Why Mama Turtle?

I would like to start out with a brief history of the name Mama Turtle.

It all started in high school (as everything does).  I attended an all girls, catholic, boarding school called Oldenburg Academy.  Also affectionately called the Immaculate Conception Academy in Oldenburg, Indiana.  Believe it or not, I was a shy kid. I know, hard to believe if you know me now, but I was that quiet kid in the corner who just sat there and observed while everyone else chatted away.

The last week of my first year in attendance, one of the Resident Advisers sat down with a group of us at breakfast and was regaling us with stories of our first day at the academy dorms.  She mentioned that I was like a turtle and that once I came out of my "shell" I turned out to be an amazing person. The nickname was born.

That isn't the end of the story though.  After high school, I enlisted into the military as an MP, deployed to Iraq, and upon return was sent to the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS) in Fort Monmouth, NJ to transition from a military setting back into an academic setting and ultimately attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. While at USMAPS, I found that I was among the oldest in attendance.  Most of the students were athletes straight out of high school and looking to raise SAT/ACT scores to gain entry into West Point.

Have you ever seen the movie "Master of Disguise"?  In this movie, there is a scene where the main character is trying to fit in at a "Turtle Club" by dressing as a turtle. Much to say, he stood out amongst all the well dressed members of the club as it was more focused on cigars than turtles. While this is not the most amusing movie, this part always makes me smile.  Remember that for a minute.

While on a Field Exercise in Fort Dix, a fellow attendee started playing out this scene in an attempt to tell someone else about this movie.  She started calling out "turtle" to which I responded with "turtle."  We all got a good laugh and from that point on, they called me Turtle...hence the continuation of the nickname.

Seeing as I was one of few attending USMAPS with life experience outside mommy and daddy's house, many students came to me seeking advice on life, relationships, and the Army.  They often called me Mom because I was older and seemingly taking care of them. This role continued throughout my duration at West Point and the nicknames eventually rolled together to form "Mama Turtle."

With all that being said, I am here to continue to assist with whatever life throws at you.