January 2023

Some 2023 Resolutions!

I will have my wife yell at me less, because I will wear my hearing aid.

I will find something crafty to do with all the wood scraps I have kept in the garage for the last 20 years.

I will stop saying “tape” and move into the 21st century by saying “record.”

I will stop the senseless long term storage of restaurant dipping sauces and hot sauce packets that have been collecting in the fridge. The butter shelf needs more room - for butter.

I will finally get that “honey-do list” around the house done by hiring someone else to do it.

I will stop buying stocks that tank. Follow me for more financial missteps.

I will learn that Petco is in Bryant Square and PetSmart is on Broadway or is it vice versa. I’m an easily confused pet owner.

I will remove the clothes hanging on our treadmill. And maybe even use it.

Dave Miller Publisher & Back40 Design President

l edmondoutlook.com l info@edmondoutlook.com

JANUARY 2023 Volume 19, Number 1 l Edmond Outlook is a publication of Back40 Design, Inc. l © 2023 Back40 Design, Inc.

Jenny and Brett Rottmayer

Family Flair for the Dramatic & Theatrical

By Maria Veres

For Upstage Theatre owners Brett and Jenny Rottmayer, family is everything. Their Edmond venue offers year-round entertainment for all generations to enjoy, with plenty of performance opportunities for both kids and adults. As the parents of seven, the Rottmayers cherish working alongside their own growing children in this family business. “We love that it gives our kids opportunities to be together,” says Jenny.

Bringing the Community Together

Ever since Upstage began in 2010, the Rottmayers have been committed to serving the entire Edmond community. Their programming includes performance classes for young people, as well as community theater productions with open auditions. They’re always thrilled when multiple generations of the same family participate in Upstage’s annual outdoor summer musicals.

The Rottmayers’ children, ages 4 months to 15 years, are a vital part of the Upstage community. All of their kids who are old enough to perform have had onstage roles, and the oldest teens also help with behind-the-scenes work like lighting and tech support. Some of their children have been bitten harder than others by the acting bug, but all the Rottmayers enjoy being part of productions.

Like all performance venues, Upstage Theatre struggled when the Covid-19 pandemic began. Their children’s involvement with the theater company motivated Brett and Jenny not to give up. “We knew that no matter what happened, we wanted to keep on keeping on,” says Jenny.

The Rottmayers also wanted to keep bringing the joy of theater to other families who were struggling through the lockdowns. Upstage never closed completely. Spring 2020 performances took place remotely, and they returned to live productions in the fall with extra precautions in place. They’re now back to full-scale performances.

Coming Attractions

The first show of 2023 is right around the corner. On January 19-22 Upstage will perform a community theater production of

Disenchanted, the story of what happens to fairy tale princesses “ever after.” This musical comedy is geared toward mature audiences, with an all-female cast. “It’s not been done here in Oklahoma before, so we’re excited to premiere it,” says Jenny.

Youth classes begin soon. As always, students in the senior and junior classes will stage full musical productions, with performances in April 2023. For both groups, this season’s show is a fun-filled youth version of Sponge Bob: The Musical. The mini class, pre-K through first grade, will perform a smaller-scale musical, Go Fish.

Looking ahead to summer, the company is already preparing for their annual musical at Mitch Park Amphitheater. This year they’ll stage a beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, Cinderella Something for Everyone

Upstage also offers private acting, dance, and voice lessons. There’s a summer magic camp for elementary school children in July. They host birthday parties at the venue, or character actor bookings for a party at your own location.

Both Jenny and Brett work full-time but remain closely involved in every facet of Upstage. Brett oversees the technical, behind-the-scenes aspects. Jenny serves as artistic director and teaches the junior and mini classes. The talented faculty also includes Patrick Towne and Emma Cook.

Interested kids are welcome to enroll in this semester’s production classes. No acting experience is required. Auditions take place January 21. Actors of all ages and experience levels are invited to audition in March for Cinderella

If you’re not an actor yourself, you can support Upstage as a fan by attending the reasonably priced performances. As a nonprofit organization, the theater also welcomes donations. Celebrating 13 years of bringing musical theater to Edmond, Jenny and Brett look forward to serving the community for many years to come.

