Where Did I Come From?

There is a lot more information in the ‘about’ section pertaining to Coopers Optique and what this BLOG page is all about! But here is a little bit about me!

Family has special meaning to me, because I’m living proof that the family you choose means as much as the one you’re born into. I was raised in Nebraska by a family who chose me when I was just three months old. They always encouraged me to be myself, and early on I channeled my personal expression through theater and fashion. As a young adult I realized the world was much bigger than the Midwest and began to yearn for something more.

In 2012 I met and married Kevin, and we began looking for the perfect city where we would begin our new life together. The moment we set foot in Seattle – Lower Queen Anne to be exact – we knew we were home. Being part of such a vibrant, expressive community gave me the boost I needed to pursue my love of personal aesthetics. This launched me on my optical career, and I began my apprenticeship with some of Seattle’s iconic optical shops.

In 2016, as I was beginning to formulate plans for Coopers Optique, Kevin and I decided to expand our family. We’d been told the adoption process would take time, but it turns out our beautiful baby girl appeared quite suddenly in our lives. As we cherished that moment, fate had another surprise. Plans had to be put on hold while I grappled with a frightening diagnosis of stage-four kidney failure.

We figured it would be best to move back to Nebraska where I could be with family while receiving treatment and my parents could lavish attention on their brand new granddaughter. Remarkably, when the news came that my life depended on obtaining a new kidney, it was Kevin who turned out to be the perfect match. With my health restored and a new lease on life, our little family returned to Seattle where I was more than ready to make Coopers Optique a reality.