There’s nothing better than being surrounded by the beautiful sights and sounds of nature while living in the country. Jamie Rasberry is no stranger to living the peaceful and serene country life.
“I love it out in the country. I would not be happy having to live in the city,” stated Jamie. “I enjoy the space, greenery, and the silence where I live.
Although many people in Clarke County have come to know and love Jamie over the years, she didn’t grow up in this area. In fact, she is a strong Texas girl at heart, and she has experienced life in multiple places while growing up.
“I’m one of two kids. I have a younger brother,” explained Jamie. “My parents were missionaries in Mexico for a while, so I’ve done the whole missionary kid thing. We lived in a village down in Central Mexico. Half the time we didn’t have electricity. Half the time we didn’t have water. We’d take buckets down to the mountain spring. It’s stuff that’s a hassle as an adult, but as a 10-12 year old, it’s an adventure. It was a lot of fun. Then for several years, I lived in East Texas on 89 acres of land. It was a faith ministry where my dad worked, and it was half pasture, half wooded. My brother and I had the run of it.”
While in Texas, Jamie had two beautiful daughters. Although her girls are grown now, she still has cherished memories of the things they would do as a family growing up. She is also thrilled to now be able to love and spoil and sweet grandbaby of her own.
“I have two girls who are 22 and 25. My oldest daughter is married and has a one-year-old,” smiled Jamie. “When my kids were young, we would go to the zoo regularly. We had a zoo pass which gave us access to zoos all over the country, so when we would travel, we would go to see different zoos in the areas. Even in the past couple of years, my girls have still wanted to take a zoo trip with me just to spend time together.”
Jamie isn’t alone, though. She married the love of her life, Michael Rasberry, and she gained an even bigger family that she loves very much.
“I grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas. That’s where I met my husband,” explained Jamie. “His sister was one of my best friends in high school, and our parents were good friends. That’s how we met. We ended up talking years later, so everything came back full circle. When I married Mike, I inherited five bonus kids. We have seven kids between the two of us: five girls and two boys.”
The happy couple takes care of two large dogs, two small dogs, barn cats, and horses on their property every day. In fact, they always find some way to spend quality time with each other, whether they are going out to have fun, working on the property, or spending time with other family members.
“I enjoy working on projects around the property with my husband,” said Jamie. “Also, a lot of times my husband and I will travel with our kayaks to find a river or a lake. We love to just get out in the kayaks and go exploring. We do a lot of horse riding, too. My mother and father-in-law have done horse camps in the summer. We won’t be able to do one this summer because of the circumstances, but I’ve worked with them in the past since I became part of the family.”
As much as she loves her country life, Jamie also has a job that she loves: teaching.
“I am just finishing up my thirteenth year of teaching English,” stated Jamie. “Between Quitman and South Grand Prairie in Texas, I’ve taught every grade from seventh to twelfth.”
In the classroom, her students affectionately know her as Mrs. Raz. No matter what happens in the classroom, her students know that she will fair and honest with them. She loves and cares for all of her students and has always done everything in her power to make sure that they not only receive the best education possible, but that they feel safe and loved every time they step into her classroom.
She does enjoy all the hard work that she does, but she also makes sure to take some time to take care of herself and relax.
“I enjoy cooking and reading,” stated Jamie. “I have recently, within the past year, become a health and fitness coach with Beachbody. That has made a huge difference in the way I feel and is beginning to make a difference in the way I look.”
In fact, her new happy, healthy life is an inspiration for anyone who is able to speak with her. It is thanks to her hard-working and peaceful life that she offers the following advice for everyone in Clarke County:
“Every day take a little time just for you.”
