Several years ago someone told me that they thought of me as “impetuous.” That startled me. Me? Impetuous? The person went on to explain that they viewed me as the Apostle Peter, not in spirituality, but in impetuosity. I found that description humorous. I shared that story over family dinner that night and asked, “Isn’t that about the funniest thing you’ve ever heard? I’m so not impetuous!” My husband and daughter broke into uproarious laughter. They proceeded to point out that I was probably the most impetuous person they knew and proceeded to give example after example after example after… Anyway, they added that I couldn’t exactly be considered the best judge, given the fact that I hadn’t known I even liked butterflies. That was unfair. It was harkening back to an experience from a few months earlier when a store clerk, noticing I was buying a butterfly keychain and purse, commented, “Wow. You really like butterflies, don’t you?” I said, “I guess. I don’t like them any more than anyone else, I don’t think.” I shared that experience at family dinner, again to great laughter. They pointed out that I was wearing a butterfly shirt, had bought a butterfly dress that morning, had butterfly shoes, tons of butterfly jewelry, and was always drawing butterflies (with flowers, of course) on my papers. I had to admit to the veracity of the claim after that, that indeed, I seriously loved butterflies.
Why do I start out my “about me” section with these stories? I do so because it is fair to acknowledge that maybe I’m not the best person to talk about myself. While I might be very introspective on emotions and motivations, I obviously don’t know myself very well. Kinda like when two young boys (maybe 5 years old) came to my house and in awe stated, “You really like clocks.” I said something offhandedly, not sure exactly what they meant. Those boys then proceeded to count my clocks in my small house. There were nearly two dozen that they found (I found more later). You get my point.
Here are the basics of my life, things that I can be absolutely sure of. I was born the second of four children in Southern California, where I was raised in an active LDS home. We moved to a little suburb called Rowland Heights when I was nine months old and we never left. I sang in choirs from the age of six, began piano lessons a year earlier, loved to read (especially classics and biographies), loved to write stories and poems, loved to talk when I knew and trusted people (I was pretty shy), and loved having lots of friends. I was an awkward youth, often living in my own little imaginary world, but I was known as the “sunshine girl” at both home and at church.
As a young adult I couldn’t figure out what to do with my life. I attended multiple colleges and changed my major as often as some people change socks. I wanted to be: a sports broadcaster, a news broadcaster, a nurse, a history teacher, a tour guide, a truck driver, a politician, a political aide, an actress, a musician, a fiction writer, a journalist (some argue that those last two are the same), a paralegal, a travel agent, a human resources manager, a social secretary, an arts critic, a wife and mother, a store manager, and even more. Everything in the world fascinated me. Okay, not everything. Notice the lack of anything resembling science or numbers in that above list, hahaha. I ended up with a degree in history with an unofficial minor in journalism.
During this same timeframe I held various kinds of jobs. I worked in sales and reception at J.C. Penney for years while going through college. After leaving school I worked as a writer and account executive for a small public relations company, and then worked as an editorial assistant and information services manager for a biomedical engineering publishing company. Mostly I enjoyed spending time with people. I loved learning their stories and being involved in their lives. I loved having deep conversations with my numerous friends. I learned a lot from so many of these friends and they affected my life in ways they will never understand. I loved to travel. Work was always secondary.
In 1992 I joined the Southern California Mormon Choir, and there I met my husband – Ben Broderick. We stayed after choir every week and talked for hours and hours (in an era before cell phones that habit was a bit nerve wracking for my parents, especially on the night of the L.A. riots). We met in late March. Our first official date was on May 8th, although I had arranged for him and his sister to sing in a small group I organized to perform at a political fundraiser in April. We talked on the phone for hours most nights. May 8th was our first date (like I said), our second date was singing at a funeral the next week, and we were possibly engaged on May 20th. I say possibly, because we both went away that night wondering if we were actually engaged. We were, in our minds, officially engaged on May 28th and we got engaged a third time (this time with a ring) in the first week of June. We were married in Manti, Utah on November 28th of that same year.
Life definitely changed post-marriage. I had some health issues for a couple years and then took a job as a traffic manager for a court transcription company. I loved that job. I especially loved it when Ben came to work as a proofreader and court reporter for the same company. In 1996 we were blessed when our daughter, Elizabeth, was born. What a joy!
Ben attended law school at BYU from 1997-2000, finishing second in his class. We moved back to Southern California, where Ben embarked on a career first with big law for a decade and then with a smaller niche firm in 2010. I loved keeping the family schedule organized, taking Elizabeth to her professional choirs and voice lessons (even some piano lessons thrown in there), being involved in her schools, and being busy at church, helping those in need, and spending time with friends. I worked as a preschool music teacher at three schools and as choir director, grades 1-8, while Elizabeth was in elementary school. I later published a children’s book and wrote music for an accompanying CD. I kept myself quite busy with a bevy of activities.
In 2015 our daughter left for an 18-month mission for our church. Eight days later my beloved husband collapsed at work and died. He had an undiagnosed enlarged heart. My life shattered. I was blessed with good friends who helped me through and a loving Father in Heaven who guided my footsteps every step of the way. I purchased property in South Jordan, Utah and built a home that I moved into 11 months after Ben’s death. Elizabeth came home from her mission in January 2017 and attended BYU, graduating in April of 2020. She is pursuing further education. I started my own little business helping people write their personal stories (although I discovered that I didn’t earn any money as I gave my services away for free all the time). I somehow got involved in the political scene and even ran for Congress as a third-party candidate in 2020. I have had a series of hilarious and frightening health experiences in the past few years, making life quite different than I had anticipated, but also adding some flavor to life.
I now am the director of operations and a reading specialist for KoolMinds Academy of Learning – helping neurodiverse children learn in a safe and made-for-them environment. I love what I do! I have two silly dogs: a Mini Aussie and a Bernese Mountain Dog. They keep me company when company is hard to find.
I truly don’t know what’s next. I do know this, though: the Lord is mindful of His children and wishes them to be happy. I am writing this blog because I wish to talk about how to find joy, even when life is hard; how to draw closer to God when He feels far away; and how to look for the sunny side of life when dark clouds are looming over us.
That’s who I am. I’m an impetuous optimist who loves butterflies. I truly love life despite some lemons being thrown in. I have hope for the future and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you.
Look to God and Live... Joyfully! 