I have a 31-year-old roommate named Lover who barks like a Chihuahua, occasionally forgets he's a bird, and has the attitude of a two-year-old toddler.

He's an Umbrella Cockatoo, by the way.

I never imagined I'd spend this stage of my life arguing with a 31-year-old bird who sometimes won't even let me finish a sentence, but here we are. Lover firmly believes french fries and pizza should be on the menu every day, and if his peanuts aren't waiting for him in the bowl on the table, I can count on getting the side-eye.

My husband, Alex, and I unexpectedly became Lover's family in 2014 after answering a Craigslist ad. What was supposed to be a pet for our daughter, Karla, turned into 12 years of learning patience, earning trust, dodging an occasional beak, and discovering that sometimes the family you build looks nothing like you expected.

These days, Alex and I are also trying to figure out how in the world we have an 18-year-old college sophomore when we're both fairly certain Karla was in elementary school about fifteen minutes ago.

That's actually a pretty good introduction to my life.

I'm a wife, mom, REALTOR®, singer, former touring performer, community volunteer, teacher at heart, lover of authentic tacos, and lifelong flip-flop enthusiast who is reluctantly learning that apparently there are occasions when grown-woman shoes are required.

Long before real estate, music gave a shy girl from Ennis, Texas, a voice. After graduating high school, I moved to California and spent four years with The Young Americans, traveling throughout the United States and internationally, performing and teaching music education. Those years taught me how to lead, problem-solve, connect with people from completely different backgrounds, and never underestimate what simply seeing and caring about another person can mean.

Eventually, home called me back.

I became a REALTOR® in 2015, but I've never believed my job is simply to help someone buy or sell a house. Real estate became another way for me to do something I've been doing most of my life: serve people.

Now, with 11 years in the business, I help buyers, sellers, and investors throughout Ellis County and the greater DFW area. I also serve as a Contract Advisor, helping fellow agents navigate contracts and complex transaction questions, and I've been honored to serve as both a Keller Williams Culture Ambassador and a Regional KW Cares Representative. Outside of real estate, you'll often find me volunteering with Waxahachie ISD and serving on various district and community committees.

All of those roles matter to me, but when it comes to my clients, I work best with people who want an advisor, not a salesperson.

Before I start recommending properties, pricing strategies, or marketing plans, I want to understand what you're actually trying to accomplish.

Why are you moving? What does the money from this sale need to do for you? What happens if Plan A doesn't work? Is selling even the best move, or should we explore keeping the property, renting it, investing, waiting, or another option?

And yes, I'm going to tell you the truth.

Sometimes that means fighting hard to get you what you want. Sometimes it means telling you that what you want isn't supported by the market. And occasionally, success means deciding not to close at all.

My reputation matters more to me than a commission ever will.

I was raised to help when I can, treat people with love, get back up when I make mistakes, and never confuse kindness with allowing someone to run over me. My faith, my family, and those values shape the way I live and the way I do business.

Maybe that's why my clients tend not to stay "clients" very long.

Somewhere between the contracts, negotiations, life conversations, celebrations, occasional tears, and yes, the occasional carne asada, many become family. I've been invited to weddings, children's birthdays, and funerals. They've shown up for my family's milestones too.

And when I'm not talking real estate, answering a contract question, or volunteering somewhere in the community, there's a pretty good chance I've got music playing. My playlist has absolutely no loyalty to a genre. I just hit shuffle and let the music figure it out.

Preferably while I'm wearing my flip-flops.

And did I mention I'm bilingual? Hablo español también.

So yes, I can talk contracts, market conditions, negotiations, residential real estate, commercial real estate, investments, music, birds, and flip-flops.

But I will always ask about you first.

Your life is the reason we're having the conversation.