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"Our mom was a lawyer and an accountant, and neither of us were very interested in that, so we spent a lot of time at our dad's office. We grew to love dentistry and understand it," Natalie says. The time spent with their father sparked a love of dentistry, science, technology and community that would follow them both into their professional careers. However, it was their mother who introduced them to a different kind of community — Macon. "It was only an hour drive to Macon, and we used to come up to go to doctor's appointments and visit family, but the old mall was the place to be. Along with the Mercer camps, Discovery Zone and downtown, we had some great times," Bradshaw says. Natalie adds that "Macon was much more diverse and fast paced, all while being conveniently located to wonderful small- town havens like Cordele if one wishes to get away for some peace and quiet." Not only did the attractions catch their eye, Macon's educational scene was a draw as well. "Our mom taught at Georgia Southwestern and was also going to law school at Mercer Law when I was 5," Natalie says. "I remember her taking me with her to class. She was so impressed with the academics Macon had to offer, we started going to high school here once she transferred to what is now Middle Georgia State University." The siblings both pursued their undergraduate degrees at the University of Georgia, but a erward, Bradshaw married and attended the Medical College of Georgia, then returned to Cordele to work with their dad. Natalie attended the University of Louisville in Kentucky for four years for dental school and spent two years in Augusta for her pediatric dental residency. Neither was planning what came next. "I had always intended to move back to Cordele, but life took me back to Macon – partly due to the central location and diverse community. My husband and I got married in 2013, and we didn't live together at first. He was in Macon, and I lived in Louisville and then Augusta while I completed my residency. We decided to settle down in Macon, where he had been living. It was close to family, we C ordele — the "Watermelon Capital of the World." It's a beautiful, agriculturally rich town with less than 15,000 residents, and home to that giant rocket off Exit 101 on Interstate 75. It's also the hometown of siblings Natalie Cozart and Bradshaw Ford. Sitting across from me, I can tell by their demeanor how different they are. Bradshaw, cool and easygoing, is a calming presence, while Natalie, chic and bubbly, smiles brightly and instantly makes me feel welcome. They respond as siblings o en do when I ask who is the meanest. But even with these contrasts, and surely a multitude more, they both wound up choosing the same career of dentistry, choosing practices across the street from each other and choosing Macon. Natalie and Bradshaw spent most a ernoons a er school at work with their father, a dentist who still practices dentistry today. CHOOSING MACON Natalie Cozart and Bradshaw Ford A series featuring individuals from our community who, after some time away, have returned to share their skills and talents here. BY KELLEY DIXSON PHOTO BY MIKE YOUNG 30 maconmagazine.com | JUNE/JULY 2021