Wearing a “Blame My Sister” t-shirt, five-year-old Annie toddled into the living room, hoisted herself onto the ottoman, and sat cross-legged in front of a copy of Alice the Fairy. 

I like this book,” she said to the visitor who was talking to her mother while 18-month old Caroline played blamelessly in her bedroom across the hall.  “I got it from the library.” 

Mari Evans lives for such moments and doesn’t regret she made the decision to be a stay-at-home mom so she can share them with her daughters.  “I love it.  It’s the best job in the world.  I wouldn’t want to do anything else.” 

A Utah native with a degree in microbiology who moved to Chattanooga after her husband Nathan (a local attorney and artist) finished law school, Mrs. Evans says she appreciates her opportunity to devote herself to caring for her children.   “I’m grateful that Nathan works so hard so I can be at home.  I hope it gives the girls a sense of security and makes them feel safe.  Children need quantity time, not just quality time.  You don’t get that many years when they’re young and at home to build that bond.  It gives you the opportunity to teach kids about values and what’s important.”

In that child-friendly and safe environment, her daughter nearby and their games and DVDs sharing shelf space in the bookcase with their parents’ textbooks and novels by James Joyce, Umberto Eco, Zane Grey, Douglas Adams, and Nick Hornby, she spoke about her life and interests, always with her family at the forefront.

How she met her husband:  “We met at BYU in Physics 105.  It was a huge class, and we ended up sitting next to each other the first day.  By the end of the semester, we were the only two people left in the class.  It was just us and the professor, and we were only there to see each other.  I remember Nathan wore an orange Vols cap, and that’s how I looked for him on campus.”

Her studies at BYU:  “I always liked genetics, and I was also interested in cancer research.  One of the projects I worked on involved genetic research for breast cancer.  It was really interesting.  I hope something comes of it.”

Her greatest accomplish- ment:  “My family.  That’s it.  Our marriage and our kids.”

Her husband’s art:  “I was surprised Nathan could paint.  We were married for a while before I found out.  The first time I saw one of his paintings, I was so impressed with the composition and colors and how lifelike the faces are.  Nathan is also an excellent cook, and he knows a lot about jazz.  We took a jazz history class together in college.”  She names John Coltraine as her favorite jazz performer.

Utah:  “It’s a lot drier and browner than it is here.  There are a lot of desert and strip malls with no trees.  I never realized how brown it was until I moved here.  Utah is beautiful, but it’s a different beauty.  We go back twice a year, not as often as I’d like.  I love being here and close to my in-laws, but I’d like to have my parents out here too.”

Why she likes Chattanooga:  “It’s a great family town.  There are a lot of great things to do.”

How she describes herself:  “My driver’s license description is 5’2”, brown hair and brown eyes, but if someone asked, I would say I’m a mom.  My family is a big part of who I am.”

Mari Evans Style:  “I’m a casual person.  I like to buy dressy clothes, but I never wear them.”

Her favorite indulgence:  “Sleeping in.”

If she were stranded on a desert island with one meal, one book, and one record album:  “That’s a tough one.  The meal would be my mom’s pasta primavera with tons and tons of sautéed spring veggies, the book would be the Book of Mormon, and the album would be Neil Young’s ‘Harvest.’”

Her hobbies:  “I like to play Spider on the computer and puzzle games like Sudoku.  I like to run, but I haven’t done that for two years.  I have the time; it’s just a matter of getting motivated again.”

Her favorite spectator sport:  Basketball.  “I like the Pistons.  I used to like the Lakers until they started stacking the deck.”  She played on an elementary school recreation team, but “I was no good at it.  I can’t dribble.  When I play, it’s all about defense.”