Jennifer Blair says she's a "proud Texan, born and raised," but for the past two years, she's made herself at home in Cape Girardeau. She's the wife of police chief Wes Blair, mom to a sixth-grader named Bryce and a doting caretaker of two dogs and a cat. A longtime teacher, she's making plans to attend graduate school, and still finds time to run two at-home businesses and volunteer at the Humane Society with her son.

In 2010 and 2011, she took mission trips to Haiti, and plans to return soon. "When I got there, it captivated my heart," she says.

Jennifer says parenting, education and kids are her biggest passions in life -- here's what else you need to know about her:

__Flourish:__ First, some background on you: Where did you grow up, and how did you wind up in Cape Girardeau?

__Jennifer Blair:__ I'm a proud Texan, born and raised! Though I was born in San Antonio and lived several other places around the state, I call Dallas home. My family moved to Cape in July 2013 when my husband, Wes, accepted the chief of police position here.

__Flourish: How are you liking Southeast Missouri so far? What are your favorite things to do here?__

__JB:__ We love Cape Girardeau! The slower pace of life is refreshing and everyone has been incredibly welcoming. I love that Cape is situated on the Mississippi River. One of my favorite things is going to Riverfront Park and just sitting and watching the river. I also love the rich history here. To think of the people who have worked on the river or fought in Civil War battles or marched along the Trail of Tears is overwhelming. Very few people get to live and experience the places that Mark Twain wrote about -- now that's cool!

Jennifer Blair (Photo by Laura Simon ~ lsimon@semissourian.com)

__Flourish: You've been on mission trips to Haiti -- could you tell us about your work there?__

__JB:__ A Door to Hope and My Life Speaks are two ministries in Haiti that are very dear to me. A Door to Hope partners with schools, churches and families in Haiti to provide job training, housing and evangelism. My Life Speaks is a group home and school for children with special needs. Voo doo is the predominant religion in Haiti and, culturally, special needs people are viewed as cursed and are often cast out of society. My Life Speaks is teaching Haitians the value of all lives and loving others as Jesus does. I was blessed to spend Thanksgiving week of 2010 and 2011 serving in Haiti with A Door to Hope. Those experiences truly changed my life! I could write a novel about lessons learned during those two weeks. It is very humbling to witness the awesome power of God radiating joy out of the hearts of His children in a land of such need and devastation.

__Flourish: Tell us about your work and family.__

__JB:__ As I mentioned earlier, my husband, Wes, works for the Cape Girardeau Police Department. Being a law enforcement wife is a job in and of itself! I wouldn't have it any other way, though. Our son, Bryce, is a sixth-grader who loves camping, reading, sports and military history. For the past 16 years I was an elementary teacher and taught second through fifth grades as well as special ed. However, I decided to take a break this year to focus on growing my two businesses. I now work from home as a consultant with Rodan + Fields Dermatology and a personal stylist for J. Hilburn Custom Menswear. I love helping women look younger and men look sharper!

__Flourish: What inspires you or keeps you going day to day?__

__JB:__ Jesus. He is the only way. Life is hard, and there is always something unexpected or undesired around the corner. I really don't know where I'd be without His love and the hope of eternity spent with Him in Heaven. It's going to be AMAZING! Beyond that, I would definitely have to say Wes and Bryce both inspire me. Wes works so hard to continuously better himself and stay up to date with his professional education. As well, he is the epitome of a courageous servant-leader. His commitment to God's call on his life and his understanding of God's commands in light of that call is humbling. It is a really cool thing to see God working through him! I could definitely write a second novel on the lessons I have learned from Wes!

__Flourish: What's next for you? Anything new you want to learn, try or do?__

__JB:__ I am actually studying for the GRE. I have always wanted to get my master's degree, so I'm planning on applying to grad school in the spring. I'm still working through exactly what I want to focus on, but it will be psychology or counseling of some sort.

__Flourish: What is something many people don't know about you?__

__JB:__ I'm addicted to "Rehab Addict" on HGTV. I would love to be a preservationist like Nicole Curtis. I look at all these old houses for sale in Cape on the real estate websites just to dream about how I would bring them back to life!