For a little background, I am a 34 (almost 35!) year old mom of 2 kiddos here on earth. I am also a bereaved parent of a child who died at 2 days old. Perhaps it is the birth and death of my firstborn daughter Madison that helped shape me as the parent I am the most. There is also that apple factor.
My 2 living children are Elliott (6.5) and Meah (4). They keep me juggling all the time. Elliott is in kindergarten and I volunteer regularly in his classroom and with the PTSA. My daughter Meah is in a cooperative preschool which means the parents are active participants. We each have classroom jobs, but I couldn't stop there. No, I had to volunteer for the Board Fundraising Chair position. For the past 8 months, I have been in charge of the school's fundraising. I don't suppose to know what on earth I was thinking to step up for such a hefty job, but I have managed to stay on top of it (and nearly double the school's fundraising dollars from last year!).
I am also a part time student, attending South Seattle Community College in the evenings or online in order to earn my AA degree. With hopes of someday becoming a nurse, I plan on entering a BSN program at the Universtiy of Washington when both of my children are in elementary school. I have been taking 1 or 2 classes a quarter since I was laid off from my last job in 2009.
Once a month I facilitate a Pregnancy and Infant Loss support group for a local organization called PS. In the months and years following the loss of my infant daughter, I found the support and comfort of other bereaved parents to be vital in the ability to continue breathing in and out. It was years before I could feel whole again. After that point, I realized that giving back to those who are newly bereaved was a way I could pay it forward. It also serves as a way for me to do something for Madison. If she were here, there would be countless soccer games, dance and art lessons and all the other things that most parents take for granted or complain about.
It has been no small feat to juggle school, volunteering and parenting duties. I must thrive on being busy because I never fail to keep adding to the load. For fear of divorce or the loony bin, I promised my husband that I would cut back for the 2011-2012 school year :) My own education and simple good, honest parenting will be my only two focuses next school year.
In addition to all that has been mentioned above, I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE running and being active. After being a couch potato for a number of years, I reluctantly signed up for the Danskin Womens Triathlon. Training was difficult and required determination, but after I crossed that finish line on race day, I was a changed person. I never looked back to that couch potato and can say I have never been a more happy, healthy and mentally stable individual as I have been as an active one. I have competed in many triathlons, runs and relays.
With being active has come some injury. Knee issues, torn ligaments and back problems have plagued me the last few years. Currently, I am "benched" due to a herniated lumbar disc in my back. Keeping me down is hard, as my chiropractor says. I am determined, however, and I will heal and get back to pounding the pavement. I am joining 11 of my gal pals for the Ragnar Relay this July and cannot wait for the adventurous race!
Starting this blog is an assignment for CMST275, a communications class I am taking. It will be interesting to see how it evolves and takes shape. For now, my ramblings will consist of experiences from my day-to-day life. Read it or not :)
I am also a part time student, attending South Seattle Community College in the evenings or online in order to earn my AA degree. With hopes of someday becoming a nurse, I plan on entering a BSN program at the Universtiy of Washington when both of my children are in elementary school. I have been taking 1 or 2 classes a quarter since I was laid off from my last job in 2009.
Once a month I facilitate a Pregnancy and Infant Loss support group for a local organization called PS. In the months and years following the loss of my infant daughter, I found the support and comfort of other bereaved parents to be vital in the ability to continue breathing in and out. It was years before I could feel whole again. After that point, I realized that giving back to those who are newly bereaved was a way I could pay it forward. It also serves as a way for me to do something for Madison. If she were here, there would be countless soccer games, dance and art lessons and all the other things that most parents take for granted or complain about.
It has been no small feat to juggle school, volunteering and parenting duties. I must thrive on being busy because I never fail to keep adding to the load. For fear of divorce or the loony bin, I promised my husband that I would cut back for the 2011-2012 school year :) My own education and simple good, honest parenting will be my only two focuses next school year.
In addition to all that has been mentioned above, I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE running and being active. After being a couch potato for a number of years, I reluctantly signed up for the Danskin Womens Triathlon. Training was difficult and required determination, but after I crossed that finish line on race day, I was a changed person. I never looked back to that couch potato and can say I have never been a more happy, healthy and mentally stable individual as I have been as an active one. I have competed in many triathlons, runs and relays.
With being active has come some injury. Knee issues, torn ligaments and back problems have plagued me the last few years. Currently, I am "benched" due to a herniated lumbar disc in my back. Keeping me down is hard, as my chiropractor says. I am determined, however, and I will heal and get back to pounding the pavement. I am joining 11 of my gal pals for the Ragnar Relay this July and cannot wait for the adventurous race!
Starting this blog is an assignment for CMST275, a communications class I am taking. It will be interesting to see how it evolves and takes shape. For now, my ramblings will consist of experiences from my day-to-day life. Read it or not :)
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