She Wears Many Hats

While I am not one who gets wrapped up in the number of candles on my cake,  I do like to use birthdays, especially big ones, to take a moment to reflect on my life, count my blessings, see how far I've come, and focus on where I want to go.  As I embark on my 30s, I have so much to be thankful for and even more to look forward to. I never envisioned I would kick off my 30s the way I am, but I couldn't be more excited for the adventure{s} that lies ahead.  

These are the several "hats" I will be wearing:

THE PRESIDENTIAL HATS:

The Junior League of Jackson County is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Last year we launched a new program, Rogue Powerpacks {RPP}, in which we provide a backpack filled with nutritious food for the weekend, to chronically hungry children in Southern Oregon.  In addition to grants, our primary source of fundraising for RPP is the Holiday Hustle 5K, which we kicked off last year, and was a huge success. I am looking forward to taking on the roll of race director again this year, and continuing to improve the event, making it a family holiday tradition in here in Southern Oregon.

The Storytelling Guild is a group of volunteers dedicated to serving the community by providing opportunities for children to be exposed to the magic of books and the joy of reading. 

Perhaps some of you saw this picture:

This is from  my favorite program of the Storytelling Guild, The Book Walk!  The Bookwalk is a fashion show for books, designed to pique the interest of 3rd grade children. Guild members don sandwich boards and costume accessories while a brief description of each book is shared. A new book is then donated to each school’s library.  

I am so honored that the women of both of these groups have chosen me to be their "fearless leader" and I look forward to serving both organizations with heart, soul and passion, to the best of my ability.

MISCELLANEOUS HATS

I AM FOR THE CHILD,  and I advocate for the safety and well-being of children who have come under the care of Child Welfare due to parental abuse and/or neglect. As a CASA I speak up for these children and work hard to better their lives.  I strive to provide the children with a feeling of self-worth, confidence, hope for a better future, and the reassurance that they are loved.  In addition, as a CASA I strongly believe that what's best for the children is that their parents are doing well, so I also strongly advocate for the parent{s} too. It is so easy to be quick to judge, but these parents LOVE their children.  They might love something else more, or lack the tools necessary to be effective parents, but they LOVE their children. And with proper guidance, support, a feeling of HOPE,  and someone who believes in them, they have so much potential.  

I love spending my Sunday mornings with the 4 and 5 year olds , learning about the love of Jesus Christ through their precious perceptive.  I feel like I walk away with more than I am able to give them. 

One thing that I am going to start doing more of during sunday school is leading worship...

...as I pursue my dream of being part of the church worship team.  I have a long way to go, but I have to start somewhere. 

I have always loved kids, and started "babysitting" as soon as people would let me, and started off my "nanny" career by watching my 6th grade teacher's children.  I was a nanny all through college and two years after, prior to taking a "real" job {not that being a nanny isn't a real job, but you get it}. While I do have a full time job, I am still asked quite frequently to watch children while the parents go on a weekend away, a 10 day vacation out of the country, or on a business trip. I have also had the opportunity to travel to several wonderful locations as a nanny! While it can be tough to juggle work and other responsibilities to "nanny" for a week, with the parents help in scheduling coverage, we make it happen, and I wouldn't change my time with the kiddos for anything. 

As a swimmer, who loves working with children, it only seemed to be a natural fit that I learned to teach swim lessons while in high school.  I taught during the summers, all through high school and college, and following college graduation primarily did private lessons at people's houses. I absolutely love seeing kids I taught when they were 4 practicing with the swim team and heading to the High School State Championships OR seeing the child who hated the water showing off for me at a friends BBQ/Pool party.  I keep my lessons to a minimum due to a lack of time, but I do have the privilege of working with a 2 year old and 9 month old this summer...I love hearing Aiden's feet running to the door and him telling me how gweat of a teacher I am!     


On top of work, running, family and friends, these are the major hats I will be wearing this year, and I couldn't be more excited! Sometimes I feel like the energizer bunny, whose battery is dying OR a juggler doing everything possible not to drop a ball, but I wouldn't change it for anything.  Yes, there are days when I am overwhelmed, but I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to serve, and have an amazing group of friends and family who are always there to support, encourage and help when needed.  

As I begin another year, I want to continue to be the change I want to see in the world, live life and my "dash" to the fullest,  and leave a legacy {whether big or small} in the lives of people who come into my life.  

There is something else I will be doing that I am beyond excited and nervous for,  but I am saving that for another post. Here is a teaser:

And yes, I have BIG swimming, biking, and running plans for my 30s too, stay tuned...

I Am For The Child

CASA {Court Appointed Special Advocate}: noun A volunteer who wants to make certain the voices of abused and neglected children are heard.  CASA volunteers get to know the child and speak to everyone involved in the child’s life, including their family members, teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers, and others.The information they gather and their recommendations help the court make informed decisions. CASA volunteers commit to a child until the case is closed and the child is in a safe, permanent home.

18 months ago I sat in an IEP meeting with a mom who didn't feel it was necessary for her to be there, as she believed it was the school's responsibility to provide her son the proper special education without any of her involvement {either at home or at school}; and did not have the tools to navigate her way through an IEP to ensure her son was in the appropriate placement with all of the necessary resources in place. I sat in the IEP meeting fighting with all of my might to have the child removed from the classroom setting he was currently in where he  was separated from the rest of the class, on a modified schedule {only attending class 2 1/2 hours a day, as a first grader}, and spending a majority of that time in an isolated padded room. My heart ached, and my eyes filled up with tears as this child was labeled and had no one to stand up for him and BE HIS VOICE.

Last month I attended an IEP meeting with a proactive mom, who took initiative and asked questions, did what she could to ensure her son had a successful year at school.  I attended the meeting with a joyful heart and tears in my eyes, as I listened to the teacher speak of a boy who was attending school on a regular, full day schedule, showed huge improvements in his test results, was a part of the class, and called his classmates friends. 

The same mom and child attended both IEP meetings...

I AM A CASA
I AM the voice of the child
I AM the one who sees the confident, beautiful, intelligent individual that is the mom on my case
I AM the one who knows, without a doubt, that mom loves her children.  She may not have all of the tools and resources to be the most effective parent, but she is learning, and her love for them grows daily
I AM the one who ensures the children receive proper medical care
I AM the one who sees the good in EVERY situation
I AM the one who knows its in the best interest for the children to stay placed with their mom
I AM the one who ensures everyone else sees the positive in  mom and every situation, when it is very easy to remain focused on the negative 
I AM the one who attends school meetings, doctors appointments, etc to speak on behalf of the children, in their best interest; and provide mom the tools to navigate through all of this on her own.  
I AM the one who is greeted with a huge hug & smile, and a proud, "This is my CASA!!!" when I observe in the classroom. 
I AM the one who now realizes that my standard of living is different from theirs, and that  it is okay.  It does not mean mom loves her children any less.
I AM the one who assists mom in seeking out opportunities, such as summer camp, for her children. 
I AM FOR THE CHILD
*each case is unique, and the above statements are my personal opinion and only apply to the case I was just assigned to

Whitney Houston said it best, "I believe the children are our future...show them all the beauty they possess inside...give them a sense of pride."

As a CASA I give children strength when they are weak, a voice when they can't speak, eyes when they can't see.  I see the best there is in them. I lift them up when they can't reach, I give them faith because I believe.

Becoming a CASA has been the most challenging, but also most rewarding leap of faith I have taken.  As one door closes, another one opens; my first CASA case has officially "closed," but I will always be their CASA and am excited to see, and be a part of, all of the wonderful things to come for them. 


Click here to learn more about CASA and find a CASA organization near you.