Lisa Holmes Elkihel:  

I'm still in CA, where I've been since 9/88 except for a brief 6 mth. break in B'ham during 1995-6. The "short" story... (Those of you who know/knew me, know I'm not usually known for brevity. I won't start now!) After 7 1/2 yrs. of fires, earthquakes and riots in LA (where I pursued a B.A. in apparel design and got married in 1990), I have been in the Bay area since '96 (currently in a city not unlike B'ham growing up other than it's not by a bay but instead in a valley). I'd hoped to move back up to Bellingham (never thought I'd willing go back to "Boringham" -- must be my old age) once the CA Family Court got its act together during my 2000 divorce, but it never did. It took me several years, but now I embrace NorCal as home for the long haul and actually really enjoy it here. Even when it reaches 100+ during the summer!!! I am the mother of an incredible and inspiring university grad, and embarked upon a Montessori teaching career in 2001 after circumstances caused me to be unable to continue pursuing my patternmaking / design career or computer interests. If I'd realized how intense Montessori teacher training is, I would've just bit the bullet and returned to school to finish my degree then rather than still being on my journey of doing so. That being said, I do love what I do - working with such young children keeps me physically active (as opposed to t...Expand for more