Delaine Teeple
I was raised in the small Texas town of Hillsboro, just north of Waco. Growing up in a small town allowed me to be able to participate in any and all sports including tennis, volleyball, cheerleading, gymnastics and dance. I loved being a part of any team and enjoyed living the laid-back but action-packed life a small town allows.
Starting at age 10, I spent three weeks of my summers attending Camp Longhorn, a summer camp with tons of tradition, sports, love and friendship. Camp instills the can-do, positive attitude in all and creates a confidence to last a lifetime. I learned to appreciate the outdoors at camp (since there was no electricity available to the campers). We slept in screened-in cabins with the breezes of the lake being our air conditioning. I continued attending Camp Longhorn as a counselor and spent all three months of my college summers there. I loved being on the water and spent most of my day teaching girls ages 8-15 how to sail. Being a counselor grew my leadership skills and understanding of responsibility.
As much as I appreciated my small-town upbringing, I was ready to leave for new experiences. I attended the University of Texas and loved being a Longhorn, attending sporting events and making long-lasting friendships. I graduated with a degree in finance and immediately went to work in the corporate world. I learned pretty quick that the suit and office were not for me! I put in my time but was relieved when that time was over. While I was working, I married my husband, Bryan, and we just celebrated our 10 year anniversary this summer. As we started talking about having kids, I decided to find a stay-at-home business that would be an outlet for me as I was raising children. There was a need for a good monogrammer in Austin, so I bought a machine and went to work for stores and individuals out of my back-house. Over the last 6 years, the business has grown, I’ve added two partners and now have a retail location in Westlake, 3 Threads.
My relationship with Christ calls me to share my life experiences with those around me. My husband and I have three beautiful children – Whit (6), Adele (2) and Bowen. Bowen went home to live with the Lord in 2007 after a tragic car accident. He was six months old and since then life has not been the same. My husband and I decided to pray through this time in our lives and rely on God’s grace, mercy and strength to get us through each day. We hope that we were able to be an example to others that when you fully rely on the Lord, anything is possible. I did also rely on food and relaxation as my comfort as well. I “let myself go” for a couple of years to make it through every day. I stayed inside more, didn’t exercise and ate whatever I wanted.
It was not until a year ago when I got involved with iGnite that my light began to fully shine again. Not only am I in better shape and stronger physically, but my whole outlook on life has changed. My love and appreciation for the outdoors has been rekindled. The positive and inspiring environment that iGnite provides has led me out of my comfort zone and into a much more exciting way of living. As a result, I am currently pursuing my personal training certification and I am very grateful for the opportunity to teach as well as learn from all of the amazing women in iGnite.