Debbie (Merriman)Ellebracht:  

HI! This is sort of odd, since my family and I left Irving the beginning of my 8th grade year. We moved to East Texas in '83 and after graduating from a small high school in East Texas in '88, I went to Tyler Junior College for a year and then transferred to the Univ. of Tn in Knoxville. Received both bachelors and masters from UT in Music Education. Moved back to East Texas in '93 was a high school choir director/middle school music teacher for 2 years. Really got burned out and was in the right place at the right time and for a couple of years juggled 3 jobs- Fundraiser for schools, nanny to 3 boys and taught 21 piano students. Then...my husband saved me. We got married Dec. '97 in Tyler and moved straight in Lawrence, KS. I had no idea what we were doing but being the person that I am I told him wherever you land a job we are going. I finally got back into teaching music in 2000 in Inner City Kansas City, KS for 6 years. You are never prepared for inner city and it was tough but I survived. Rex, my husband, and I we...Expand for more