Toadally Awesome Pets
My love for frogs and toads began when I was just three years old.
After a tornado destroyed the home my family was living in, our underground swimming pool was left drained and empty. While my parents worked to rebuild, they cleaned the pool of debris and turned it into a safe place for me to play. It happened to be an especially wet spring, and frogs and toads frequently fell into the pool. Those tiny amphibians became my first friends. They attended tea parties, rode in my wagon, and sparked a fascination that would stay with me for the rest of my life.
Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, I spent countless hours exploring the woods, seasonal wetlands, and creeks near my home. I observed local amphibians and knew where each toad lived among the hostas in my parents' yard.
As an adult, life took me in many directions. I earned a degree in biotechnology, married my husband, and moved to Victor, Iowa. I briefly pursued science education at the University of Iowa before putting those plans on hold to raise our two daughters. Over the years, I worked as a piano teacher, cake decorator, veterinary clinic employee, event pianist, and eventually spent twenty years as an IT technician.
Everything changed after my mother passed away in December 2022. Her death caused me to reevaluate my life and confront the fact that I wasn't truly happy. During that difficult time, a friend found a toad in her basement and brought it to me. Caring for that little toad reawakened the passion I had carried since childhood.
Determined to follow my dreams, I enrolled in the Amphibian Foundation's Master Herpetology Program in Atlanta, Georgia. Despite wondering if I was too old to start over, I took the leap, moved away from my family for four months, and immersed myself in the world of amphibian conservation and husbandry. I earned certifications in Master Herpetology, Master Husbandry, and Venomous Snake Handling, and for the first time in my life, I felt I had truly found my people.
After returning home, I searched nationwide for a career working with amphibians. Although I briefly accepted a zoo position in Kentucky, I soon realized my path was something different.
That realization led to the creation of Toadally Awesome Pets, a mobile amphibian education program dedicated to inspiring people to appreciate and protect these often-overlooked animals.
The idea began with a trial program at my brother and sister-in-law's pumpkin patch in 2025. The response was overwhelmingly positive. A second event at the Victor Library during its Christmas celebration was equally successful. Encouraged by the community's support, I launched a website, created social media pages, and began reaching out to libraries, schools, and organizations.
What started as a dream of booking one event a month quickly exceeded all expectations. I formed my LLC in January 2026, and today Toadally Awesome Pets has grown to more than 65 bookings, with events already scheduled into the following year.
I now care for more than 200 amphibians in my home and have the privilege of sharing their stories with people of all ages. None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of my husband and children, who have encouraged me every step of the way.
Looking back, I realize that the little girl hosting tea parties for frogs in a tornado-damaged swimming pool never really disappeared.
She simply grew up and found a way to share her love of amphibians with the world.
They call me the crazy frog lady—and honestly, I wear that title with joy.
I’m living the best chapter of my life now, not because it’s been easy, but because I’ve done the hard work to get here. Every hurt, every mistake, every dark place—I’ve faced them. I’ve wrestled with them, prayed through them, cried over them. And by God’s grace, I’ve found healing. I’ve learned to forgive, to let go, and to move forward without carrying the weight of what once held me down.
Now, I listen more closely. I follow more faithfully. I trust that God is leading me exactly where I’m meant to go, even when the path looks a little unconventional—especially then.
Because somehow, in His perfect way, He took all my “strange” passions—the frogs, the toads, the creatures most people ignore or even avoid—and turned them into purpose.
Through these small, overlooked lives, I get to show something bigger: That everything has value. That nothing is created without intention. That even the most misunderstood beings deserve care, respect, and love.
And maybe, just maybe, people see themselves in that.
Because I was once in those overlooked places too.
So now, I share what I love. I teach. I connect. I bring people face-to-face with the beauty they didn’t know they were missing. And in doing that, I hope they feel something deeper—the quiet, steady reminder that they are seen, they are loved, and they matter.
I am grateful for every step that brought me here. For every person who prayed for me when I couldn’t pray for myself. For every moment that shaped me into who I am today.
This is my life now—faith-led, purpose-filled, a little unconventional, and completely, wonderfully mine.
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