My name is Melissa Rice.  I've been married for close to 6 years to my husband, Hunter and we have 2 sweet girls, Adeline who is 4 and Emma Jane who is 2.  It is because of my desire to be home with them and truly live out my call as a woman in Titus 2 that I began looking for something I could do at home that I was also passionate about.  I thought about everything from making baked goods and homemade organic baby food to sell on Etsy to going back to school to be a nurse and trying to get a job where I could just work a couple days a week.  My husband being in graduate school quickly made me realize I did not want to do the latter.

I majored in Biology at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC and now have a high school teaching job in Union City, TN.  My background in Biology and Sustainable Development has always drawn me to natural foods, products, and a simpler way of living.  Once I had kids I knew I wanted to only use the safest products on their baby skin.  I poured through websites researching ingredients but was disappointed to find that there are not that many quality, safe, and affordable products out there.  I bought what I could for the girls while my husband and I used regular old products from Walmart.  I also knew that some of the cleaning supplies I used, especially disinfectants were not safe, but didn't know of a safe way to kill bacteria and viruses, especially when someone was sick.

Thankfully, when I came across the EcoTeamUnited site and learned that I could convert my entire home to safe products that are highly effective and cost less I was very excited.  Even more exciting is that I can do something I'm passionate about, which is helping other moms make their homes safer, and make an income that would allow me to stay at home with my kids.  It turns out that my background in teaching is excellent for this because now instead of teaching high school kids I can teach adults how to convert their homes to safer products.  I also love that I get to partner with other moms who are just like me and want so badly to be at home with their kids.  It's a blessing to be able to help others and make an income at the same time. 

So, I'm working really hard part-time to replace my teaching income and be able to quit my teaching job.  It's a short-term sacrifice for a priceless goal.  Plus, before too long I'll be able to exceed my teaching income and save money to buy the farm that my husband and I have always dreamed of without the debt of going back to school to get a better job.  What an answer to prayer this team has been!

Melissa Rice - TN