East Texas Moms

Amanda and her husband live in Lindale where they are raising their two full-speed-ahead boys. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Stephen F. Austin and is a former 5th grade Reading teacher. A lifelong learner, Amanda has returned to her roots. Writing is her passion and therapy. It is in her bones and she loves every moment of it! Amanda is a southern gal who loves all things girly: the sparkle of new earrings, the glamour of a perfectly red lipstick, and the pain in your feet after wearing new heels to a smoldering outdoor BBQ (true story). She has proclaimed to be many things: an old soul born in the wrong era, a land-locked mermaid, and a bull in a china shop. A book lover since she can remember, Amanda indulges herself in the smell of freshly printed pages and can’t stand the stench of an old book… she wonders “who else has touched that book and what images did they conjure up as they read the very same tale?” This thing is for certain however, Amanda is a mother who believes in the power of Faith, dreams, and imagination. One of Amanda’s most favorite quotes by Erin Hanson gives wings to her dreams: “What if I fall? Oh, but darling, what if you fly?”

An Arkansas girl all the way, Ashley ran away to East Texas with an Austin boy. She met Kyle her junior year while studying at the University of Arkansas, and they were married a few weeks after graduation. After working in Commercial Sales for a few years, she now utilizes her skills as a full-time child wrangler and melt down mediator to boy twins Brady and Hudson. She’s a lover of vintage of finds, consignment store shopping and good thrift store steals. In her down-time, she enjoys watching Golden Girls re-runs, red-wine. coffee, reading and exploring the outdoors with her boys.

Owner/Founder of East Texas Moms. She is a born and raised East Texan who after moving away for 12 years, realized very quickly that coming home and raising a family where the roots are, wasn't all that bad. She has been married to Stephen for 19 years and they have two beautifully unique daughters, Keatyn (14) and Addilyn (11). Beth spends her free time exploring Netflix with Stephen, consuming as many books as she can while drinking coffee and soaking up intentional time with her family.  She also enjoys traveling and finding local food to try. She's a teacher turned entrepreneur, plus the director of a local Day School. For many years she has run her own businesses from home, which has allowed her to learn so much about who she is, what her strengths are and ultimately lead her to here. She's passionate about her community and being a wife and mom. Though she loves her small town, she often dreams of more sidewalks for riding her bicycle with a basket. Fun Fact: When she was a preteen and teen, she HATED running. Now, at 40, she has PAID to run in many half marathons and one marathon in the last 10 years. Go figure.

Born and raised behind the Pine Curtain, Beth S. was educated in a perfect blend of public, private and homeschooling. She graduated from LeTourneau University and began working in University Admissions - which was a great foundation for her career in corporate development (*a fancy way of saying “fundraising”). After working with several nationally known charities, she traded in her frequent flier miles and company car for a job where the commute was much shorter and the nights away from home infrequent - working as a minister in her local church. The most recent twist and turn in her story was the arrival of Callie in 2015 and Davis in 2017. So, she’s corralling #twokidsundertwo and mommin’ it up for the foreseeable future. She is married to Andrew, a corporate pilot. She takes pride in rooting for the people and places that make East Texas unlike any other. She likes reminding folks that East Texans are quite diverse and open-minded. BC (before children) she did all.the.things. Now? it’s all about keeping everyone clean/fed/watered.

Brittany was born and raised here in East Texas. Before becoming a mom Brittany finished her Masters degree in Counseling, but once she and her husband had their first baby girl, she knew being a SAHM was for her. She and her husband have been married 11 years and they have 3 beautiful little girls 5 and under. Her husband is a local minister and together they love investing in newly weds and young families. Brittany loves watching super hero movies, eating anything chocolate, and helping moms create a life they love over on her blog www.littlecottagelife.com. Something random about Brittany? She married her middle school sweetheart!

Married 15 years to her high school sweetheart, mother of two littles, daughter, sister, friend. She spent her childhood in beautiful South-Central Mexico then moved to South Texas at the age of 10. She received her Bachelor’s degree in 2003 from LeTourneau University and worked as a bilingual teacher for five years before completing a Master’s in Family Studies with a concentration in adoption at Texas Woman's University in 2010. Adoption and advocacy for women and children has always been Ester’s passion, and after completing her Master’s, Ester was given the opportunity to be a caseworker for an adoption agency where she worked with women in crisis pregnancy, facilitated adoptions, and helped couples grow their family. It was the perfect job until motherhood stole the show. These days you’ll most often find Ester in a top bun and yoga pants, sipping on lukewarm coffee, reading picture books as if they were the only form of literature available to mankind. For her, motherhood has been both beautiful and challenging, but well worth the wait. Ester loves reading, writing, and photography, and especially enjoys post-bedtime mom-dates at local coffee shops where she can wear real clothes, have adult conversation, and drink piping hot coffee as if she didn’t have a care in the world. This season of life is all about the little things.

