Why Momma Volcano?

The short answer: Because "Volcano Momma" was already taken.

The long answer: Because I have loved volcanoes pretty much my entire life. There is really no rhyme or reason to my fascination with all things volcanic--I grew up in Las Vegas, NV, daughter of an accountant and a stay-at-home mom. Although they didn't share my obsession, my parents always encouraged me to follow my dream of studying volcanoes, which is how I found myself graduating in geology and then doing most of my graduate studies in volcanology.

Growing up, there was only one thing in the world I wanted to be more than a volcanologist, and that was a wife and mother. (Is that two things?) This explains why I never quite finished my graduate work--I met and married my best friend in the entire world, and we started having babies. There are four of them: Zee (he was born in late 2003), Em (she was born in 2005), Gee (he was born in late 2006), and Heb (he was born in late 2008). And, no, those aren't their real names. I'm weird, but I'm not heartless.

And there you have it: Momma Volcano.