Happy March Mama’s!! Today’s Meet-A-Mom is new to the area! Please give her a warm welcome!
How long have you lived in Shawnee? What made you decide to live here?
We moved to Shawnee in October 2020 from Antalya, Turkey. My husband has his business here and used to live in Kansas City for over ten years. After we got married in early 2019, we started to live in Antalya, but it was very difficult to manage the business from another country, and because of Covid19 we were not able to travel often. So, we decided to move to Kansas City and raise our family here. We started to look for a nice house all around Kansas virtually (thanks to our realtor, she took us more than 50 houses in two months!). An early morning of July 2020, we found our dream house in Shawnee and bought it immediately! Then we moved in 3 months.
How many children do you have and what are their age(s)?
I have three lovely children. My first son, Kuzey is 10 years old, my daughter Zeynep is 7, and my little baby-son Mert is 1 year old. Kuzey and Zeynep are at Riverview and we are so lucky to have their awesome teachers and great school management! I always wanted to be a mom of four children, but currently, I have doubts if I can have enough time and energy for a fourth one! I see motherhood as being an artist since each child is different and you have the power to support “creating” their personalities. And same with my mother, I always say that I am an artist talented by God with three precious and unique artwork.
What’s your favorite family activity (in Shawnee Area)?
After we moved to Shawnee, we were walking around with kids and we found ourselves in a Park entrance – Garret Park! We love that park full of green and different trees, smelling forest, and natural views. And then we got lost in the park 😊 and after a long walk, we were able to find our way back home. It was a funny experience as the first activity. I think Garret Park is still my favorite and I am looking forward to warmer weather. Because of Covid19 and extremely cold weather, we have not had time to do more activities yet, but thanks to our neighbors who lead us to generate a long list for the next activities.
Where’s your favorite place to eat and/or shop in your town?
During these Covid19 days, we are trying to stay at home as much as possible. In the last four months, we ate just a few times outside. Nick and Jake’s, Paulo and Bill, and Pegah’s Family Restaurant are our favorites for Shawnee. We like going to Dillard’s, as well.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
People are usually surprised when they hear that I am also a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I graduated in 2006 and choose to continue my academic career and had my Ph.D. degree in Microbiology, then started working for certain private global companies. I love animals and my six years of education in veterinary brought me many things, but I never did this as a job. On the other hand, I always try to help with any information or emergency support when needed. As Hippocratic Oath, we also have the promise for using knowledge and skills lifelong on Veterinarian Oath.
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
My mother was always helping me through my parenthood, and I appreciate this more than anything. After we moved here (it was 22 hours of flight), I understood better how everything has been easier with her. She did not only give me this fantastic life but also taught me how to be a good mother and how to stay strong even at worst moments! And definitely- I could not survive this journey without “my love” and am truly thankful for him every day.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
After Igained my doctorate degree, I worked for private companies for different management and director positions. Currently, I am Business Development Director of our family company, AAPC Publishing. We are publishing only autism-related materials. I am proud of being a part of this business since AAPC Publishing helps individuals, parents, teachers, and scientists all around the world in different languages. I enjoy communicating with different people to spread our books to global autism communities. We are also donating hundreds of books every year and I love to coordinate this.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
Our community is very helpful to reach out to individuals and groups of certain autism communities for us, especially for donations. Although AAPC Publishing is a 20-years-old company, it has not been active in local very much but now we are receiving a higher interest from Shawnee and Kansas City, which is great! To learn about AAPC Publishing and read excellent autism sources, you can visit us: www.aapcautismbooks.com.
