After eight great years in the Communications Division for OCFL, Wednesday marked my last day managing the Digital Team in the downtown office. I am honored and excited for my next chapter of serving our community at the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive. I’ll be leading the talented Communications and Marketing Office through our Center of Hospitality’s Capital Improvement Plan and two Campus Master Plan projects. I am so proud of all that the Digital Team has accomplished, which started with just two UCF interns and a newly graduated part-time contractor to eventually growing to a team of eight content creators, editors, marketers, translators and web designers at the height of production. I am so thankful for the opportunity to build our digital presence and expand citizen outreach, from our early website redesign to launching social, our newsroom/mobile app and contributing to so many initiatives with enormous impact including responding to hurricanes Matthew, Irma and the aftermath of Pulse, Orlando United Day and the One Orlando Collection. For all those who walked this incredible journey with me, I am forever grateful and privileged to have worked along side some of the hardest working communicators, public information officers and public servants in the nation. Thank you for making the past eight years some of the best and most rewarding of my professional life. Onward! 

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday that commemorates the miracle of light in the Temple in Jerusalem. The eight-day festival involves food, prayer, donation, oil, giving and remembrance.

Hanukkah lights remind us to never be afraid to stand up for what’s right and to always be forthright in matters of goodness. A little light goes a long way and a candle of Godly goodness can serve as a beacon of hope for those navigating dark passages of their lives.

This week we celebrate Hanukkah with our wonderful Jewish friends and thank God for all of life’s little everyday miracles.

I love a good hamburger just as much as anyone else. But I have to tell you, some of the best burgers I’ve had in Orlando are at Wahlburgers. The burgers are made with extra fresh ingredients, super crisp veggies and do not disappoint. In addition to the thick and juicy burgers, I  highly recommend the thinly sliced onion rings. They are delicious – never had onion rings like these. In fact, you could actually put the onion rings on the burger itself. And the special sauce that Chef Paul puts on all the burgers – is truly out of this world. Plus, they support the local football leagues for our kiddos – THANK YOU FROM THE CONWAY FALCONS!

I’m really not one to push a restaurant just because it’s associated with a celebrity, but I have to say these are some of the best burgers you will find in Orlando.

Yes, I was a huge New Kids on the Block fan. Although my favorite NKOTB was Jordan Knight, Donny was pretty cool too. And, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch definitely brought it in the 90s!

Orlando is almost 100 miles away from Tampa, Florida. That didn’t stop about a dozen Cornerstone Orlando moms from driving to the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to see Taylor Swift’s Reputation stadium concert, on a school night, nonetheless!

Was it worth it? Absolutely! She proved to be an amazing talent and entertainer. The memories will last a lifetime, and how cool that Lauren will be able to say her first concert was Taylor Swift – with another 65,000 other fans!

Anyway, hope I made her dreams come true. This was part of her eighth birthday present. And every penny was worth it!

There are years when you hit the classroom jackpot and the kiddos definitely won this year!

Fifth grade and third grade are big years with FSA testing and middle school on the horizon. I couldn’t be happier with where we landed this year. It’s going to be a fantastic year!

When you work in communications, especially government communications, a big portion of what you do revolves around planning.

A part of my day was spent at our alternate emergency operations center on a tabletop training with other partner agencies. Coming into the facility, here are the signs that greeted us.

During my days as a reporter, I lived through Ivan, Charley, Frances and Jeanne on the Treasure Coast where the eye hit our readership area, not once but twice. Although the work was hard, I was lucky in that I didn’t lose a home or a person I loved. It was the summer of hurricanes and somehow, I managed to plan a wedding and got married just a month after the last storm made landfall. I remember being so nervous about another storm hitting us or that our venue, the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel at Florida Southern College, would be end up being damaged.

The wedding was fine and here we are two kids, four cities and six cars later. Instead of reporting on the hurricanes, I am now on the other side helping disseminate life saving information to local constituents and our media. I have been activated twice for hurricanes Matthew and Irma. In 2016, we were semi-activated for the Pulse nightclub tragedy.

I love what I do and have truly found my calling. The year 2011 was a career change turning point for me as I transitioned from being a hardcore journalist to a public servant. Public service is the most fulfilling job I have ever had in my life, but I came in with a learning curve.

I remember a time being somewhat confused during an emergency training and thinking to myself, “what are all of these acronyms and how does everyone know these programs and passwords?”

Like Mr. Rogers said, find the helpers. And, I did. There was a kind person who always made me feel comfortable, even when I was a novice and knew zilch about emergency management. He was always patient and understanding, never standoffish and quick to smile and explain complicated scenarios, even with chaos ensuing around us. Like my father-in-law, he was a Marine. He was not at our training today and I missed his presence. Life is short, and how I wish he was able to enjoy his retirement years with his wife and see his future grandchildren. His funeral was one of the saddest days in my time at Orange County, although the memorial service was beautiful and full of joy and love for him and his family. Because of his heart and love of God, his family and community, I know he is heaven with our Lord.

Today, a newer trainer asked me to slow down so that the rest of the class could catch up. The paradox of life is so ironic.

Here’s to being properly trained by the best of the best, Orange County Emergency Manager Ron Plummer.

Who else gets nostalgic when they hear this? “This is the word of the Lord.”

Every morning, I spend sometime with God through the Bible app. Try it, I promise it is easy, convenient and addictive.

All I have to say about today’s verse is #truth. I continue to be amazed by God and all that he has provided for my family.

You can say I’ve lived a storied life, full of wondrous experiences in the places I used to call home. Today, home is Orlando – the City Beautiful, which has embraced my family and continues to inspire and amaze us. This is where we are raising our kids, building a strong circle of friends and where we found God. Undoubtably, this city has the best kind of roots and there’s no other place I’d want to call home.

I try to avoid cliches but I am blessed. I am mom to two amazing small humans that I love unconditionally, and vice versa. They are my world and everything I do is for them. My husband has a heart of gold, loves his family, our community and God. We are a family of public servants and we’re probably raising the next generation of public servants. As much as the City Beautiful has given to us, we could never return the favor of the amazing life Orlando has provided to us. Orlando is now our home. It has my heart and moving here is truly one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Welcome to my blog and to life and motherhood in Orlando.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

— Corinthians 13:4-7