Getting To Know Me

My name is Whitney G, I'm 25-years-old and have lived in Texas for almost 2 years, been in the ward for 1 year.  I grew up in Seattle and went to college at BYU-Idaho.  I majored in Communications Advertising with a minor in Business. 

I currently work for a nonprofit called Faith In Practice.  We are a Christian organization that does medical missions in Guatemala.  I head up our main fundraiser, plan events and design all our materials.  I love my job and am blessed to be able to go to Guatemala this month to serve as a member of one of our teams of volunteers.  I am a little nervous about going; I have never had to get shots just to visit a place before!

During my free time I love to design things. I am totally self-taught, but got my skills to a point where I could open my own little business www.whitneygillisdesign.com. I design birth announcements, wedding invitations, Christmas cards...pretty much anything. 

My best friend is a long haired Chihuahua named Bentley.  I love him most when he sleeps on my lap but sometimes I have to put him in the "doggy snuggie" my mom bought him to calm him down when i am trying to work, he hates wearing it!

I have been teaching in primary for quite some time now so I don't get to know many people over 4-years-old in the ward.  I love my calling, the kids are so sweet and I love seeing them grow in the gospel.  Many of them surprise me with how much they already know and understand.

I love crafting, reading, doing aerobics classes at the gym and wish I was better at interior decorating.

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Getting To Know Me!

My name is Marea G.  I know it takes awhile to get used to saying my name.  It's pronounced (Mar-E-a).  It means "of the sea" and many people tease me about how I grew up near the ocean and did every water sport imaginable and became a lifeguard.  I did synchronized swimming for many years, water polo, swim team, water skiing, wake boarding, surfing, started learning scuba diving, sailing, river rafting, and kayaking.  My favorite thing was coaching the swim team every summer.  There were over 50 kids (ages 7-17) and the team usually won at the District meet every year.  :-)

I was born in Anaheim, CA and moved to Houston when I was 2.  I moved back to California (Venice/Santa Monica area) when I was 9.  I graduated from Venice High school (the school they used to film the movie Grease!  It still looks almost exactly the same) and loved being on the swim team & basketball team and still keep in touch with my best friends from there.  I have on sister that lives near Pasadena, CA.

In the year 2000, I was married in the Los Angeles Temple to Jacob.  From the first day we started dating we have never been apart.  We knew each other freshman year of BYU but didn't start dating until after his mission.  Our dating story was kind of funny.  You'll have to ask us about it!  The same year I graduated from BYU with a BS in Conservation Biology, emphasis Wildlife.  I also loved singing in the BYU Chorale while I was there.

I've lived overseas twice for a very short period of time.  Once I lived in Scotland at a summer boarding school.  That was an adventure.  I toured London with a group of Americans and then lived at the school in Scotland for several months learning everything from British History to Archery.  And once I lived with Jacob, right after we were married, in Sweden.  He had served his mission there and got an internship for 3 months with Johnson & Johnson.  That was also an adventure.  If you're uncoordinated & don't speak Swedish never take an aerobics class in Swedish!  It's also not a good time to learn to drive stick shift or lock yourself out of your house when your husband works far away.

I also enjoy genealogy and have added over 350 names to one side of my tree in just the past several months.  It is a miraculous work and I can't stop!

But, the majority of my time, right now, is spent with my family.  I love staying at home with my three children.  Ryan (8), Krista (6), and James (17 months).  They bring me so much joy.  I never tire of being a mom.

We've lived here for almost a year now and love this ward.  I serve in the primary and am a bit shy.  But, I'd really like to get to know each and every one of you!

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