Getting to Know You: Meet Amber

It’s time for our final #fridayintroductions. Can you believe it? We’ve loved interviewing each of the team members, recording fun videos, and sharing random facts over the past couple months. But I gotta say, this one may be my favorite. If you’re a big Disney fan like we are, you’ll have to check out the Disney Princess vs. Women of the Bible Challenge Amber did below. 👇👇👇

ALOHA Amber

Hi, I’m Amber. I’m a wife, momma, teacher, and the Co-Director for this super great ministry called Across My Heart. 😉

I’ve been married for 3 years. Here’s a few random facts about my husband and my relationship:

  1. He’s 2 ½ years younger than me! That’s right ladies, I married myself a younger man. Woot!
  2. My sister’s husband and my husband are childhood best friends, and they are both Italian. How weird is that?!?! My sister and I both traded our very Dutch last name (VanderGeld) for exotic Italian ones (Giovannucci and Impellizzeri). Siri can never pronounce either one correctly. That’s how you know it’s cool. One of the reason’s I married my husband is for the double zz in his last name. No shame. 
  3. We both love to learn. One of the first conversations we had that made me realize I could see something happening with this guy; we talked for 45 minutes about elephant psychology. Haha! Our conversations often revolve around something new we just learned that in no way benefits our lives other than the fact it’s cool. 

My son, Anthony, is now 15 weeks. He’s a super kid. Sleeps like a champ, loves being around people, incredibly curious. Every time I think he couldn’t get better; he surprises me with something else. Being a parent is weird, like I never thought I could get so excited about someone rolling over. 

Growing up I always thought I was going to work with animals, either as a veterinarian, zookeeper, marine biologist. It changed quite a bit but mostly revolved around me doing something exotic with animals. I was sure of it. I did my internship in Hawaii where I spent 4 months working at an aquarium taking care of and training monk seals. I also volunteered at the Honolulu zoo with African animals while I was there and got to hand feed rhinos amongst other spectacular things (boy do I have stories!). It was an amazing time. I came home and started working at John Ball Zoo as a part time Zookeeper Aide. It was looking like I was going to work myself into my dream job, but God had something else in mind. At the same time I was working at the zoo, I was also working part time teaching chemistry at a local home school co-op. Well, over time God made it apparent to me that teaching was where He wanted me. It took a little persuading to abandon my childhood dreams, but He eventually convinced me that He knew me better than I knew myself, so I left the zoo and became a teacher. 

God was right. Go figure. I LOVE my job! 

A few other fun facts about me.

  1. I love to sing, specifically worship music and Disney Princess songs.
  2. I enjoy baking, especially cookies.
  3. Coffee? Yes, always. 
  4. I’m a certified scuba diver. This was inspired by sharks being my favorite animal. I’ve seen one in the wild, a bull shark, and it was the most graceful, majestic thing I’ve ever witnessed. Someday I want to see a Great White shark in person. I did want to go cage diving with one…but now that I have a child it seems a little less responsible. Haha! Maybe once he’s grown up?

Q&A with Amber

Disney Princess Vs. Women of the Bible CHALLENGE

Can you name more Disney Princesses? Or women of the Bible? Amber gives her best shot at listing as many Disney Princesses as she can on the spot. Then she does the same with women of the Bible! No pressure!!!! Watch the video to find out her final score and see how well you do.

MEET THE REST OF THE TEAM

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