A hand-illustrated life map

The Winding Road of a Remarkable Life

From Texas beginnings to global adventures, adoption, rescue work, reinvention, strength, and purpose. This is a life story full of courage and unexpected turns.

See the Map Read the Chapters

The illustrated life map

A hand-illustrated travel map of Annette’s life: a winding road from Texas through the Canadian Rockies, Texas A&M, foster parenting and adoption, founding Adoption.com, orphanage support in Ethiopia, Kenya and Haiti, teaching in public school and in China, dog rescue in Mexico, getting strong in London, a world cruise, and arriving in Boulder, Colorado.
Twelve chapters, one brave life. Follow the road from the very first mile.

Follow the road

Twelve chapters, one brave life

Places, purpose, service, dogs, strength, and new beginnings. The road is not a straight line, and that is the point.

  1. 1

    Born in Texas

    Wide open skies, strong roots, wildflowers, boots, and a journey that begins with heart.

  2. 2

    Canadian Rockies & Horses

    Snowy peaks, ski tracks, evergreen courage, and a hunter-jumper horse clearing the fence.

  3. 3

    Texas A&M

    Books, science notes, ambition, hard work, and the joy of becoming intellectually alive.

  4. 4

    Foster Parenting & Adopting

    Open doors, handmade drawings, compassion, belonging, and a home full of love.

  5. 5

    Creating Adoption.com in 1995

    A retro computer, a tiny pixel heart, and a visionary idea before the internet felt ordinary.

  6. 6

    Orphanage Support Projects

    Warm, dignified service across communities in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Haiti, with care, helping hands, and hope.

  7. 7

    Teaching Public School

    A chalkboard, pencils, paper airplanes, patience, creativity, and service one student at a time.

  8. 8

    Teaching in China

    New language, joyful classrooms, lantern shapes, skyline sketches, and lessons across oceans.

  9. 9

    Bone Voyage Dog Rescue in Mexico

    Rescue vans, sunshine, wagging tails, paw prints, second chances, and joyful chaos.

  10. 10

    London & Getting Strong

    Tea, city streets, new courage, dumbbells, and rebuilding strength inside and out.

  11. 11

    World Cruise

    Ocean routes, passport stamps, tiny planes, waves, and a bigger view of what is possible.

  12. 12

    Boulder, Colorado

    Mountain air, wildflowers, hiking trails, gratitude, arrival, and a brave new beginning.

Keep exploring

There's more to the story.

Read the writing, explore the archive, or just say hello.

Read the Writing About Annette Founder Archive

The heart of it

Every twist shaped the journey.

Part memoir, part mission statement, part invitation to keep going. Live with courage, love all in, and make a difference.

“Live with courage. Love with all in. Make a difference.”