Born and raised in Tyler, Katelyn has always called Texas home. She is proud to be a fighting Texas Aggie, loves Needtobreathe concerts, any variety of escape room, and going on adventures with her husband. Since 2012, she has worked in discipleship education at the Pine Cove Forge, as well as a short stint as a wholeseller for private placement funds out of Dallas. Her heartbeat is to help others more clearly understand their design by composing vision where its lost or broken. She is a seven on the enneagram (if you know, you know), tends to plan for spontaneity, gains energy from being with people, and has learned to enjoy the silence. Katelyn is currently pursuing her Master's in Counseling and spends most of her time at home with babies and loves (almost) every minute of it. She is wife to Tyler, and mom to E (2018) with one on the way (Nov. 2019).

Recent East Texas transplant, Kat Smith taught 8th grade American History for 12 years in Austin and Tyler. She met her exceptionally wonderful husband and moved to Longview, Tx. Kat is now a stay-at-home-mom to a geriatric Doberman (Sam) and a squishy human toddler (Lincoln). She loves Jesus, cusses a bit too much, and sometimes wonders if she should raise chickens in the backyard. She should not! This would be disastrous! Please remind Kat of this next time you see her at the Farmers Market!

Fun Fact: She is left-handed, and also likes to play the piano.

From the city by the sea to the rose capital, Kelly has always called Texas home. The move to East Texas just before her freshman year of high school truly shaped her future. It was then, in a church youth group, she met her husband Justin. It was an improbable romance; teenage opposites, but they fell in love and promised to grow up and to grow old with each other. The young couple married in the same church where they had first met. In celebration of their ten year anniversary the two renewed the promise of their vows this past November. Those ten years brought about three children, Luke (9), Levi (4) and Truett (1). As a young girl, Kelly's dream was to be a stay-at-home mom and writer. When their family began to grow, she left her career in newspaper, to devote herself to motherhood. Now she documents her journey to find balance and joy in her many roles as a homemaker, boy mom, wife and woman at soccermom-ish.blogspot.com.

Lakenya Hill is a God fearing woman driven with passion to build up the kingdom of God. Lakenya is a native of Compton, Ca, by way of Lindale,Tx. She has been married to Nate Hill for 13 years and has 3 beautiful children. Lakenya has passionately mentored a mutiltude of young women in the inner cities across the U.S for over 13 years. Lakenya obtained a Masters in Human Services from Liberty University. Through countless Bible studies, group sessions and community events, Lakenya’s goal is to passionately give her all to God’s kingdom by living a missional life on purpose.

Marie Murphy was raised in East Texas. She got her degree in Family and Child Development and Psychology from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2006. Marie worked for the Adult Protective Services as an investigator and then at Community Healthcore as a caseworker. She met her amazingly wonderful husband, Frank, in 2013. She is now a stay at home mama to their beautiful 3-year-old, Jackson; he loves exploring, climbing, being outside and entertaining…to say the least and she has two bonus kids; Ben studying psychology in college and Elliot playing varsity tennis in high school. Marie also takes care of 2 cats, 2 dogs and a fish. She loves being with her family, hosting dinners, laughing, talking with friends, working out, being outdoors, cooking and writing.

Melodye was born and raised in Henderson, Texas and after a brief stint in Abilene, she set roots in Tyler where she now lives with her awesome husband and precious son. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, but her career took a backseat when she experienced pregnancy complications. After the safe arrival of her son, she closed the doors to her eating disorder private practice to work from home for her and her husband’s business, Camp Canine. Melodye is passionate about Jesus and desires deeply for all women to find true freedom from dieting, disordered eating, eating disorders, and body image issues. From her work as a child therapist, she feels deeply about parenting and the impact we as parents, mothers, have on our children and wishes to spread a message of freedom from “mommy guilt” (what she terms mommy shame). Melodye blogs at her blog faithfoodandfreedom.com. She is an active member at Glenwood Church of Christ where she sees the love of the Lord and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Melodye conducts group therapy and seminars to fight diet culture and assist parents in raising children in this fallen world.