Upstage Theatre is located at 844 W. Danforth, Edmond. To purchase tickets or enroll in classes, contact them at (405) 285-5803 or upstagetheatreok.com.

The Fried Taco

By Laura Beam

When you hear ‘taco,’ you may naturally think of Mexican food, but at The Fried Taco, a world of other tastes lights up the diverse menu. Heavy influences of tangy, bold Puerto Rican and Caribbean cuisine create the most exciting flavor combos of slow-simmered meats, house-made salsas, creamy sauces, crunchy slaws and more. In each delicious pairing, you can taste the hours of experimenting and prep time that went into the multi-faceted creations. Stuff all that house-made goodness in a corn tortilla and fry it. The light, crispy shell and soft, melty inside will change the way you love tacos.

On Island Time

What better way to savor unique fried tacos than in a laid-back atmosphere where nothing but excellent food and great service are taken too seriously. Owners Ruben and Kristal Pacheco feel that a meal should be a celebration that brings people together. “Ruben always says he’s ‘on island time,’ “Kristal laughs. “In many cultures south of the U.S., people truly enjoy life more, take their time preparing meals with love, and enjoy eating and drinking together. We really wanted to bring this to our concept.”

Inspired by Ruben’s mom, who, as a child, loved the fried tacos of a beach vendor in Puerto Rico and later began making her own, Kristal and Ruben started The Fried Taco food truck in 2016. In 2019, they opened their first restaurant in Midtown OKC, and in February 2022 were excited to open in Edmond where they live. Kristal says the location at the Icehouse Project, with multiple restaurants and an enclosed courtyard, was the reason they opened in Edmond. “As the parents of four children, we know it’s not easy to have a ‘nice meal out’ because you’re trying to keep the kids from being bored,” Kristal admits. “Here, parents can sit outside and have adult conversations while keeping an eye on the kids who are having a blast climbing on the giant grasshopper!”

Punch and Crunch

One of the best-selling tacos is the slow-simmered brisket with cheddar cheese and house-made white BBQ sauce, nestled in a tortilla and fried to airy perfection. Dunked in the purple Sriracha slaw with a vinegary tang and a finish of heat on your lips, this is everything you love about brisket but in a bold new way! Another top choice is the Old Fashioned Beef Taco—like a delicious cheeseburger, reinvented with Puerto Rican seasoned ground beef. While perusing the other inventive fried taco choices, don’t overlook the empanadas. They are like turnovers, with meat stuffed in dough and fried to a flaky bite. The creamy dill dipping sauce is a fantastic finish. You can tell there is as much thought and expertise put into the unique sauces, dips and salsas as the foods themselves, and the pairings are simply superb. Most tacos are gluten-free and there is a dedicated empanada fryer. Vegan jackfruit tacos are also fried in a dedicated gluten-free fryer.

Festive Feasting

The yuca fries with house mayo ketchup and the tostones—unripened, smashed, double-fried plantains—give customers a taste of the Caribbean. Wash it all down with the Coconut Lavender Lemonade. “It’s something I came up with when working in a hot food truck used to trigger my migraines,” Kristal explains. “It quickly became one of our top-selling items and it’s one of my personal proudest achievements.” Roast-at-your-table s’mores and dessert empanadas complete the feast.

Visit 119 W. 2nd St. at The Icehouse Project, Edmond, or 308 NW 10th at the Collective Food Hall, Midtown, or thefriedtaco.com. Catering and food truck bookings are also available.

Owners Ruben and Kristal Pacheco

Love Without Boundaries

How a Back Road Prayer Became a Global Mission

By Taylor Bollinger

In the summer of 2003, Amy Eldridge sent up a prayer from a parked car on an Oklahoma back road. “God, if it’s your will,” she prayed. “I will give my whole life to helping those who are orphaned.”

