Allow me to Introduce Myself

Welcome to my Awfully Be.you.tiful Life

Have you ever found yourself wondering, ‘What am I doing?’. ‘What is my purpose?’. Sure, in your late teens and early 20’s that was a logical and almost expected question to ask yourself. But now you’re in your 30’s. And suddenly that question makes you feel like somewhere along the lines you missed something. You took a wrong turn and you’re lost with seemingly no clue as to how to correct your course. And unfortunately, Siri is of no use in this scenario.

I hope I’m not the first person to tell you that you are not the only woman out there living this ‘scenario’. Hi, I’m Katherine, but you can call me Kat. Welcome to my blog. And I am that woman. The one wondering who I am and what my purpose in life is, in my 30’s. Before we dive too deep into this journey, allow me to introduce myself to you all. Let’s start with the basics; I’m a 35-year-old, God fearing, married, mother of two… Ok maybe not that basic!

Katherine. Katie. Kat.

I grew up convinced I was going to be a model. Not because I looked like a model lol but because I loved the idea of being a model. Getting to travel the world, wear cool clothes and of course, be famous. Cindy Crawford was my idol and I wanted so badly to be just like her. I even had a mole on my chin which in my mind meant I was halfway there.

That all changed on September 11, 2001. As I sat on the floor of my schools library and watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center, I felt my first calling in life. I was only thirteen years old but as I watched those brave first responders enter those buildings to save strangers, knowing they may not make it out, the way I viewed the world and my role in it changed. So I dedicated my life to public service, becoming an EMT at eighteen years old. And that was my career for 14 years. The last seven of which I spent on the critical care transport team for Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

Those seven years shaped who I am today. I grew up during my years at CMH. I got married, had two beautiful little girls, accepted God into my life and worked with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever known. They weren’t just my co-workers; they became my family. They taught me more about life and happiness than I think they will ever realize. And most importantly, they helped me discover just how strong I am. And it was that strength that gave me the courage to leave the only career I had ever known to pursue the best version of myself as a wife, a mother, and an entrepreneur.

Today, I own multiple businesses and continue to look for new ways to grow. Which brings me to this blog. I have dreamt about writing my own blog for more than 15 years but always found an excuse as to why I ‘couldn’t’. But now, I’m out of excuses and so ready to take the leap and make one of my biggest dreams come true. I’m excited to share my story and I hope to help someone going through similar circumstances know that they are not alone and that there is hope after hurt, and that their story is beautiful.  

Kyle. Murph. K Wayne.

My rock, my soul mate, my wonderful husband and rock star business partner. This man is my true partner in life. And while it took us some time to get here (and some seriously hard work), I couldn’t imagine doing life with anyone else. Kyle and I met while working together at a local casino here in Kansas City. He was a Missouri State Trooper working in the gaming division and I was an EMT/ security guard at the casino. I know the phrase “Love at first sight” is cheesy and all but dammit it’s true.

Several of the female security guards would talk about Trooper Murphy and how hot he was. And after working there for over a month I still hadn’t met this dream boat no one could stop talking about. Then one day I’m going down the escalator onto the gaming floor and I see a gaming agent at the bottom of the escalator (they were pretty easy to spot, only people in the place wearing a suit lol). Funny enough my first thought was…’Not really what I was expecting’ given how much the other girls talked this boy up. So, I walk over to him and said “You must be Trooper Murphy” and he replied “No, I’m Sergeant *so and so*” to which I replied “Ok good” with a little to much enthusiasm …

And so the hunt for the smoke show of a Gaming Agent continued. Until a few weeks later when I was working at the ID check point and looked across the way to see a ridiculously good-looking man, in a suit of course, with a smile that instantly made me weak in the knees. I said to myself ‘Now THAT is Trooper Murphy’ and I’ll be darn, the hype was real! Last year we celebrated 10 years of marriage and 11 years together. And he is still the best-looking man I’ve ever seen, and he’s all mine!  

