In 1989, I had been working as an automobile Title clerk since graduating High School in 1975. I was very involved with Pearland Girl Scouts with my two older girls when my youngest daughter was born. I knew that I really wanted to work with children. I did not go back to work in the auto industry, instead while the two oldest were in school, the baby and I went to work at a friend's daycare. After the older girls got out out school, I also watched four schoolers at our house. At this point, I decided to take classes and open my own daycare. I knew in my heart that this was my calling in life. On nights and weekends (when my husband was off to watch the children) I went to classes. This took awhile and I was busy ALL the time, but with my husband and my girls help WE DID IT. Next, I got my director's license and went looking for a place to open a daycare. I found a 3 bedroom, one bath home on FM 518 to rent, (when I walked in I said the house was homey that's how it became Homegrown Kids). In Sept. 1992, we got all our licenses and permits and Homegrown Kids opened for business Oct 1, 1992. We leased this little house for two years, added a bathroom and turned the garage into a playroom. My husband came every afternoon after work and did outdoor activities with the children. Our landlord told that he was putting a used warehouse there and moving the house and we had to use it or lose it. We made it into a childcare center and got locked into a five year lease. During these five years, we decided to build a place of our own, that way we wanted it with a bathroom and sink in every room and other features that were important to us. We found 4.21 acres on Harkey Rd. and the NEW Homegrown Kids opened February 1st, 1999. In March of 2015, I found out that I had D. I. S. H. Disease, also known as Foresters disease. After more than one opinion in 2015 I underwent surgery in September to remove excess bone that the disease caused to form in my neck and spine, making like a candle wax effect, pushing on my spinal cord. C-2/T-2 were fused together, some vertebrae was replaced with cadaver bones, rods, many screws and steel plates were added. I was in the hospital straight until December 2015. One surgery turned into four, plus other setbacks that are too many to name. Long story short, I was left to use a wheelchair/walker.
In January 2017, my beloved daughter was killed in a car accident. Despite these set backs, I continue to take care of, love and manage my childcare center. You will have a hard time finding a more dedicated Director.