Tara had many interests. Among them, she was an avid reader of books including romance novels, she enjoyed thrifting, movies, and a diverse selection of music that included that of artists like Bjork, The Smiths, Led Zepplin and Stevie Wonder, to name a few.

As destiny would have it, Tara met John Phillip Hatchell in Orlando, Florida and soon they began a ten year courtship starting on February 17, 1991. Being the pragmatic person that she was, Tara told John that if their relationship would survive a ten year friendship, she would then agree to marry him. It did. The two "saved the date" from their 1991 courtship anniversary and on February 17, 2001, they were married. The couple moved to Acworth, Georgia where they lived for ten years and where Tara gave birth to their daughter, Evan.