Savannah. Savvy. Savannah Banana.

My first born, the one who taught me unconditional love, and who has had her dad wrapped around her pinky finger since before she was even born. My labor with her was all of two hours and fourteen minutes, girl decided she was ready to meet us and wasted no time. And better yet, she arrived on my sister’s birthday. Ironically enough, seven years later my sister-in-law went into labor with her first daughter, and she was also born on my sisters’ birthday. It’s a pretty special day in our family to say the least.

Savvy is a sweet, kindhearted, genuine, wears her heart on her sleeve little lady. At just 9 years old she has taught me more about myself and what it means to be a good mom than I ever thought possible. And she is so smart and creative. Her favorite hobbies are solving math problems and creating art. This is evident by her extensive collection of math workbooks and her numerous Wall of Fame art pieces her school proudly displays. Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for any of that lol that is all her dad!

But she did get my curly hair and clumsiness… My Savvy is a huge inspiration to me. She brings out the best in me, and I hope that there is never a day that she questions her place in this world. I know she is going to do big things with that heart of gold she has. And one day she’ll become a momma and put me to shame. I can’t wait!

Harper. Harps. Harper Bear.

My second (and at this point probably last…yes I’m in denial) baby. She was very eager to enter this world, arriving four weeks early and earning herself a nine day stint in the NICU. At the time I had Harper I had been working at CMH for over four years and to be on the other side of things was very weird for me. But I gained a level of understanding and compassion for my future patients and their parents that really transformed the way I did my job.

The months following Harper’s arrival were some of the toughest in my life. While she was in the NICU I discovered a lump in my breast. After a discussion with the hospitals lactation consultant, she confirmed my fears; it was not a clogged milk duct and I would need to be seen by an oncologist. I arrived at the KU cancer center alone with a two-week-old, terrified that I would be diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 28. Throw in the sleep deprivation and postpartum hormones, and well needless to say I was a mess.

I was told I did have a mass on my left breast and I would need to come back in a week to have it biopsied. I will never forget the nurse looked at me, with a genuine concern, and said “Don’t come alone”. So a week later I walked back into the KU cancer center with my two year old, my now three-week-old, and my husband in tow. By far, one of the scariest days of my life, along with the week spent waiting for the results. But, by the grace of God the mass was benign.

However, Harper still had a long road ahead of her after her NICU release. She was aspirating almost every time she nursed, and no one believed me that it was a true aspiration. Despite what I did for a living. Finally, at her three months checkup I told her pediatrician that I would not leave until we got a referral for a swallow study. A month later she was diagnosed with a “floppy airway”. The swallow study showed she was aspirating every other swallow. If it weren’t for the fact that she was getting breast milk she may have gotten pneumonia from the amount of fluid in her lungs.

Despite all this, Harper is a thriving almost 7 year old. The girl is on track to be over six feet tall, she’s smart and very resilient. She was diagnosed with ADHD at five years old, something we saw coming since she was about two. It has been an uphill battle since she started kindergarten, but she is a trooper. I like to think she gets that from me. She loves ALL creatures, is a true momma’s girl and has the best imagination with a dramatic flare. 

So, there you have it.

A little introduction to me and the wonderful family I get to call my own. I can’t begin to tell you all how excited I am to have you here. As time goes on, I will dive into my life and experiences in more detail. Hopefully encouraging you along the way and showing you that you are not alone in your struggles or your triumphs.

I’ll also share my love of food, fashion, travel and our amazing Savior with you. Taking you along with me to indulge in all the things that make life so grand. And of course, giving all the glory to God at the end of the day. My hope is to create a safe space for women, who can laugh and cry along with me. Where you’re not afraid to be genuine and authentic. Where you can Be You and come to know that God created you on purpose and for a great purpose. And to know that it’s ok if you don’t know what that purpose is yet, no matter what stage of life you’re in! So, I hope you will join me on this journey and continue to come back for more. Let me be the first to welcome you to my Awfully Beyoutiful Life!