Monday, January 26, 2009

Spotlight: Katie!

Every month we will be highlighting one of our Young Adult Members in an effort to get to know one another better! This month, I'd like to introduce you to Katie Hardin!

New York born Katie Hardin is approaching her 30th birthday and other than not having a house on the Puget Sound, has everything that she imagined she'd have at this age which includes a best friend who also happens to be her loving, affectionate and kind husband, Matt and their 8 month old son, Charlie.

Raised in the Catholic tradition in Covington, WA, Katie had two much younger siblings, Vanessa and Nicolas. Tragically, Nicolas died from his disabilities at the age of 2, when Katie was 12 years old. A couple of years later, Katie's parents divorced and she was caught in the middle of her sisters custody battle. By no coincidence, 7 years ago, she met her older half brother, Josh. Today, Katie feels her family has found harmony and she has forgiven her "much more detailed tumultuous past".

These days, Katie has a great sense of humor (particularly if she's had a glass of wine). She tries not to take life too seriously and lives it like she's dying. Katie prides herself on being genuine and honest. She tried to surround herself with the same.

Katie is an Aquarius through and through, and therefore can't live without lists or calenders. Some might call her forgetful or flaky, but really she is just memory challenged with good intentions. She also wears her heart on her sleeve, is passionate about her opinions and has a trusting nature.

Katie says: "I am an optimist but I'm sorry to break it to you...the sky is falling! We are all doomed! Global warming is real(no matter what George W says, we are killing the polar bears). It's out of our hands but can be slowed with our consumer restraint. Oh yeah, did I mention I'm a tree hugging hippie? (With good hygiene.) I think it is a far worse sin to litter and not recycle, waste resources, pollute, Murder forests, drive a Hummer and complain about gas prices, spend money on huge churches and convert "heathens" and not help them be self sustaining and rape them of all ancestral culture than it is to be gay."

Katie believes in:

the importance of family and community and to do what you can to improve both
that her best view is from the fence as a moderate
hand-ups not hand-outs
the golden rule, the power of prayer, miracles and the super natural
that being the victim, or survivor, or inspiration is a choice we all make

Katie also finds her identity through work as a massage therapist and teaching yoga. She loves people and making new friends and that's why she joined YAG!

2 comments:

Daniel, Lisa and Owen said...

Wow! It was so great to get to know more about you, Katie! I, too, am memory challenged with good intentions. Can't wait to get to know you better!

Lyndit said...

Wow, what a great introduction. Thanks for being a young adult highlight! And a local! Little old Covington. Great to read your story and relate to a lot of your insights, and experiences, I am looking forward to getting to know you and your family more.