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This week, I’d like to introduce you to …me.   Hi ! I’m Laura Spencer.  I’m the Controller/Accountant at Ideal Cabinets.  Before I tell you my life story, I think it is important to share with you my life’s verse.   “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

I grew up in Virginia on a small farm.  My grandma lived next door, so I could run across the field and see her anytime I wanted (which was a lot). I’m a southern belle at heart.  I’m mama’s baby, and daddy’s girl.  I am blessed with a large extended family of wonderful aunts, uncles, and cousins that I love dearly.  I’m very proud that I can trace my family tree to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  There is something special about those mountains, and I’m so proud that those mountains and those people are a part of my heritage.

My Grandma’s dream was for me to go to college, so I did. I attended Pensacola Christian College where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pre-Law (my grandma was so proud.) Life has a strange way of changing your path, so I never went to Law School.  Instead, I ended up being a teacher for seven years.  I taught many wonderful students along my journey.  I still think of them as my “kids” too. Along life’s journey, I went back to school and received my Master of Arts in Education from Liberty University.

However, it wasn’t long before my path changed again. God sent me the man of my dreams. (I’d had to kiss a few toads along the way) but I finally found the right one, and he turned into my prince. I now believe in true love because of him.  We have been through many ups and downs in the last fourteen years, and he has stood by me every step of the way never wavering with his love for me. He makes me a better person every day because he believes in me and loves me unconditionally.

Once I found my prince, my life once again took a new path, and I moved to Roanoke, Virginia.  With that move came a new career path, business and accounting.  I had the privilege of working for Boone Homes (formerly Boone & Company) for ten years.  Working there was an education, I feel like I should have earned an MBA with the knowledge I gained in my years there.

Then in October of 2016, I started working at Ideal Cabinets. They have welcomed me and made me feel right at home.  It has been a perfect fit for me.  My favorite thing about working here is the people I work with.  I am honored to know Rakes family, and to be a part of something that they have poured their lives into for forty-eight years, and everyday I am thankful to work with such a talented group of people.  We sell amazing products, the best in the industry, but it is this great team of people that bring those products to life, and make the perfect design for each customer they see that sets us apart.

I love all of these amazing people that I work with, and it has been my honor to write their biographies, and I look forward to writing about the rest of our amazing group in the coming weeks.  I want you to know them and love them as I do.

Throughout my life there have been many changes in my path that I may not have chosen for myself, but whatever came my way, God has always stood by me and made things “work together for good”.  I have seen it in my life time and time again.  I am truly blessed.

But I still haven’t told you about the biggest blessing in my life, and that is my beautiful daughter, Cecelia (who is of course named for my Grandma).  The saying “I’m so proud I could just burst” comes to mind.  I may be a little biased, but I think that she is everything that is beautiful and good in this world all wrapped into one little package.  Just when I think I can’t be any prouder of her, she does something else remarkable and makes me tear up.  Most of all I am proud of the strong character that she has developed. She came home from college her first year and told me “Mama, there are a lot of kids up there who don’t have any raisin’.” Now, that makes a mama proud.

One last thing about me before I close. My favorite song is Angels Among Us, recorded by country super group Alabama, and written by Don Goodman and Becky Hobbs.  This is the chorus.

I believe there are Angels Among Us

sent down to us from somewhere up above

They come to you and me in our darkest hours

To show us how to live,

To teach us how to give,

 To Guide us with the light of love.

This song has meant so much to me because whenever I have been in need, God has sent just the right person along to be there for me, to be my “angel.”  Real people can be “angels” in other people’s lives and not even realize it.   I’m thankful for all of the “angels” God sent my way, and I do my best to return the favor to others whenever I can.  If we can just add a little bit of hope each day to someone’s life then that day is not wasted.

Not what you expected from an accountant was it ?  Well, that’s why they call me Wonder Woman.  Ha ha ha   —  Thanks for listening ya’ll