At a young age, Natalie found herself wanting to do something different than the others around her. She felt called to a “higher purpose”, and decided to go with her gut and travel. She dedicated 6 years of her life traveling around the globe doing missionary work and living among the indigenous peoples of those countries. Touring these destitute lands provided eye-opening knowledge that cannot be learned from books.
While most kids were busy riding bicycles, Nat enjoyed long bike runs on the back of her father’s Harley. She also learned as much as she could about the American muscle car, and became fond of the smell of gasoline. She had to prove that she could change a flat, change the oil and bleed the brakes before her old man would let her drive to school. Oddly enough, racing the quarter mile with the boys after church on Sunday night was just something she didn’t mention. Now Nat can fully appreciate the feeling that having a classic car provides. After buying a 1972 Cutlass Supreme, Natalie told her dad, “I get it. It really is an extension of your…umm…personality.”
Today, Nat balances that strong “tom-boy” streak with a love of fashion and her own personal style. Natalie's mom wouldn’t pay full retail price…ever. It was the many trips to Goodwill and Value Village that taught her the art of “the dig”. Her mother and grandmothers sewed a majority of her clothes, and this is reflected in Natalie’s “one of a kind” finds and eclectic style.
Natalie finds strength in the skill of adaptation and “surviving” in a world that has as many hurdles as opportunities, and she never fails to rise to the occasion. Natalie takes great pride in where she is from and carries that pride with her as she propels onward. She thrives on continually pushing herself-she is continually finding new passions which add to the color spectrum of her life. It is rather difficult to label Natalie in one category and quite impossible to put her in a box. Natalie feels strongest when she’s challenging her own speed, keeping herself (and others, for that matter) on their toes, because at the end of the day, you just “Don’t mess with Texas”.