The answer came knocking on the door – literally – just days later. The woman on Amy’s doorstep shared a simple message that sparked a global mission: “God accepts.” Giving no room to doubt, Amy filed incorporation papers and Love Without Boundaries (LWB) began.

This marked the formal launch of LWB, but the story started long before. A mother of six, including one adoptive daughter from China, Amy was no stranger to the realities of orphaned children. But it wasn’t until her daughter Anna began asking questions about her early life that Amy began to truly understand the depth of need these children face.

“I will never forget sitting by the side of the tub one evening when Anna was taking a bath,” Amy said, “She looked at me with her beautiful brown eyes and asked, ‘Do you think they loved me?’ I looked at her trusting face that night and knew as her mom, it was my obligation to try and help her get any answers we could.”

Just a few months later, Amy boarded a plane to China.

“I think when we look back over our lives, we will all see those ‘defining moments’ which changed the course of our existence forever,” Amy said. Walking into her daughter’s orphanage for the first time was Amy’s defining moment. The circumstances she encountered shattered all she thought she knew.

Among the countless needs she saw, she could not shake thoughts of the three little children in need of life-saving heart surgeries they could not afford. Stepping outside her comfort zone, Amy began to rally friends and family to raise funds to cover one child’s surgery.

Within three weeks, Amy had successfully funded not only one, but all three surgeries and she was just getting started. Since then, LWB has expanded to serve children in China,

Cambodia, Guatemala, India and Uganda. In 2021 alone, LWB provided 1,137 medical procedures, including 88 cleft surgeries and 142 life-saving heart operations. They also connected 196 children with loving, full-time foster care and trained over 600 foster parents, community leaders and officials on family-based care. In the same year, LWB gave water access to over 3,000 people and distributed 3,270 blankets to children in need. Last month, the organization launched its first mission to Guatemala. The trip was detailed on their blog at www. lovewithoutboundaries.com/blog, featuring each of the families whose lives were changed by cleft-repair last month.

In each country, LWB looks to local experts to address the core needs of children in their community. “All the people running the programs and caring for the children are members of their community who understand local systems, government and cultural needs,” said board member Jennifer LaBahn, MD.

LWB is otherwise staffed by remote volunteers and staff who aid with administrative tasks and ensure the highest standards of stewardship. “Every single dollar that is given is used very intentionally and ethically,” Jennifer said. “LWB has done such a good job of using funds in the most impactful way for children. I have no hesitation telling people that their donation is going exactly where we say it’s going.”

Love Without Boundaries’ programs include education efforts, foster care, healing homes, medical care, nutrition programs, child trafficking aid and family preservation. Each of their services is united under the belief that “every child counts”.

A closer look at their in-depth services is available at www. lovewithoutboundaries.com, along with child sponsorship opportunities and other ways to join LWB in bringing hope and healing to vulnerable children.

Continue to follow Love Without Boundaries’ trailblazing work on Instagram @lwb_foundation or Facebook @LWBKids. You can also read the organization’s inspiring origin story in Amy’s book, “The Heart of an Orphan”.

Amy Eldridge at the Huainan orphanage

Galen Culver & 5,000 Things That Make Our State Great

By Amy Dee Stephens

If you are unfamiliar with the title, “Is This a Great State or What?” then you probably haven’t lived in Oklahoma very long. Three times a week, Galen Culver of News Channel 4 features an interesting person or place in Oklahoma. After 31 years, it is possibly the longest-running news feature in the state. In fact, Galen will soon film his 5,000th episode!

“Oklahoma is the best feature territory there is,” Galen said. “Everyone has a story. You have an entire population who moved here just a few generations ago and 39 tribes who are making new lives for themselves. It’s an amazing gift when someone opens up their door to tell me their story.”

Galen Gets His Chance

Galen started his journalism career in Fort Smith, AR. As a newbie at a small station, he did every job possible, but his favorite was photography. It was newscaster, Kevin Ogle, who noticed Galen’s talent and recommended Galen for Oklahoma’s KTVY station (presently KFOR-TV). In April 1989, Galen landed the job, unaware that he would carve himself a niche as a feature reporter who would continue through multiple managers and station owners.

