MY HUSBAND , ADAM , AND I welcomed our first child , Quinn Nicole Fauber , into the world on March 30 , 2018 , and naturally I began thinking about all the normal things parents worry about . Will I be a good mom ? Will my infant hit all of her benchmarks ? How can I improve my work / life balance ? Will Quinn be happy ?
I feel so blessed to have been able to grow up in West Virginia , and I look forward to raising my family here . I hear so many stories about people who moved away for school , jobs or marriage only to move home so they could raise their children in Almost Heaven . These are stories I find encouraging for the future of our state . Despite West Virginia ’ s most pressing challenges , bright , educated and passionate people want to move home and be part of the solution while raising their children to love this state too .
This stage in my life has made me more reflective , and I have been thinking back on some of the memories my family and I have made in our beautiful Mountain State . One of my first memories of growing up here was learning to ski at Snowshoe . We spent winters skiing and summers exploring and mountain biking all over Snowshoe Mountain . My 30-year love of horses stems from a trip to Snowshoe in 1987 when we went on our first trail ride . As soon as we left the barn and got back in the car , my sister and I immediately asked if we could go back the next day . The rest , as they say , is history .
We spent time exploring all the beauty our state has to offer , from sightseeing at Cranberry Glades to attending church camp each year at Bluestone Camp and Retreat in Summers County , where we hiked , swam , canoed and slept in covered wagons full of spiders .
My first trip whitewater rafting down the New River was with friends from school . It was my first experience in the New River Gorge area that I now love so much . It is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth and is full of so much outdoor adventure — not to mention good food .
Having the opportunity to experience this side of West Virginia as a child is part of the reason I love my job so much . I look forward to introducing my daughter to what I love about the Mountain State and raising her the West Virginia way . •
Kensie Hamilton Fauber Editor in Chief
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE