Mormon grandmother portrait at Mormon Women: Who We Are~by Janet

I was born in northern California and raised in Alaska. I married young, after high school graduation, and was a single mom at the age of 23. At 25 I moved to Salt Lake City, and, determined to return to school, I took classes at the University of Utah.

It had always been my dream to go to BYU Hawaii and so the following year, I sold everything I owned, bought plane tickets, and flew with my children to Hawaii. We returned the next year, and I worked in Provo as a teachers-aide while taking classes at Brigham Young University (BYU).

In June 1978 I met my husband-to-be, Larry, a single father and professor at BYU. We worked hard to put our lives together with children, finances, ex-spouses, etc. but our love was strong and we were married in the Provo Temple in December of 1980. We had three more children together, making a total of 11 children, and we now have 33 grand-children and 3 great-grandchildren.

My main accomplishment is family. But I co-authored a book with my husband about step-parenting, and I also wrote a book about motherhood. My husband and I have also written various columns with the local newspapers in Utah. At the age of 40, I finally graduated from BYU with a degree in psychology.

My interests include a love of God and family, a love of nature, a love of good books (especially biographies and inspirational), and poetry. I also enjoy writing, traveling, bicycling, good music and discovering winter retreats! I would describe myself as an optimist who is in love with life.