not my plan
i was born in pensacola, florida in 1977.
my dad's job as an Exxon engineer took us to new orleans, louisiana,
then abroad, & i spent my childhood in transit...a continent-hopping adventure i remember as fun, frightening and forever changing.
stavanger, norway...trolls, fjiords, snowball fights, land of the midnight sun.
cairo, egypt...camels, pharoahs, sandstorms, the red sea & sinai.
kuala lumpur, malaysia...orangutans, wild rain forest, booming metropolis.
my memories of all the places we saw are stuck in a child's perspective...
we lived in many different houses, but my memory of home was
my family...the 6 of us & our dog...that was home.
i stood beside my mom in each & every kitchen & learned how to bake:
with a big family, she had birthday cakes to make throughout the year & she happily included me in the process, teaching me the steps
i loved it from the start, but i never imagined it as a career!...
i had grander plans than becoming a baker.
i graduated from high school in k.l. malaysia & i followed my big brother to
a lovely, small, liberal arts college:
transylvania university in lexington, kentucky
the bluegrass state has been my home since 1995.
i married the very first kentucky boy i dated, we had 2 babies, a cute home & MY plan was on track.
i baked for fun throughout college, courting, & married life;
after my babies came along, i decided to stay home & bake more!
PattyCakes was born.
in 2004, a huge shift began in my life: my dear father was diagnosed with cancer. he fought so bravely to live & witnessing his faith taught me so much about life. he never doubted God's plan, and he was not fearful of God's will.... dad went to heaven in 2005 in peace.
shortly after this, my marriage imploded & i thought my life was over.
for some time, i could not see beyond the grief and loss because
this was NOT my plan.
i reached a point of brokeness i'd never known before...
my Maker had a purpose and a plan through all of it.
as i struggled with depression, He surrounded me with love.
my family, true friends, and the example of their faith helped keep me afloat.
in 2009, a dear friend introduced me to myLouis at a Kentucky football game.
here was a handsome, never-been-married, gentleman-farmer...
and after 2 trips around the sun, Big Lou asked me to marry him.
standing in a muddy creek bed he'd named "Vicki's Holler", i said YES!
we welcomed baby #3 in 2013 & she completes our family!
so, now i get to live on a farm with my favorite person, raise our 3 kids, 2 dogs,
3 cats, 12 hens, a friendly herd of cattle, and a little garden.
God's plan was, is, and always will be better than mine!