CURRENT MISSION

To live as much as we can, as well as we can, with as much enthusiasm as we can.

ABOUT ME

My name's Tessi, and I make stories. Words on paper, experiences lived, choices made, people whose live I've joined. I believe we learn through Story, and through Story we discover who we are. I'm married to Cory, and am mother figure for his son Dallin. I've been mother-figure to a lot of people over the years, though I'm younger than that makes me sound. I love to sit down with a hot cup of tea and talk, love to walk through the woods with someone, love to watch a great movie, or read an engrossing book. Cory and I are newlyweds, though you might think we've been together most our life. We love to play games, watch movies, share a meal with someone new and dance to the music of the world.

PHILOSOPHY

I live to serve. God, first of all, my husband and family secondly, my fellow man third. It's all the same, though, for service done for my fellow man is service done for God.

There is so much beauty in the world, and so many people's brokenness prevents them from seeing. I strive to put brokenness back together and take hands and guide to beauty.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I participate by being alive. Far too many people walk through life dead to its wonder, surviving rather than living. I walk barefoot through life--sensitive to the pain of nakedness but alive to the beauty of experiencing that which others hide from.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We've only had one guest thus far, a referral from my sister who just couch-surfed her way to the West Coast. Lovely experience, which reminded Cory and I that we want to share our home as much and as often as we can. We've been blessed, and we want to bless.

Interests

Story.
Life.
Music.
Film.
Eating well.
Living Simply.
Engaging.
Reading.
Writing.
Dancing.
Friends.
Family.
Love.
Tea.
Science Fiction.
Fantasy.
Doctor Who(just ask Dallin).
God.
Faith.
Sign Language.

• arts
• writing
• books
• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• cheese
• running
• gardening
• clothing
• movies
• reading
• music
• divinity
• medicine
• science
• sign language
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

We read David Eddings, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Martha Wells, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Orson Scott Card, a million others and anything else you can convince us is good. I also read a lot of theology, specifically Christian, Mystic, and Monastic.

Music...yes. Just about anything might be played in our house. I like folk, world, rock, and a bit of most other things. Don't like Country, but I'll dance to it. Cory plays Country sometimes, and Dallin plays...most other stuff. None of us are fond of Hip-Hop or Rap.

We watch most genres of movies, tho Cory and I gravitate toward "guy" movies. Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thrillers...I love foreign films, and am introducing Cory to Indie films. I love anything that makes me smile, or makes me think. We like documentaries and like to attend True/False Film Fest in Columbia when we can.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I watched all of my siblings be born, and have helped them find themselves ever since.

I've lived without running water, power, or plumbing, have hauled water and heated it on gas stoves. I've heated with wood, sewn clothes by hand, grown my own vegetables and butchered my own meat.

I've talked to people who walked 9 miles to a one room school house for school, and debated theology with New Orleans musicians from the 60s.

I've walked on 2000 year old streets, lived with seven people in a one-room home, made my own cheese, eaten Pizza in Rome and Stew in Ireland, and taught interpreting in South America.

I've...oh. One thing. Oops. Should've read directions.

I married my best friend, 9 years after I thought I'd lost him forever. That might be the most amazing.

Teach, Learn, Share

Hmmm...intriguing idea.

I know how to can garden foods, though I need some help in making my garden produce better.

Cory and I both know American Sign Language, though I need help improving my Spanish.

I can cook healthy food, and love teaching in the kitchen.

I can sew, though I'm not an expert at it, I can teach the basics.

I can make bread from scratch, and would love to show you how (it's not that hard, really).

I've lived without running water, electricity and indoor plumbing. I've lived in the woods, and I've lived in town. Not sure if I have anything to teach about all that, but I'm sure I could find something to share.

I know things about writing, and a little about some visual/craft arts, but really not much.

Dallin can tell you anything you ever wanted to know (and probably something you didn't) about Dr. Who, Quentin Tarantino, and Kevin Spacey.

I know a lot about various branches of the Christian church, and spend a lot of my life providing spiritual guidance to people of varying walks of life and faith. I'm about to start school to become a Spiritual Director and would love to talk with you about your faith questions, wonderings, struggles and ideas. I'll learn from you and you'll learn from me.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States