“During the Gulf War, I went to Saudi Arabia, and the management liked my coverage. I think that elevated my credentials. In 1991, the news director developed a feature idea named “Is This a Great State or What?” Journalist Dino Lalli was their first choice, but he passed on the project, and someone said, ‘Why don’t you give Galen a shot at it?’”

Although Galen remembers filming the first episode about a cowboy poet from Midwest City, the other 5,000 can be a bit of a blur. A few episodes stand out, however: traversing

Oklahoma’s longest highway from Tom, OK to Boise City; interviewing Tom Love about the first Love’s Country Store in Watonga; visiting with sage rancher Dave Wingo while frog giggin’ in Holdenville; filming a story in Minco about a beekeeper (whose son, Lucas Ross, later became a TV personality). But none can top the story of the bull.

“I was covering the International Finals Rodeo and mentioned to an acquaintance that I could never get close-up video from behind the fence. So, he let me in the gate, and the first bull out of the chute rammed me,” Galen said. “It was dumb to let my passion for the perfect shot take over common sense--but the footage was amazing! That bull ran right at the camera.”

Finding the Stories

Finding 5,000 stories might sound daunting, but they just keep surfacing for Galen. He gets an occasional email from the newsroom, and he searches social media, but most of his story ideas occur organically while he’s visiting with someone about another story.

“About the time we get to the second cup of coffee, someone says, ‘Hey, I know a guy….’” Galen said. “Then, I have the freedom to drive somewhere I’ve never been, to film a story no one else has done before. I can’t think of a better job. I’m so fortunate that people are willing to reveal their unique histories and talents to me. I hope all these stories live on and on.”

Galen can be contacted at Galen.Culver@kfor.com.

Photos submitted

Peace in the Face of Addiction

By Amy Dee Stephens

My mom’s addiction was my fault, and I just hated myself. (Kylie, age 10)

The family secret of hidden addiction is more common than you think. Children in one out of four households are living with addicted grownups!

Oklahoma now has a successful intervention program, proven to break the cycle and help children deal with their emotions— without adding to the guilt that parents already feel. The nonprofit, called Peaceful Family Oklahoma, is eager to help children.

My grandmother found Peaceful Family OK. When I walked through the doors, I didn’t think it was okay to feel angry with my mom. It was a bad emotion. But I learned to safely release those emotions. (Kylie, now 18)

The initial Peaceful Family Oklahoma process occurs at a three-day camp where children learn to understand addiction and coping strategies to help them face future struggles within their family.

“We teach them healthy, age-appropriate ways to deal with emotions that they might not even have words for,” said Lisa Reed, director of Peaceful Family Oklahoma. “It’s not kids sitting with therapists, but kids walking into a room with other kids who’ve lived with the same secrets. They bond almost instantly.”

In a moment, I realized these other kids felt the same way I did. I wasn’t alone, and I didn’t have to keep secrets anymore. (Kylie)

“Developmentally, these children believe if they make their bed every day or get better grades, their grownup will stop drinking or using substances. The big “aha” they walk away with after a Peaceful Family Oklahoma camp is the realization that they can’t change it or control it—but they aren’t alone,” Reed said.

As part of the program, children learn the science of addiction. By understanding the disease model, kids learn why they have a greater risk factor of addiction themselves––making it more important that they never experiment or start using substances. Studies show that without intervention, these children are eight times more likely to follow in their parents’ footsteps because of environmental and genetic factors.

“They also identify their ‘safe person’ who can assist them when their parent is unable to care for them,” Reed said. “It might be a non-addicted parent, a foster family or a guardian. It’s often a relative who is helping raise the child.”

After the foundational training, more traditional therapies may follow. Peaceful Family Oklahoma also offers caregiver sessions and play dates. “Families in this situation often miss out on the fun, playful experiences that connect families and help them trust each other.” Reed said.

