2023 Bold Beautiful Perfect: Windy

I was raised in the panhandle of Texas, between Lubbock and Amarillo. We did not have a lot of money when I was growing up. I was one of those kids who got the discounted lunches, which meant I had a different color punch card than the other kids. It made for a humble beginning, but that didn’t stop me from starting my own business as a third grader!

It was actually my Dad’s idea. My Dad was the County Extension Agent for all the farmers and ranchers, which meant that I had to be in 4-H. Daddy said I needed to raise sheep. He coached me asking for a loan from the bank. We went to the bank and met with the bank President! I still remember his name: Mr. Harris. Mr. Harris was very impressed that a third grader was asking for a loan to start a sheep farm. And he gave me the loan! I bought two baby sheep and raised them for almost a year. I took them to stock shows and did my 4-H project with my sheep. That next summer I took my sheep to auction and sold them. We made enough money to pay off the loan and to buy pigs to start a huge pig farm. That was what sparked my entrepreneurial spirit and inspired me to start many different businesses over the years. But there is more to this story! The person who bought my sheep at auction was none other than Mr. Harris! He was a kind and generous man and is also the inspiration for much of my giving back to my community.

Since then, I have married, raised two wonderful children, served in the military, and traveled the world. I have started many businesses, including the one I have operated since 2019, Ladidaa Boutique. Now I am going through one of the toughest life changing events that a person can go through, divorce. I never thought I would be the one that got a divorce. But it’s happened and I am dealing with challenges I never expected. I’m learning who I am and who I am not. I thought I knew who I was. But I realize now that I made myself to be who I thought I was supposed to be for my spouse. And I didn’t like who I was. I’m finding that I like myself much better when I can be myself. I’m happier and more at peace. It wasn’t my spouse’s fault that I changed. It was my own, and I’m claiming that. I really like the real me, the me I am now.

The process of understanding can only come from a direct connection to the source of our beauty, our Lord and Creator. God made us in His image, His beautiful image! How can we not be beautiful inside and out? Our Father occupies a place in our hearts and sees only our beauty. Look at your own heart. What do you see? Do you see what God sees? You are worthy of love! You are beautiful just as God made you. We should not need validation from any other source than God. But it is our human nature to look for validation from others. Confidence in whom we belong to is what brings the inner “feeling” of beauty. When I am confident in who I am in my heart, it radiates on the outside. I know God loves me unconditionally and He made me beautiful in His own image. His image is our light, and resides in our hearts, and is what other people see and want in their own lives. Our beauty is not skin deep, it is heart deep!

Inspiring women is my mission. I want women to leave my boutique feeling beautiful – whether they make a purchase or not. Every woman is different and each one wants to feel beautiful. We all want validation that we are beautiful. Going through a divorce, I didn’t feel cherished by my spouse and I had feelings of inadequacy. This led me to begin a healing journey to find myself again. I’m not saying that I haven’t made mistakes along the way, but through prayer and meditation, along with a wonderful spiritual advisor, I love myself more than I ever have. I feel validated by God. I don’t need the outside world to tell me that I’m beautiful because I know that I am.

Wow! Like wow! I loved the entire experience. I was a little nervous, but Brandi is the nicest and sweetest person to work with. She put me right at ease; with her cute little giggle, she had me smiling the entire time. I truly felt special that day. I felt beautiful in a way that I never have before. Brandi has a way of drawing the beauty out of you. I want to always remember how that felt! It’s kind of like a little secret that you didn’t know was locked inside of you until someone unlocked it and drew it out delicately, piece by piece, until it was out in front of you, and you looked at it and recognized it. And said “Yes, she is beautiful! Wow! That’s me! I’m beautiful!”

You are a daughter of The King of the world. Wear your crown proudly. Walk confident in knowing who you belong to. Carry your beauty in your heart and don’t be afraid to let it out for others to see. Your light is heavenly and beautiful!