Emily Gamboa

Emily’s early childhood years are mixed like a gumbo’s roux. With a Southern Louisiana base and a family move to Texas, she spent her elementary and high school student life just north of Houston in The Woodlands. After graduating from Texas A&M University in College Station, she worked in and around Houston as a Kindergarten and Pre-K teacher for almost a decade. Emily traded in her full-time role in the classroom for life as a stay-at-home mom soon after she and her high school sweetheart, Daniel, welcomed their second son.

As any mom can guarantee, pregnancy and motherhood are not easy roads to navigate. Emily’s first two pregnancies had a few hiccups but resulted in healthy boys, Thatcher and Taggart. In 2018, her family discovered they were going to add a baby boy. That dream ended in heartbreak when she discovered the baby no longer had a heartbeat during her 16-week check-up appointment.

Feeling alone, confused and devastated, she sought professional help through a licensed psychologist. Emily’s psychologist was the first person who made Emily feel “heard” and validated her feelings about the loss of her baby. She also provided coping skills to manage situations that arise from this type of trauma. Three months later, she lost another baby at 10 weeks. Having been labeled infertile and feeling like she had hit rock bottom, she scoured the internet seeking support without success; but, by sheer luck, she heard of a local support group for women who have experienced pregnancy loss. It was here that she felt heard instead of pitied and understood rather than judged.

In 2019, Emily delivered their beloved rainbow baby, Tatum Clark. Tatum means “cheer and joy,” traits that he did indeed restore to her family’s life. Her family received one final blessing with the birth of their daughter, Tessa Quinn, in 2022. Her rainbow babies are a beautiful reminder of the struggles she faced and the positive growth she has made.

Emily has a heart of service and is most passionate about making meaningful connections through honest conversations. She is inspired daily by her children to be present in the moment, to find the beauty in small things and to never stop learning.

During this season of life, Emily does not have the spare time she once had to read, bake or create artwork. Most days, she finds herself just trying to survive her known responsibilities, manage the unexpected and invest her time in building strong ties within the community.