About Maria

Hi, I'm Maria.

Creator, educator, writer, and the heart behind Growth with Gribby.

If there is one thing you should know about me, it is this: I believe learning, healing, and building a meaningful life are not separate from faith. They are part of it.

God is not distant from our growth. He is present in it. In the questions, in the discoveries, in the rebuilding, and even in the messy middle.

Where It All Began

My journey did not start in a perfectly organized planner with color-coded goals. It started in real life.

Raising children. Navigating challenges. Healing from hard things. And asking bigger questions about the world, about people, and about God.

I was the child who asked a million questions. Why is the sky that color? How are mountains made? Why do plants grow differently in different places? How does the human body know what to do? Why does this work? How does that happen?

That curiosity never left. It simply grew up with me.

I've always loved science because it gives us a way to explore those questions. There is something extraordinary about looking closely at the natural world, from rocks and weather to plants, animals, ecosystems, and the human mind, and discovering that the more we understand, the more there is to wonder about.

Over time, my questions deepened. I still wanted to understand how things worked, but I also began asking why we are here, how we grow, and how science, faith, and truth fit together.

That intersection has become an important part of who I am as an educator.

With a background in science and psychology, I've spent years studying both the natural world and the way people learn and develop. But some of my most important lessons didn't come from textbooks. They came from life, from motherhood, from exploring the world alongside children, and from a growing understanding that science and faith do not have to compete for our curiosity.

For me, learning more about creation has never made God smaller. It has given me more reasons to wonder.

And what I found is this: Real growth often happens in the middle of the mess. And God does some of His best work there.

What I Create

Everything I create begins with curiosity.

I want children and families to ask questions, explore the world around them, understand the science behind what they discover, and see that learning and faith can exist beautifully together. You will find:

• Children's books that blend science, storytelling, and Catholic faith
• Educational programs that encourage kids to question, investigate, explore, and create
• Nature-based journals and guides that invite families to observe plants, animals, ecosystems, and God's creation more closely
• Hands-on learning experiences that turn curiosity into discovery
• Resources that support learning, confidence, curiosity, and meaningful growth at home

My children's books are especially close to my heart. They are written for the kids who ask questions. The ones who notice everything. The ones who pick up a rock and want to know how it got there, watch a storm roll in and wonder what makes thunder, or look at the night sky and ask how something so enormous came to be.

I want children to know that they don't have to stop asking those questions in order to have faith.

I want them to keep asking. Keep exploring. Keep wondering.

Because curiosity is not separate from faith. It is often where faith begins.

My Approach

I don't believe learning needs to be overcomplicated.

Children are natural scientists. They observe. They touch. They collect things. They experiment. They ask why approximately a thousand times.

I think we should encourage that. I believe in:

• Teaching truth in a way that is simple and engaging
• Letting curiosity lead to deeper understanding
• Giving children opportunities to learn through exploration and experience
• Helping kids understand not only what happens, but why
• Weaving faith in naturally, not forcing it
• Creating resources that families can actually use
• Building confidence in both learning and identity

Whether we're exploring the plants growing along a trail, learning how an ecosystem works, discovering the science behind a rainbow, or asking much bigger questions about ourselves and our purpose, I believe learning should leave room for wonder.

God created our minds to explore, our hearts to seek Him, and our lives with purpose. And I believe the next generation deserves tools that help them grow in all of it together.

Science can teach us how something works. Faith can invite us to wonder why it matters. And curiosity keeps us asking both.

Whether you are here to teach your children, grow in your faith, explore the world around you, or build something meaningful for your family, I'm truly glad you're here.