Born in the Seattle area by two transplanted-from-Texas parents, Meredith has lived in the East Texas area since her Junior High days. This second generation Aggie (whoop!) held several careers in the sciences before the arrival of her daughter Danielle, now 10. Only a few years after returning to the work environment she found herself a single mom hauling around 50+ extra pounds. Deciding then to live life differently, she began running, attending church regularly, and giving the single mom thing all she had! To her surprise, she met a wonderful man named Bill, married, gained a stepdaughter, Allison, and moved to Whitehouse where they currently reside. Now entering her forties, she has become a part time CrossFit coach, cycle instructor, and personal trainer at XTC Fitness and Sports in Tyler. She has also completed several half marathons, one full marathon as well as several CrossFit competitions. Meredith is also now part of the Executive team here at East Texas Moms Blog, where she helps coordinate our guides and sponsorships. When not in the gym, running the trails or networking with other moms, she is hanging out with family, drinking coffee, reading, and watching a movie or two. Meredith is driven every day to encourage others through fitness and empower other moms to engage in community and share their stories. You can read more about Meredith at runningmerefitness.com.

“Y’all” and “Fixin” were things this born and raised Ohioan never thought would become a part of her daily vocabulary. After graduating from Muskingum University with a degree in journalism, Merrideth found herself a true-blooded East Texan and followed him down here. Seven years and many cultural lessons later, Merrideth is learning to balance life as a High School English teacher, wife to a busy entrepreneur, and mother to two boys: Cooper (5) and Kutter (3). She has a mild obsession with reading, Mexican food, and any song by George Strait. Her family recently began their journey of building their dream home near San Augustine.  Since becoming a Texas transplant, she has committed to living a more active and healthy lifestyle. She enjoys hiking, traveling and pinning new recipes that she never has the time to cook. Before she turns the big 4-0, she plans to learn how to Texas two-step, visit Italy with her husband, and publish a novel. You can get to know her better by visiting her blog at pipelinewife.wordpress.com.

Her name usually starts a conversation as soon as she introduces herself. Most people have never met a woman named Scotti and it’s a topic she loves talking about because her name has shaped her and allows her to talk about her family. She was born in 1988 in Tyler, TX and named after her dad, Scott. They moved further south in east Texas and she grew up in Shelbyville, TX. We got her looks and sense of humor from her dad and her caring, old soul from her mom, Missi. When she was 17, she decided to join the Texas Army National Guard and after graduating high school, she left home for basic training. She graduated basic training and became a medic (68W). She is still in the Army NG after 12 years and is stationed here in Tyler, Texas as a full time active Soldier. She met her husband, Cody in the military and they have been married for 9 years. She is a step mom to a 12 year old named Brandon, he is the biggest animal lover you will ever meet and wants to be a zoo keeper when he grows up. She and her husband completed a cycle of IVF October 2017 after many years of struggling with infertility and are now pregnant with a little boy to be named Kane. She enjoys riding motorcycles and being with family most. Also, being creative brings her peace, whether it be with food, paper, paint or plants.

After a pit stop in Houston of newlywed bliss and a marketing/communications job, this Central Texan made her way to the Pineywoods of East Texas to call Tyler her home since 2009. Shae and her husband, Dash, took a chance on Tyler when God opened a door for a college tennis coaching gig for Dash and the small city continues to surprise them as they learn to lean in to all that the community offers. After three sons (ages 9, 6, and 2) and almost a decade amongst the pine trees, no other place feels more like home. Shae spends her work hours as a part-time work-from-home copy editor for an education company and her play hours snuggling her toddler, cheering on her older boys at the ballpark, school stage and court, and being a coach’s wife to her busy husband. Shae loves the outdoors, gathering friends around the table, and roots loudly for the TJC Apaches, the Aggies and the Astros! This introvert is living an extroverted life and loving the lessons it teaches as it unfolds.

Up until recently, Tiffany and her family called South Tyler home. When the farm next to her mom went up for sale, she and her handsome husband, Mike, and their two children, Michael (12) and Katelynn (10) decided to take a chance and learn how to live a small town farm life. The move has been an exciting and challenging adventure. You can read more about the family and farm adventures on her blog (www.lovelikebreathing.com). Tiffany works part-time for her family’s business and splits the rest of her time caring for children, chickens, church family, and community. She loves to tell a good story, read a good book, and enjoy a good conversation. Tiffany believes that loving people well at the place your life intersects with theirs, will heal our broken world one moment at a time.