida Southern University and is currently interning in Washington, D.C., with the Department of State's Cyberspace and Digital Policy Bureau.
  • David is now a freshman at Florida Southern University.
  • Alexis is a junior in high school and already planning her next steps.
  • Jacob just started his freshman year of high school—how did that happen so fast?!
  • Stephen is in 2nd grade, full of energy, and keeping us on our toes.
And of course, our dog, Cocoa, has adapted beautifully to all the moves and is now a service animal. She’s been such a source of comfort and stability for our family.


A New Chapter in El Salvador

Three weeks ago, we made our next big move—to El Salvador! Mike has officially retired from the Army and started his new career with the State Department. With each move, we love getting to meet new people and experience new cultures, but we definitely need to work on our Spanish!

This transition, however, comes with some uncertainty. The current administration has issued a reduction in force for Federal Employees, and while we’re hopeful for a long career in the State Department, we’re also preparing for the unknown.


Finding Stability in Remote Work

Through all of these transitions, one thing that has provided consistency is my remote work with Summit Health Services. Their mission of serving the autistic community is something I deeply believe in, and I love being part of a fantastic team. It has been a perfect fit for our family.


Looking Ahead

Now that we’ve settled into El Salvador, life has finally calmed down a little. It feels surreal to look back and see how much we’ve experienced in just five years. Each chapter of our journey has brought something new, and while we don’t know exactly what the future holds, we’re embracing this adventure together.

We’d love to hear from all of you—what’s new in your world? Stay in touch!

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