About Me7Hello and WELCOME to my cozy little site! My name is Amanda Yates and I am a 47 year-old mom in Tennessee. My husband and I have a blended familyl of six children, ranging in age from 27-16. I am a middle school Health Science teacher and a passionate follower of Christ. In my "free" time, I love watching movies, hanging out at the pool, spending time with my dogs and family, finding beautiful items to decorate my home, organizing, studying scripture, and making every attempt to get my life "just right." I am blessed beyond measure; my life is busy and my heart is full.
Like anyone, my story is filled with both joy and pain. In 2013, my teenage daughter was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She fought through intense suffering for two years and passed away in May 2015. My family and I walked through a difficult season of grief and healing, trying to recover physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Although it was and still sometimes is a slow process, God has carried us. I have made a choice to keep living and to use my experiences to make me a stronger person. The creation of this site is proof that there is life on the other side of tragedy. Let me explain... Back Story |
Throughout my daughter's cancer journey, I wrote a blog called Willow Tree Diaries. In it, I poured out my heart in a way that was honest and transparent. Each entry was filled with raw emotion and was extremely difficult to write. I can imagine how tough is was for others to read, but it allowed me to give people just a small glimpse of what God was walking me through. If you are experiencing a season of trials in your life and need encouragement or would like to read more about our journey, please visit my other blog.
I love to write and connect with others but, as I healed, I realize that I ccould not always bear to write with such intensity or about such heavy subject matter. I will never forget or stop reflecting on what I have been through, and in many ways I am a different person after having endured so much. However, there are many parts of myself that still exist, and I was reminded that I must had to transition to more lighthearted topics. Since I could not imagine writing about cancer and organizational ideas in the same blog, I decided to start anew...and here we are!
I wanted this site to be a place to be normal, to talk to you all as if we were chatting on my back porch. I wanted it to be a place to make friends and to put all the crazy thoughts running around in my head in writing. I talk to myself a lot, so there is so much to write about (lol)! I wanted to find myself again by reflecting on the things that make me who I am and then sharing them with you. Perhaps we have some common threads...I love discovering a unique item at a thrift store and going to yard sales. I could spend hours "pinning" new ideas for getting my house or my classroom in order. There are times I learn amazing things from studying scripture that I just have to share. I cherish the change of seasons and the holidays and, like any other woman, I am always trying to get my diet in check and to discover new recipes. I think road trips are a blast and the stories I have about my students are priceless. Great music makes me happy and I love to research. These are just a few of my favorite things about life...and I am so excited to have the opportunity to share these pieces of myself with you! I am so glad you found your way here and I pray that you will find joy and laughter on the pages of this site.
I love to write and connect with others but, as I healed, I realize that I ccould not always bear to write with such intensity or about such heavy subject matter. I will never forget or stop reflecting on what I have been through, and in many ways I am a different person after having endured so much. However, there are many parts of myself that still exist, and I was reminded that I must had to transition to more lighthearted topics. Since I could not imagine writing about cancer and organizational ideas in the same blog, I decided to start anew...and here we are!
I wanted this site to be a place to be normal, to talk to you all as if we were chatting on my back porch. I wanted it to be a place to make friends and to put all the crazy thoughts running around in my head in writing. I talk to myself a lot, so there is so much to write about (lol)! I wanted to find myself again by reflecting on the things that make me who I am and then sharing them with you. Perhaps we have some common threads...I love discovering a unique item at a thrift store and going to yard sales. I could spend hours "pinning" new ideas for getting my house or my classroom in order. There are times I learn amazing things from studying scripture that I just have to share. I cherish the change of seasons and the holidays and, like any other woman, I am always trying to get my diet in check and to discover new recipes. I think road trips are a blast and the stories I have about my students are priceless. Great music makes me happy and I love to research. These are just a few of my favorite things about life...and I am so excited to have the opportunity to share these pieces of myself with you! I am so glad you found your way here and I pray that you will find joy and laughter on the pages of this site.