Get to know.... Danielle Humphreys, Steering Team

Danielle Humphreys, our newest addition to the MOPS Steering Team, has been married to Matthew, a native Oregonian, for over 7 years. She enjoys being creative, backyard farming, music, eating good food with good friends, and is an Independent Consultant for The Pampered Chef on the side. She also serves as one of the adult leaders in the youth ministry at Campbell Church of Christ and loves being around teenagers. She and Matthew have two sons, ages 3 and 9 months. Danielle is one of the welcoming faces you will meet at our Wednesday MOPS gatherings!


Here are some other fun facts about Danielle:



Where are you from?

I am a California native! I grew up in the East Bay and have lived all over the Golden State—Santa Barbara, Huntington Beach, Pasadena, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and for the past couple of years, Campbell. It’s nice to be back in the Bay Area!

What was your childhood like?
I have a sister who is 9 years older than me, so it was fun growing up with a cool older sister who could drive and take me to do all the fun stuff my parents wouldn’t do, like go horseback riding. I was still in elementary school when she graduated and left for college, so I felt like an only child at times. I was a good student academically and participated in high school sports. A lot of my value and self-esteem came from the approval of the adults in my life (parents and teachers).

What values did your family emphasize when you were a child?
My parents always encouraged me to do my best in school—education was a high value. My dad took us to Catholic church every Sunday and I, being the good student, was also a good Catholic and sincerely believed in God. A strong work ethic was balanced out by vacations or day trips to local festivals. We always ate dinner together and discussed life at the table, and meals are still a strong tie that binds us together today.

What did you study and where did you go to school?

I have a Bachelors Degree in Aquatic Biology from UC Santa Barbara (ole, ole, ole, ole, Gauchos, Gauchos!). I started out pre-med, considered switching to art studio, and ended up in aquatic bio! Being involved with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship really helped me to grow as a follower of Jesus. I also have a Masters Degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. I loved my seminary classes and I love thinking about and discussing theological issues and practical application for our life and the Church. Fun Fact: I met my husband, Matt during orientation at Fuller in 2001. 

Before becoming a mom, what did you do?
I helped design worship services and did graphic design both with Fuller’s Chapel office and at our previous church, and was a commissioned Pastor to Youth and Families along with Matt. I have been in youth ministry for the past 12 years in both paid and volunteer roles. I stepped out of “professional” ministry after Noah was around 1 ½ years old because it became too hard to balance consistent bedtimes and non-traditional work hours that come with doing youth ministry!


What do you miss most about being a working mom?
I feel like I’m losing my skills, my “street-cred” so to speak. I miss having a mental shift and being able to really focus on something that is intellectually stimulating and challenging, and of course being able to invest more in our teens. I also miss working with Matt, being on a staff and collaborating with people. It’s been, and is, a hard transition to being a SAHM, which is one of the reasons why I need the support and encouragement of MOPS!



What is the best thing about being a stay-at-home mom?

Being able to play with my kids and have a major influence on them throughout the day. It can also be fun to tackle crazy new projects, from learning how to make homemade pickles to learning how to sew.



Who are the most important women in your life right now?

My mom and my sister. My sister had her first baby, a son, 1 week after my second son was born, so we are having fun walking alongside one another and watching our kids grow up together. My mom has been a huge support in my life and I’m thankful both my mom and sister live in the area. I am thankful for new friends I’ve made through church and for my old friends that I still keep in touch with as well. 



Favorite thing to do in your spare time?

In those rare moments, I like to read or watch a little TV with my hubby at the end of the day.


Favorite way to be spoiled?

I like going out to eat (especially if it involves chocolate at some point!), but real spoiling would be getting a massage! I have some serious knots in my back and shoulders!


Best piece of advice anyone ever gave you about being a mother of young children?
Teresa Drake (www.teresadrake.com) who just spoke at our Weds. MOPS group, taught us 3 responses we can give to people who give uninvited and uninformed criticism:
“That’s a clever idea…”
“Hmmm, that sounds interesting…”
“I’ll have to look into that…”
There will always be people in your life that criticize something about your parenting, and these are tried and true responses I have used to politely avoid an argument!