Peaceful Family Oklahoma recently added a teen-specific session, their fastest-growing program. The staff are surprised by how quickly the teens open up to each other. “They aren’t reluctant to talk, they are hungry to face their feelings. They are interested in soul searching and finding ways to heal.”

Reed stressed the importance of maintaining a judgment-free zone at Peaceful Family Oklahoma, so that children can still love their parents, but understand the brain disease they are facing. The organization was founded by Mark Barcum, based on principles he learned from the Betty Ford Foundation when he had custody of his own grandchildren because of addiction. When Reed came on as director in 2020, she expected to strengthen the program, but found that the Peaceful Family process was “near perfection,” and she just needed to get it into the hands of Oklahoma families.

“Addiction doesn’t have boundaries,” Reed said. “No matter what your education level, religion, ethnicity, or bank account might be––addiction doesn’t care. It takes amazing strength for these parents to acknowledge their children’s experiences because of their disease, so we try to be as welcoming as possible. That’s why Peaceful Family OK is 100% free to families.”

As I reflect back on my childhood, I realize that I have a better relationship with my family because of Peaceful Family. It was really important for me to learn that addiction was not my fault. (Kylie)

To learn more visit PeacefulFamilyOK.org.

Team members Marne Powell, Jayme Kelton, Lisa Reed, Taylor Vogel, Katrina Zmaila

Rock Star Herb Magley

By Amy Dee Stephens

Several times a week, he loads up his Fender speaker system and his wireless head mic and travels to adoring audiences around Oklahoma.

They can’t get enough of him. They don’t want his shows to end. They line up afterward to talk to him. Herb is not a rock musician. Herb has figured out how to make rocks, yes, rocks from the ground, entertaining to a group of people typically difficult to engage: individuals with Alzheimer’s disease!

“When I visit a Memory Care Unit, the activity director will often say, ‘Don’t be offended when they drift off after about 15 minutes. We’ve tried animals, musicians, magicians. Nothing keeps their attention long,’” Herb said, “but my rocks usually do.” Of course, the rocks Herb brings are beautiful and striking: crystals, minerals, fool’s gold, meteorites and fossils. And they are touchable.

Rockin’ the Rocks

This year, Herb has done over 100 geological programs at senior centers. He has programs developed about different colors and textures of rocks, about rocks that glow under a flashlight, and about rocks that change colors under a black light.

Herb arrives at a show with four sets of the same rocks so that he can set up four tables for attendees to sit around. He believes that his audience’s engagement comes from the ability to reach out and immediately touch the rocks he’s talking about, instead of passing one rock around the room.

“It’s a lot to haul and set up, but it is so rewarding when they get excited or ask questions,” Herb said. “Often, before I finish packing up, residents have wheeled their chairs back

from their rooms holding their own rocks to talk about.”

Herb’s interest in rocks goes back to a fourth grade vacation to Yellowstone. He was so inspired by that trip he became a geologist. During his career, he and his team in Fort Worth pursued the groundbreaking new oil and gas source from shale—which ended up being the biggest source of natural gas around the country.

The Alzheimer’s Journey

In 2015, Herb retired in Edmond to care for his wife, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 54. When she passed, Herb experienced “the void” that comes after 11 years of caretaking. A month afterwards, he spoke about his experience at an Alzheimer’s Association event for a thousand staff and volunteers.

“So, I added some humor into my speech,” Herb said, “and you never hear humor in an Alzheimer’s speech. Luckily, it went over well.” His talk was so popular that he spent the next two years traveling as a speaker, and he began leading caregiver support groups.

“I also wanted to help the people with Alzheimer’s,” Herb said. “My first rock show was in Tulsa for people with early stages of the disease. It went so well that I was there over two hours! They didn’t want me to leave, and I realized I had a hit program.”

Now, Herb claims that his house is starting to look like a rock museum. “Rocks everywhere, in every room. My garage is filled with tables of rocks. I have blue rocks in my blue bathroom, but hey, I’m a geologist!” Herb’s enthusiasm for rocks has captivated a group of people who often seem disinterested. “They can be a difficult group to reach, but it turns out, people in Memory Care like cool-looking rocks, too.” For more information, contact jmagley@cox.net.

