More than three decades ago, after finishing their college bachelor degrees, Norma and Doug married and began a life together full of love, art and teaching art. In 1965, Doug began his art career in the position of Art Director at WNCT-TV channel 9 in Greenville, NC. After two years, they moved to Nashville where Doug became WLAC-TV channel 5's AD, and Norma began teaching Art in the Nashville public schools. During their three year stay in Nashville, Norma also earned her Masters Degree in Printmaking from George Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt University.

In 1969 they moved to Tallahassee so that Doug could get his Master of Fine Art Degree from Florida State University. In the Fall of '70 they moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas where Doug began his university art teaching career at Arkansas State University. In '72 they also became the parents of a fine baby boy they named Christopher. After Christopher's birth, during a thorough study into the claims of the Bible, coupled with a near fatal tornado that swooped over their neighborhood destroying almost everything in its path, they both found themselves making the most dramatic life changing decision anyone can make by following Jesus' invitation to be born again Christians. To most standards, they were both fairly decent and responsible people, but they realized that they were not conforming to the standards found in the Bible. In 1976 Doug accepted a call to bring his artistic and teaching skills to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.