Get to know... Kara Rocha, Steering Team

Kara Rocha, our newest addition to the Campbell MOPS Steering team, is a California transplant having grown up in rural Kansas. She adds: “ …but not on a farm like you would expect!” Kara grew up living next door to her grandparents, who started not one, but three family businesses – one selling aerial fireworks displays! Kara’s family worked together much of the time and she grew up learning a strong work ethic, helping out at home or helping with the family business. “Both of my parents worked outside the home. Regardless, my parents never missed a sporting game or drama contest I was in. We lived in a very happy home where expectations were high and a strong knowledge that Godly love never fails. The best thing they taught me was to be content with what I had, but to dream big and to save for the things that I truly wanted.”

Kara is a stay-at-home mom to Wyatt, almost two. Kara has had first-hand experience with the isolation and loneliness that can beset a new mother, especially a new mother living far from her family and childhood home. “I moved to California three months after marriage to my husband. We have been here almost four years. I had spent the first three of those years friendship-alone.” Kara was teaching first grade at the time. “As a teacher, you don't make work friends because the people you socialize with all day are only six years old. We started out worshipping in a church that was great for spiritual growth but had little outreach or fellowship. The first nine months of Wyatt's life, I felt beyond alone. I have a great husband that did everything he could, and wonderful family that flew out to visit and took every phone call I made ... but I had no true friends. After joining a different local mom's group I started to make those friendships I desired. Upon finding the Campbell church and thus MOPS, I am making friends and finally starting to feel more like myself again.”

What did you do BK (before kids)?

“I have a BS degree in Elementary Education and before pregnancy I was a first grade teacher. I loved the job and it prepared me in so very many ways to being a Stay-at-home-mom. I do look forward to teaching again when my kid (or hopefully one day kids!) are in school themselves.”

Most embarrassing mommy-moment?

“Just one? HA!! What isn't embarrassing with a toddler?! To put a few moments down: Wyatt's leg was in a cast when he was just 13 months old. For four weeks we endured constant stares and questions that were not just annoying but also embarrassing.

And the way that Wyatt MUST tell everyone he sees either a "ELLO" or "BYEEE." Sometimes I just pretend that he's talking to me even though he's not looking at me at all.”

What’s the best thing about being a stay-at-home mom?

“Being a SAHM is both amazing and the hardest job that I've ever had. I love that I am in complete control of the simple things like sleeping schedule and all the foods my child eats. But the best part is that I am always present to teach or to love when things happen while playing with other kids.”

What is the best piece of advice you were given about motherhood?

“This came from my mom. She said ‘when you don't know what else to do ... put him in the bathtub.’ The best advice on being a stay at home mom came from Dr. Laura's book In Praise of Stay-At-Home-Moms. It gave me the confidence and security that I needed to face the world in my decision to stop working and stay at home with my child.”

Favorite way to be spoiled?

“As a SAHM the best way for me to be spoiled is those rare moments when I get out of the house without Wyatt, or the even more rare moments when my husband takes Wyatt and leave me to the house by myself ...I become more than just a mom in those moments. I also appreciate the pedicures and the massages, and the evenings out with friends.”

Who are the three most important women in your life?

“The three most important women in my life are my sister, my mom, and my grandma. My sister lives in Arkansas but her phone calls have saved me with both having a newborn and toddler alike. My mom who lives in Kansas will fly out whenever I tell her I need her. She is my rock. And my Grandma whose love for me, my husband, and my son is strong.”

What’s the best piece of advice YOU would give to a mother of preschoolers?

“If you feel lonely, I beg you to email, call, or seek me out. This is not a walk that we are called to take alone! And when you do, it hurts. And it is hard. And you feel like no one else wants to befriend you. I DO. I am in search for great and better friends.”