EDITOR'S NOTES
Photo by Scarlette Richards
Working With Your Hands
No one is ever truly and fully prepared to have a baby, but my brother, Aaron, and his wife, Jennifer, were especially blindsided when it became clear that their first child would be born severely premature. They were told that if the baby survived at all, she may end up needing intense care once she came home from the hospital. Recently graduated from college, and both now working at corporate jobs, Aaron and Jennifer had planned to find a high quality day care center for their daughter and continue their career tracks while lovingly raising her. But as they learned more about the potential disabilities and dangers their daughter could face, they determined that a child with major health concerns wouldn’t fit into that plan. What was next for their family?
Baby Aria was born at 27 weeks gestation, on January 20, 2015. Her birth was followed by weeks, then months, of her parents’ visits to the NICU after work and on weekends, during which the new parents determined that one of them would have to sacrifice their current career in order to manage whatever medical needs she may have once she made it home. Aaron hadn’t been finding fulfillment in his work, but he’d grown up with the vision of being the breadwinner for his family. Jennifer, on the other hand, loved her work, and enjoyed great benefits and work culture. By the time little Aria was strong enough to come home, after 135 days of living in the NICU, Aaron and Jennifer had decided together that Aaron would quit his job to become primary caregiver of their daughter, who has since gone on to thrive physically, mentally and socially. This family and career decision that started when Aria was born gave birth to a totally different personal path for Aaron that he could never have predicted: with more time on his hands while staying home with his daughter, he started tinkering around in his garage with woodworking. He found he loved the work, it gave him an outlet, and he even started selling a few of his pieces. Soon the demand for his services grew so high that his building queue was several months out. Since then, he hasn’t stopped learning, perfecting his craft, or finding brand new pieces to create for thankful clients—even as he and Jennifer have added two more daughters to their family, and he continues to be their primary caregiver. Aaron never thought he’d grow up to be a woodworker, but when life altered his plans, he turned to his own creativity and ingenuity to forge a new path. I recently interviewed several artists and makers in our own community whose lives have also taken different paths than they originally planned, and whose handiwork—whether jewelry making, sewing, woodworking or painting—has been woven into their life’s work. This summer, as artisan and farmers markets return to Clark County, take a moment to learn the stories of the artists whose wares you see for sale. You may find a human connection that transcends the final product. In this issue, learn more about how local movers and makers are preparing to return to selling their art in person (page 12), see how teens are benefitting from peer-to-peer support and resources (page 18) and check out the best Clark County parks for every adventure (page 24).
Nikki Klock, Editor nikki@vancouverfamilymagazine.com
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Healthy baby Aria with one of Aaron’s early furniture pieces.
Vancouver Family Magazine • www.vancouverfamilymagazine.com • July 2021
www.VancouverFamilyMagazine.com
Volume 20, Issue 7 Publisher
Julie Buchan Julie@vancouverfamilymagazine.com (360) 882-7762
Editor
Nikki Klock Nikki@vancouverfamilymagazine.com (360) 882-7762
Associate Editor
Sarah Mortensen Sarah@vancouverfamilymagazine.com
Graphic Designer
I-Shüan Warr Ishuan@vancouverfamilymagazine.com
Ad Designer
Philip Nerat addesign@vancouverfamilymagazine.com
Contributing Writers
Claire Curtis, Kate Hagan Gallup, Rachel Messerschmidt, Sarah Mortensen
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On the Cover:
Corrina Cody recently graduated from Mountain View High School in Vancouver and plans to attend WSU Vancouver in the fall to study psychology. She loves her job as a server at The Quarry Senior Living “because [the residents] always spread so much knowledge, stories and fun facts that I didn’t know I needed to have." Photo by Marie Pham Photography mariephamphotography.com 360-907-6732
