Mother’s Day Article / “Mountain Mommas”

By: Amber Ford, The Mountain Times

Living so close to the pristine national forest of our beloved Mt. Hood, the many different types of mothers dwelling between The Mt. Hood Villages and the snow covered cap of our beloved volcano vary: bear, wolf, fox, bird, and human. And although these species have vastly different lives and purposes there is one common denominator: the fierce and unconditional love that comes with the title of “mom.” While the number of amazing moms who call The Mt. Hood Villages home is countless, there are unfortunately not enough pages or ink to include them all —  so here is a small dedication to a few of those very special moms.

Molly Espenel

A resident of The Mt. Hood Villages her entire life, Molly Espenel’s experience raising her two daughters so close to The Mt. Hood National Forest was nothing short of beautifully mastered. Both were born and raised in The Mt. Hood Villages, and Espenel believes the environment and landscape taught her daughters respect and appreciation for the great outdoors. “They had the freedom to explore, learn about flowers, trees, and animals,” Espenel said. “I feel living in the forest helped them to become more self-reliant. There was always something to explore in our seemingly limitless ‘big backyard.’” 

Despite the daughter's explorations and countless adventures, Espenel acknowledges some of the challenges she faced. “Power outages were both fun and frustrating. They lasted a lot longer back then, so we learned to be prepared for those events,” she said. “A grocery stock-up trip to town took longer with two small children. No babysitters per se, so the kids went everywhere with me.” 

Espenel’s love and devotion to her children brought her many moments of joy and pride, especially when it came to the shifting and adjusting to the constant changes of the life of a mom. “I’ve come to see things differently when it comes to what’s important,” Espenel said. “I feel so lucky to have witnessed their journeys — from their first smiles and steps, their school growth, that first solo car drive. As they matured, one left the mountain and another one stayed. One welcomed a child into the world. It was heartwarming to watch my daughter and her husband pass down the values they cherished from their own upbringing,” Espenel added.

Cindi Sempert

Long time Mt. Hood Villages local and retired Sandy High School English teacher Cindi Sempert looks back fondly on her time raising her daughters so close to The Mt. Hood National Forest. A resident of over forty years and a proud mom of two daughters, Sempert takes pride in the memories of watching her girls grow up in such a beautiful place. “It was wonderful raising my girls on the mountain,” Sempert said. “We took advantage of “The Mt. Hood playground” and did a lot of camping, fishing, boating, and exploring of the lakes and rivers. To this day they still love the outdoors and they do a lot of camping and hiking,” Sempert added.

Although motherhood on Mt. Hood gave Sempert and her daughters plenty of opportunities to grow and explore, challenges were faced when it came to being a mom and a teacher. “I was a high school English teacher when the girls were young, and I had tons of papers that I had to bring home to grade. That was hard to do when I would much rather be doing things with them,” Sempert said. “Eventually I became a high school counselor and even though I worked long days and some evenings, I did not have to bring home stacks of papers to grade, so that fit much more easily into motherhood,” Sempert added.

Sempert holds many memories close to her heart, now that both of her daughters are grown and living off of the mountain. Keeping the values instilled since childhood, Sempert’s girls still find that “mountain way of life” to be a part of them, with her oldest keeping up the fishing legacy and her youngest gearing up to conquer The Pacific Crest Trail. “I was able to teach them to respect the environment, respect property, and respect other people. They are two of the most compassionate and loving young women I know, and they make me proud to be their mom,” Sempert said. 

Kelsey Friend

The very definition of a “mountain momma,”  lifelong Mt. Hood Villages resident Kelsey Friend is not only raising her kids in this Pacific Northwest wonderland, but was also once a kid being raised on the mountain. A blended family with ten kids, Friend is no stranger to the beautiful benefits and challenges of The Mt. Hood Villages. “Raising kids on the mountain has been really special, especially when they’re younger and can grow up surrounded by nature and so much freedom to explore,” Friend said. “As they get older, though, it can become more challenging. I feel like the scene on the mountain for teenagers, especially from sixteen to eighteen, brings challenges you don’t always see in other communities. It definitely requires more awareness and guidance as a parent, but overall it’s been an incredible place to raise a family.”