The Veraden Senior Living

By Maria Veres

Nestled in the heart of Edmond, The Veraden offers elegant, homelike senior living options for every need. The community includes premier Independent and Assisted Living apartments, as well as a Memory Care residence.

Something for Everyone

Residents can choose from a full slate of activities, from guest performances to book clubs and outings, or they can relax in their own comfortable apartments. Chef-prepared meals and full housekeeping services are included.

Serving Edmond since 2017, The Veraden is a Sagora Senior Living community. It’s an age-in-place community, so residents can easily change to different levels of care if the need arises. “Our goal is for our community to meet any possible need,” says Sales and Marketing Director Mary Geer.

The community includes about 150 residents, spread out across three different levels of care. “The size is perfect,” says Executive Director Phillip Miller. “We’re not so tiny that we don’t have amenities, but not so large that someone doesn’t feel at home.”

A Caring Community

The Veraden is beautiful inside and out, but it’s the community within the walls that makes The Veraden special. “Our team is truly what makes the difference,” says Mary.

Activities Director Ryan Dixon makes sure fun is always on the calendar, and the hardworking maintenance team takes pride in keeping the building and grounds looking brand new. Culinary

rises to the challenge of pleasing a variety of palates with enticing menus, which the residents help plan. Trained team members and medical staff are always on call for Memory Care and Assisted Living residents.

Visitors are welcome to schedule a tour of The Veraden whenever it’s convenient for them, including on weekends. The community is located at 2709 East Danforth Road in Edmond. Contact them at (405) 359-1230 or online at veradenlife.com.

Director Marshall Staunton

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Oklahoma State University

By Maria Veres

From the arts to state history to travel, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Oklahoma State University offers a full slate of learning opportunities for active adults age 50 or older. Classes meet throughout the OKC metro area and beyond, with spring enrollment beginning this month.

Learn, Grow, and Make Friends

OLLI-OSU holds classes in Oklahoma City, Stillwater, Tulsa, and Bartlesville. They also offer a robust selection of online courses, as well as one-day and multi-day trips.

OLLI-OSU is part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute network, with 125 chapters across the U.S. Class Instructors are current and former faculty, community leaders, topic experts and other OLLI members. If the idea of navigating a college campus sounds daunting, don’t worry. Most courses take place off campus in user-friendly locations like libraries, museums or senior centers.

Students must be an OLLI member to have access, and there are two annual membership levels to chose from: The $200 Premium level includes year-round, unlimited attendance to all courses offered in Stillwater, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Bartlesville and online. The second is the $40 À -La-Carte Membership which allows you to select individual courses and then pay $25 for each course enrollment. Both options are very reasonable costs compared to traditional college course fees.

Spring Session Begins Soon Enrollment for the spring session opens January 17, with classes running from February 13 to April 14. As always, a wide variety of enticing offerings are on tap. One of the most exciting is a

trip to Costa Rica, the first international adventure OLLI has offered. Closer to home, there is a day trip to Tulsa scheduled in April.

OKC classes will include a local restaurant crawl, a “town hall” series with presentations by community leaders, and more. Online learners can join courses on subjects ranging from critical race theory to quilts from around the world.

“We are a diverse, inclusive group and everybody is welcome,” says coordinator Robbin Davis. To join or learn more, contact Robbin at 405-744-5868 or visit olli.okstate.edu.

An OLLI student of the arts

Learning To Live Again!

By Louise Tucker Jones

Holidays are difficult when going through grief, and we just came through the most significant—Christmas. Supposedly, the New Year promises new beginnings, but in truth, I just want my “old life” back.

I want my heart to be happy again and my mind to stop the constant “if only” and “what ifs.” I continually remind my spirit that God is good and God is love even though He didn’t heal my son as I asked. And yes, I feel an eternal loss.

