In 2010, I began blogging and later created a website specifically targeted to women who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2019, I felt prompted to reconfigure my message to a broader audience and to also include my family. So, with their permission, I launched Hawkerfamily.com that same year. The foundation of this website consists of my writings from my original blog along with my Facebook and Instagram posts connected to that blog; I include them here because I decided to leave social media and close all of my accounts.
Hawkerfamily.com is designed for my family members (including my grandchildren) to share their insights, experiences, and testimonies if or whenever they choose to share them here; they make their own decisions as individual families and as individuals. Because our family is forging new terrain via a family website, I’m a little uncertain as we proceed forward, or how this process will unfold. Speaking from my own experience as an educator and a blogger, I do know this: It’s no easy task to “put your voice out there.” Discovering and attaining one’s “public voice”—whether through speaking or writing—is daunting and a little scary. Thus, I have assured my family that it’s okay to take a relaxed and “no rush” approach to their writing and sharing processes. And, if they choose not to write or share in this space, that’s okay too.
The act of writing is surprisingly difficult. Like learning to play a musical instrument, becoming proficient in a sport, or honing any type of skill set, the writing process takes practice, focus, time, and energy. So, at least for now, I will be the prevalent voice on this website.
Lastly, I acknowledge the relevance of inclusivity in communication and the complexities of global communication which, of course, includes the global membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So, obviously, this website has a limited perspective. For purposes of clarity and alignment, this website uses gender definitions outlined in the “Proclamation of the Family” from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This website does not represent the Church.
Thanks for visiting,
Julie
Rick and Julie
Rick and I typify the old adage that “opposites attract.” Rick grew up on a farm in New Plymouth, Idaho, and I was born in California and raised in San Jose. After graduating from West Valley College, I transferred to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah for my junior year. Rick, after completing his Latter-day Saint mission in Cordoba, Argentina, was also attending BYU. In December of 1978, as my first semester at BYU was nearing completion, I was introduced to Rick through one of my roommates, Robin Baker. A long-time friend of Rick’s, Robin had invited him to join us in attending a Sunday church “fireside” meeting. During that entire evening, I noticed Rick’s watchful eyes upon me. After winter break, we started dating in January of 1979. Rick’s rustic, homespun charm soon won me over, and we married that same year on November 10th in the Oakland, California LDS Temple. We settled in San Jose and later moved to a small town south of San Jose, called Morgan Hill, while raising our family.
After we got married, Rick continued his schooling and eventually graduated with an M.B.A. from San Jose State University. His career in finance and business contracts included employment in the defense and aerospace industries as well as working at a start-up company. I spent many years as a stay-at-home mom to our four great kids (two sons and two daughters). In my mid-thirties, I went back to school to further my education by earning a master’s degree in Communication Studies at San Jose State University. For nearly 25 years, I taught G.E. required courses at San Jose State in communication: Argumentation & Advocacy, Critical Thinking & Decision Making, Communication & Human Relationships, Public Speaking, and a required course for graduating seniors called Writing for Influence. I also taught a few semesters at University of California, Santa Clara, and at Evergreen Community College. In May of 2019, I retired when Rick and I moved to Utah.
After 40 years of working and raising a family in California’s Bay Area, we moved to Utah when Rick was offered a job transfer to Salt Lake City. We built our house in the same area where all of our adult children and their families reside. Like everyone else, our family has our “quirks and issues.” But, that’s what’s so beautiful about the purposeful work and effort in building strong families; we love each other unconditionally, and we all work together through our family challenges while devoting ourselves to the ordinances and covenants we have all made in the holy temples.
We are grandparents to four granddaughters and four grandsons, and we love being an influential part of their everyday lives; we take great joy in parenting and grand-parenting.