I graduated from Stormont Vail School of Nursing in 1976. I've worked as a university nurse at a Arkansas private Christian University, a public school nurse for Topeka and Silver Lake schools, and Heritage Christian school nurse. I was a missionary nurse in Amaya, Kenya. I worked as a camp nurse for Youth for Christ in Colorado, Pioneer Girls in Missouri, and New Life Ranch in Oklahoma. I married my best friend, Dennis O'Brien, in 1976. We had our first daughter, Maggie, in 1980 and our twins, John and Kate, in 1986.