Our people: Misty Rains: Living passionately

Living passionately is what Misty Rains is known for as both a mother and administrative assistant to District Attorney Andrea Reeb.

Rains is a "local girl" through and through. Born in Clovis, she was raised in Elida before moving to Portales after finishing high school. About 13 years ago, Rains took a job as a secretary in the Portales office of the district attorney and has worked her way up to her current role, which she considers an honor.

As much as she loves her job, Rains' proudest accomplishment is "watching (her) kids grow and become contributing citizens to our community." Her two sons are grown - one working in Texas and the other studying at Eastern New Mexico University while competing collegiately on the rodeo team. Rains recently became engaged to her best friend. She looks forward to gaining two step-children through her upcoming marriage, next year.

Q: What is your favorite thing about Clovis?

A: I like the community and all it has to offer, but it still has a small-town feel.

Q: What's the best thing about your job?

A: Watching people take the opportunity to turn their life around.

Q: What is your favorite childhood memory?

A: Many of my favorite childhood memories are when my brother and I would go to my grandparents' house in Causey and spend time with them. Causey is another very, very small town about 30 minutes or so from Elida. My grandparents were farmers. We would do everything from riding on the tractor to helping my grandma can food out of the garden. It was our paradise when we were kids. We would swim in the stock tank and they made us this huge sand box - it was ginormous - that was so much fun to play in. They always made it very special.

Q: What is your favorite season and why?

A: Lake season... aka. summer.

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world for a day, where would you go and why?

A: Israel, because it has so much deep history.

Q: What is the best gift you have ever been given?

A: My kids and being able to watch their accomplishments.

Q: What is your favorite holiday tradition?

A: Christmas is probably my favorite. My mom always made it magical like a winter wonderland. She would decorate every inch of the house and still does to this day, inside and outside. I would say one of my favorite holiday traditions is baking and decorating Christmas cookies. Which now my brother and I get to share with our kids and our mom, and the kids (now all grown) still love it.

Q: If your friends and family had to describe you in one word, what word would they choose?

A:

Passionate.

Q: If you could travel back in time to any year, which would it be and why?

A: I don't think I really would want to. I know that the best is yet to come so I want to keep pushing forward.

Q: What advice would you give to parents of young children?

A: It's never easy but worth it. Be involved with whatever they are doing. Pray with them and drag them to church even on the days they don't want to go. Spend every minute you can with them because in a blink of an eye they are grown and doing their own thing.