Our people: Community immersion

With an artistic eye and crafting hands, Robyn Mender readily enjoys home improvement projects - though she admits it's more difficult to find time now that she has three little ones.

Mender has been a mother for over five years, and a Clovis resident for nearly four. The Utah native was transplanted here in 2017, when her husband took a job out of law school to work for the District Attorney's office.

Though the family doesn't have any relatives within a 12-hour drive, Mender has immersed herself in the community and regularly frequents community events and tries to enjoy all that the area has to offer. She also reads books and cooks for pleasure (though she admits the task of daily meal preparation is not her favorite thing.)

Q: What is the best vacation you have ever been on?

A: It's a toss-up because when Mitchell and I were newlyweds, we went to a little bed and breakfast in Maine, that's on a lake. It was pretty deserted. That was a very, very dreamy vacation.

But then when we'd been married three months, we got to go on this cruise and be with Mitchell's whole extended family. We went to Bermuda. It was my first cruise ever and it was so much fun.

The best part of it was that the cruise had a "Newlywed" game show, and we won and we got to be "the Newlywed,"... and it was so much fun.

It was broadcast through the cruise and people would be like, "You're the 'Newlyweds!" (Even) on Bermuda, people would (call out), "Hey 'Newlyweds!"

Q: Favorite childhood memory?

A: The Fourth of July when we had just moved into my parents' house that they built, so there was no grass (yet) on the yard.

We invited my whole family over and we had our trampoline that we put in the backyard, and it was just dirt everywhere. So we decided to light fireworks in our backyard because there was no way it could light a fire. And we jumped on the trampoline and there was the flashing lights from the fireworks and we were watching our shadows on the house.

Everyone was together, and my mom always made homemade ice cream on the Fourth of July. We all just ate ice cream and watched fireworks and (were) together and it was nice.

Q: What is the best part about being a mom?

A: Probably seeing the kids when they're so happy and watching them learn something new almost every day. Plus, they say some really funny things sometimes.

Q: What is the hardest part?

A: The fact that you're sleep deprived from day one. You literally have a baby and you have no time to recover. You're exhausted and you will be forever. And you have to try to be the best mom you can be while you're exhausted.

Q: What would you do if you won the lottery?

A: I would pay off our house and I'd pay off our law school loans and then I would probably find a way to help people. Maybe build a tiny-home village for the homeless, or set up a fund or something. We'd probably build a house too - with a pool.

Or one of my dreams is to have my own bed and breakfast someday. Or an ice cream shop in Clovis because there's not an ice cream stand here, and that's something I loved about New Hampshire.

Q: What is the scariest thing you have ever had to do?

A: Bringing home a newborn. That was terrifying because - you've just birthed this human and then they're like, "Good luck, have fun!"

Q: If you had to be a book character, who would you be and why?

A: I just read this book called, "A Man Called Ove," which I loved. It's all about this grumpy old man, who's set in his ways and he's trying to end his life and it keeps not working out.

A woman (her name is Parvaneh) notices that this man is unhappy and is trying to end his life and she kind of gets in his way - but doesn't tell him she's getting in his way. She kind of just adopts him into their family and her children start calling him grandpa.

She completely changes his life. He eventually decides to stay because of her and her children. And I want to be like the people in books who notice someone who has a problem and step in to help.

Q: What is one thing that surprises most people about you?

A: I feel like when I'm with my friends, I seem fairly extroverted but I am not. I would consider myself very much an introvert.

Q: What is your favorite part about living in Clovis?

A: The people. The moment we got here, everyone was so nice... from our neighbors to coworkers, and members of our church ... Everyone has always been very, very kind. And also, the sunsets here are amazing.

Q: What's one piece of advice about motherhood that you wish someone had given you?

A: Ask for help. I think there's more people who are willing to help than you think. Ask for help when you need it and try to chill out a little bit too ... I say that as I'm trying to have the perfect birthday party for my 1-year-old, but it's OK ...

One of the pieces of advice that people gave me that we take to heart is that you just have to keep your kids alive. They are going to be fine and you're doing great.