| My Family
My amazing wife, Kim, and I have four children ranging from 18 years down to 9. My wife received her degree from Utah Valley University and is currently a teacher at Harvest Elementary. She grew up in Ephraim and attended Snow College. While in High School, she was the pitcher on the softball team. She spends most of her time running our kids to all of their different activities, as well as teaching piano. Our son Jackson spends his time playing soccer, practicing the cello, or scouting. Laney and Brooklyn both love dance and cheer. Laney plays violin, and Brooklyn loves the piano. Lincoln is our fun little busy body and is currently passionate about learning to code. As a family, we love to visit national parks, particularly Arches, Yellowstone and Zions. We enjoy spending time in the mountains, hiking, and fishing. In whatever spare time I have, I love to read and play the guitar.
Kim and I both come from large families. She has five kids in her family, and I have seven in mine. This means we have a lot of cousins for our kids to play with, and our kids look forward to our family reunions every year. Most of Kim's side of the family lives in Canada, which is where she spent her summers growing up. Even now, she stays close with her cousins that she used to visit as a kid and tries to get up there at least once a year.
I was born on July 4th, 1976, hence the name Jefferson. I was the fifth child of seven kids. My family was very active in public service, and we often discussed issues around the dinner table. My dad served in the Utah House of Representatives and worked on many campaigns, which meant that we also helped on many campaigns. My dad had a deep love and appreciation for the founding fathers and the Constitution. He had us memorize the Preamble to the Constitution at a young age, and those words have stayed with me throughout my life.
My father passed away suddenly when I was 14 years old. This left my mom with seven kids to raise on her own. My oldest brother was 21 and had been home from his mission for a week and my youngest sister was 10. Shortly after my father passed, my mom returned to complete her doctorate degree while still working full time. Watching my mom work so hard to provide for us while doing what she needed to do to retain her job had a significant impact on me. Finances were tight but she took care of us and taught us the importance of getting a good education. I started working at a young age and did what I could to take care of myself. I believe that experience has helped shape my view of the world. If I needed something, I knew I had to work hard and earn it. I saw my mom stretch a dollar as far as she possibly could, while still providing us with opportunities. |