And though our loved ones aren’t really “lost” when in heaven; we lose their presence in our lives. We lose their touch, their words, their hugs and a future with them. We lose the routine we built with those who lived and loved us daily.

After my husband died, I would get an expectant feeling around 5:00pm daily. Carl always called when he got off work and suddenly there were no calls. Even today, after eleven years, I still catch my breath if a red pickup pulls into my driveway. I know it isn’t Carl’s, but my heart still remembers.

It has been three hard months since my sweet son, Jay left for heaven, but I still wake, thinking he should be asleep in his bedroom. Every day, I walk into his room and halfway expect to see him rearranging his WWE paraphernalia or choosing a necktie from his vast collection. If I hear a noise during the night I startle awake, feeling the need to check on Jay.

And though I have a lifetime of beautiful memories with my son, the sad, lonely last moments haunt my dreams. Grieving is hard. It’s private. Intense. A pain no one can truly share.

I know that one day I will laugh again, even though there is little joy in the present. One day I will awake with expectation instead of dread for the loneliness of the day. But it takes time.

Mourning is neither short nor simple. It’s a process and everyone does it differently. The Bible tells us that those who mourn will be comforted. I believe that, and pray that one day soon my soul will learn to sing again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Louise Tucker Jones is an award-winning author, inspirational speaker & founder of Wives With Heavenly Husbands, a support group for widows. LouiseTJ@cox.net or LouiseTuckerJones.com.

The Accidental Organizer

By Taylor Bollinger

Professional organizer Amber Austin compares hiring her to hiring a personal trainer who loves to eat. It might sound odd at first, but according to the clients whose homes and hearts she’s impacted over the last 13 years, it actually makes sense.

“I am not a naturally organized person,” Amber said. “I grew up in a chaotic, unorganized home. It was out of control. I was hesitant to share this at first, but I found that my story gives hope to people like me – if I can do it, they can too.”

Amber’s journey to an organized life was gradual and born out of necessity. “My family was growing, but my house was not. I was stressed, I couldn’t find things, and I was rebuying things I already owned.”

Realizing the need for change, Amber set out to organize “one thing at a time. I just started mastering one organizing skill at a time until it was on autopilot,” she explained. “It was a slow skillbuilding process. Implementing little tricks here and there started to make a big difference in my home.”

Her husband and three children weren’t the only ones to notice. Soon, friends were recognizing the improvement in Amber’s life and wanting to experience it in their own. Without even intending to start a business, Amber became an “accidental business owner”.

Her business, Dwelling Place Organizing, took its name from Isaiah 32:18, “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” She’s found her work to have an impact as emotional as it is physical.

“The thing that has really surprised me is that it's not about stuff,” Amber said. “We put so much pressure on

ourselves, and we are always comparing our kids, homes, closets, pantries – you name it! I can see people relax on our first appointment when I tell them, ‘I want to make your house work for you’.

As minimalism and organizational tips flood TV and Instagram, Amber says she enjoys the content, but the picture-perfect approach isn’t hers. “I specialize in using what you have and making your existing space work for you,” she said. “I love getting creative and using things in a new way. I’m not in it for Instagrammable before and afters. This is real life organization.”

Often, the job calls for helping clients clear out clutter, sentimental items included. A 2008 house fire made Amber an expert in this area. “When you are running through your house making split-second decisions on what you’re going to keep, I can tell you it is not the random jars we’ve saved or ‘maybe someday’ items that come to mind.”

For those looking to clear out postChristmas clutter, she offers two practical pieces of advice. “Put a trash can at the most used point of entry to your home,” Amber said. “For me, it’s the garage. So when I walk in the house, I can throw away the junk mail, cups, and clutter before it even enters my house.”

For items inside your home, Amber emphasizes ease of access. “When you’re trying to come up with a home for something, try to put it as close to where it lands anyway. Where do you use it? Where does it tend to end up? Find a home as close to that as possible.”

Learn more at dwellingplaceorganizing.com.

Photo by Angela Espino