I was born in the charming town of Redford Township, nestled near Detroit, Michigan. It was a place with a rich history, once known as the motor city capital of the world. My parents, Barbara and Bruno Rettig, raised me amidst the hustle and bustle of this iconic state. I was fortunate to be the youngest in a family with two brothers and one sister. Those early years were filled with the warmth of family, and the memories we created still bring a smile to my face today. Surviving those teenage years, marked by the usual quest for independence and identity, was no small feat. Like any teenager, I went through phases of self-centeredness, pride, and a “know-it-all” attitude. Yet, my parents and I weathered those storms, and life remained good in the Rettig household. In 1984, I graduated from Redford Union High School, where I was part of a class with 200 graduates. With my Christian faith and a desire to build a family, I embarked on a new chapter that summer. I headed off to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to attend Rhema Bible Training Center, a journey that would shape my life significantly. It was during my second year at Rhema that I met Steve Sawyer. He was a second-year youth ministry. I often joke that it wasn’t love at first sight – he wasn’t the cutest or the wealthiest guy I was dating at the time. However, it was Steve who God spoke to me about, saying “Steve is the man I want you to marry.”. They say the sheep know the Shepard’s voice, and so May 31st, 1986, Carrie Lynn Rettig became Mrs. Steven Russell Sawyer. Little did I know the incredible journey that awaited me. Steve and I decided to make our home in northeastern Oklahoma, in a place often referred to as the “foothills of the Ozarks”, Locust Grove. We wasted no time in starting our family, and our first child entered the world on August, 4th, 1987. For the next 21 years, my life was a beautiful cycle of pregnancy and nurturing, as our family continued to grow. Our children came into this world in this order: Destiny, Gail, Jacob, Christina, Jedediah (1990 – 1992, RIP our Son, Brother, Cowboy, and Friend), Samantha, Amber, Rachel, Danielle, Seth, and our youngest, Solomon, born in 2007. These names hold a special place in my heart, each representing a unique chapter in our family’s story. Our journey is a whirlwind of love, faith, and the joys of parenthood, as we continue to build a life together in the heartland of America.