Inspired: Cara Woolsey & Doris Ellis

I am overwhelmed by the unconditional love and support you have continuously shown me for the last 35 years. You and Dad instilled in me the love of Christ, and the love a marriage is built upon. I saw your work ethics daily, your love for your family and others, and how much of an impact you made throughout the Chattanooga community. You have inspired me to be the woman that I am today.

You have always been there to encourage me in my losses and celebrate my achievements. After Dad passed, you were there to walk me down the aisle as I began a new chapter in my life. The virtues you taught me have helped shape me into the best version of myself.

You often remind me of the prayers you and Dad prayed for a healthy baby girl during your late-in-life pregnancy with me. It is those prayers that Jonathon and I also pray that we will be able to bring a healthy baby into the world through surrogacy. It is through your wisdom and life experiences that continue to guide me through my own challenges.

To my mom – my best friend, my role model, my inspiration. I hope to be half the person you are when
I become a mom.

Sitting in my little corner of that office, I watched you handle issue after issue as people popped in and out of our suite day after day, week after week. I saw you navigate difficult clients and scheduling complications and budget cuts and the general complexities of people’s lives. It seemed like all you did was solve other people’s problems, and I marveled at your ability to react – to provide direct and often critical feedback – while still caring for and motivating the people around you.

What I learned is that kindness comes in so many forms. And that sometimes, the kindest thing you can do is to be clear with your message and authentic with your delivery.

Thanks for always being authentically you and for helping me continue to grow into an authentic (if perhaps a bit more polished) version of myself.