Meet Your Challenge Hosts - mamaxsix (Gail)

[mamaxsix]

Hello everyone! I�m Gail and this is my first year hosting a HYCCT Challenge.

I am a stay at home mom of six, hence my screen name. I was well prepared for motherhood after working as a pediatric nurse before we started our family. I have been married for 31 years. My husband Pat retired from the Navy in 2005 after 25 years of service and we moved to North Central Indiana for him to attend Grace Theological Seminary.
I took this from my car window-quite rural here and flat compared to our Colorado hostess's views but we get our share of snow!
Pat graduated in 09 and has been pastoring a church in our small rural Indiana town since then.
We just moved our second son to Chicago for Culinary School at Kendall College-he's on the right in the picture
On the left is our 22 year old son who�s currently living with us while trying to find work after graduating with a BA in English.
We also have a 17 year old daughter in her senior year,

a 14yo son in his freshman year (he's almost 6'3" after hitting his growth spurt at 12-I don't think he's stopped growing yet!)


and our youngest daughter a 12 year old 7th grader
.
We also have a married 24 year old daughter living in Philadelphia and participating in an urban ministry.
I homeschooled the kids all the way from kindergarten through high school. Last year the rules changed and homeschoolers could participate in high school sports if they took at only one class at the school, and my daughter broke into the public high school world. This year she is full time there and my son is part time.
My foray into stamping began when my oldest daughter was 9 and stamped at a birthday party. I�d already done some scrapbooking and thought stamping would be something I could do with the girls for bonding�.that and think of all the money I could save making my own cards hahahaha! When we moved to IN I started to sell Stampin� Up as a way to make enough money to support my habit while we were living off Pat�s military retirement pay and student stipend only. I was my own best customer and while I loved to teach stamping, I never really enjoyed trying to sell things. Once I became more busy as a pastor�s wife, I decided it was time to step down�.about the only thing I miss (other than the discount) is the demonstrator side of the house here at splitcoast.
When I�m not stamping I�m usually gardening, cooking or reading. I like photography too.

Random facts:
*This year I became a dog owner for the first time in my 51 years of life!
That�s what happens when adult children move home and then head off to college�you adopt their animals!
*When I play the game Never Ever, I almost always knock out lots of women my age because I�ve never ever dyed my hair or watched a Rocky movie.
*Speaking of never ever, my husband told me two things when we first started dating�.he was never ever going to reenlist and he�d never live in the MidWest! HA!
*I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and my parents and sister and her family now live in the city so I�m the closest I�ve ever been to my family. My brother lives outside of DC in Maryland.
*Though my nuclear family is small, my extended family is HUGE as my dad is the oldest of 15 and my mom the youngest of 7. I have TONS of cousins and my dad�s grandpa was once in the National Enquirer for having the most descendants. This is all of my mom's family this summer at a reunion. My part of the family is in red.


My main tie to breast cancer is through my 76 year old mother who was diagnosed 3 years ago just after she turned 73.

It hasn�t been an easy journey as she has metastases in her spine and lungs now and has just started another round of chemo. Her rock solid faith and determination to live life to the fullest as long as possible have been an inspiration to me. My 80 yo dad has been an awesome caregiver too!
You all inspire me every day as I see the beautiful things you all create and many in the midst of family and life crises or health issues of your own. Thanks for joining into this month of making a difference!

[UnderstandBlue]

I loved every word of this Gail!! You are an amazing woman!

[mrslaird]

Loved reading this, Gail! I was homeschooled from 3rd grade through highschool and my mom is the oldest of seven siblings. Loved your pictures!

[ohmypaper!]

Oh, Gail your photos are wonderful! It's so fun to get to know you better. My sister lives in Anderson, IN so I know you get lots of snow and bitter cold. Thanks for sharing photos of your beautiful family!

[muscrat]

Gail, you have a gorgeous family! Loved reading more about you! Loved the pictures!

[pvilbaum]

Loved getting to know something about you Gail. Large families are awesome. I have two daughters - wanted more children but things just didn't work that way. Some day I am going to come spend some time in IN.

[stampin'nana]

I really enjoyed reading all about you, Gail! Thank you for putting up some really great photos of you and your beautiful family! So fun to learn about each person hosting a challenge.

[janeenk]

oh Gail, this is such a beautiful family and story. So very very sorry about your mom.

[jeenny2010]

Thanks for sharing your beautiful family

[taclary]

What a beautiful family Gail. Loved your post!

[patiak]

Fun bio and great pictures! I was confused at first when I saw 7 'kids' in your family picture. By the other ones I figured out one was probably your SIL, but he looks like he could be related so I wasn't sure! My family grew up in suburbs of Chicago, we moved to IN, not far from Lk Michigan, when I was in 6th grade and my other siblings were out of the house. Now I live in AK. I don't miss the cold & heat, the wind, or the flatness of IN otherwise I enjoyed growing up there.

[scootsv]

Gail, What a lovely family! Thanks for being hostess for HYCCT! We are so happy to get a little glimpse of your life! Enjoy your stamping!