June 2015 – September 2016: Rebuilding, Rediscovering, and Growing

     After my internship at Disney ended in June 2015, the magic quickly gave way to reality. I returned to what I consider my hometown—Virginia Beach, the only place I’ve lived long enough to truly call home. The transition was emotional and grounding. I had to adjust from the whirlwind of Disney life back to a more typical rhythm.

    Shortly after my return, I reconnected with my ex-boyfriend, Leo. After several attempts over the years to make things work, we decided to give it another shot—this time with more commitment. We moved in together, marking a major milestone: my first apartment with my name on the lease (his was on it too), outside of the Disney housing. Until then, I’d always lived with roommates in places they rented or owned. It felt like a huge adult step.

    Our relationship felt smooth, whether it was the honeymoon phase or the comfort of familiarity. In September 2015, Leo proposed. A year later, in September 2016, we got married. Unfortunately, the marriage was short-lived due to unforeseen circumstances, and we finalized our divorce in March 2017.

    Professionally, I was eager to return to the hospitality industry. While at Disney, I kept in touch with Meredith, my former General Manager at Homewood Suites. She knew I wanted to get back into the field and helped me land a role at her sister property, Fairfield Inn and Suites, as a Front Desk Supervisor. I was incredibly grateful—after stepping away from hospitality for a while, being offered a supervisor position felt like a major win.

    I stayed at Fairfield for about a year, gaining valuable experience and confidence, until another opportunity came knocking at a different property.



Myself, Emma and Luke. 

My Niece Emma
My Nephew Luke

My stepmom, Dana and 
brother Tyler

My brother Paul and
stepsister Katy

My dad walking me
down the aisle



All 4 of us siblings dancing
together
My brother, Paul and I 
dancing  
                            





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