Although raising her kids is definitely a full time job, Friend also works for the Mt. Hood region of Cascadia Getaways. As head of operations, Friend is responsible for her team of employees, guest satisfaction, and the overall day to day maintenance that comes with running a business. “With short term rentals being a sensitive topic in our community right now, I do feel an added pressure to perform at my very best, not just for my job, but for the community as a whole,” Friend said. “I care deeply about where we live, and that sense of accountability carries through both my work and my role as a mom,” Friend added.

Friend definitely takes her role as both a business professional and mom seriously. No stranger to juggling both, it is in prioritizing her role as mom that Friend has found some of her best lessons, not only as the face of her industry, but in the small faces she’s raised. “I’ve always known I wanted to be a mom. I don’t think I ever pictured myself with 10 kids, but in a lot of ways, I feel like I was built for it. Being a mom, especially in a blended family, has taught me so much about adaptability, patience, and how to keep going when things feel overwhelming,” Friend said. “I’ve learned that being a good mom isn’t about being perfect or having everything figured out –  it’s about showing up, growing alongside your kids, and supporting them through whatever life brings,” Friend added.

Jessica Thomason

When it comes to being a hands-on momma and professional pillar of the community, Mt. Hood Villages resident Jessica Thomason has set the bar high. A mom of two daughters, salon owner, and now a dedicated real estate agent, Thomason truly embodies the definition of hardworking mom. Born and raised in Portland, Thomason has resided in The Mt. Hood Villages for the last 12 years, raising both of her girls in the beauty of The Mt. Hood National Forest. Although Thomason values her professional roles, both as a stylist and a real estate agent, she undoubtedly acknowledges the most important role of her life is that of being a mom. “This feeling is something that I’ve never been able to fully describe. I love them so much that I feel like they are my heart walking around on the outside of my body,” Thomason said. “So when I get the “good job mom,”  from them and when I get to snuggle them and get hugs, when they tell me they love me, when they tell me thank you for all the things I do, or that they are proud of me, I just don’t believe there is anything else I’m going to  do with my life that’s gonna give me that much gratification,” Thomason added.

Keeping her daughters in the forefront of everything she does, Thomason recently added licensed real estate agent to her list of professions. While keeping her salon and her current clients fresh, Thomason felt the urge to expand her skills. “Real Estate is a way to use all of the people skills and business-owner abilities we learn as hairdressers, but in a way that is friendlier to our bodies,” Thomason said. “Helping people sell their homes is a huge opportunity when it’s going to help them move into their next chapter. I take the responsibility very seriously: for most of us, our houses are the bulk of our wealth. It’s not something you can be careless with and I am grateful that after all of these years of having people trust me with their hair, they are willing to trust me with their homes. It’s an honor,” Thomason added.

Although Thomason’s professions keep her on her toes, setting an example for her daughters on the importance of being a good human is her primary goal. “Living a life of rigorous honesty, and being your authentic self are super important to me, and I try to raise them with the same mentality,” Thomason said. “We also talk a lot about empathy. All three of us are pretty sensitive to the people around us – that can be a blessing and a curse. Trying to learn how to balance being kind and empathetic while making sure to protect your own peace is something that took me a long time to even be able to learn to do. I hope to help them navigate that with more ease than I have,” Thomason added.

Community Moms

While this article only tells the stories of four stellar moms living, working, and raising their kids in the most beautiful of places, I would be remiss not to mention the impacts these moms have had on me, personally – each a friend, each a mentor in their own way. And although I was unable to include all of the women of high-ranking mom status in this piece, acknowledging Kaye Lessor and Wendy Fisher, both Mt. Hood Villages’ moms and amazing friends are also important. If there’s ever a time where unlimited pages and ink hits my desk, I’ll be sure to  carry on mentioning all of the moms who raise these mountain kiddos with fierce protection, compassion, and an unending love that could, in fact, move Mt. Hood.