Day 16: What are Your Five Greatest Accomplishments?
1. Motherhood. This one takes the cake for sure. Everything else is second to being a mom. Being pregnant and maintaining a pregnancy twice has been the greatest thing I've ever done - both for myself and for my kids. I was a nervous wreck while pregnant, but I loved almost everything about it. I used to wonder, with everything that could go wrong, how any of us survived being in the womb and how we all made it out alive. I would remind myself that more of us actually make it out without complications than don't, but it's still so daunting. This miracle of life that I got to help with - I just can't believe I did it, and that I did it twice. And, every moment after my boys were born, I've kept them alive, I've kept them thriving. It's a huge undertaking, and not one part of it is easy - except loving them so much. Man, I love my babies, and both Banner and Quinn are the best things I've EVER, EVER done!
And, in no particular order:
2. Getting my Masters: I started off my graduate program not knowing whether I wanted to be a teacher or a psychologist. I, honestly, only went to grad school because I had just finished college and was still in "student" mode, my dad was willing to pay for it, and it couldn't hurt to apply and see what happened. While interviewing for grad programs the fall and spring before finishing college, I was also interviewing for teaching positions back home. I just didn't know what I wanted for sure. When I got accepted to the Ph.D. program at the current college I went to, I was ecstatic. Less change, I knew the school, it was a great program, and I was one of only 12 doctoral candidate students admitted that year. My decision was made. BUT, a year into the program, I decided I was really missing the school system, and I was not interested in any of the counseling psychology internships for the following year. After much contemplation and meetings with my graduate advisor, I switched to the school counseling M.Ed. program (and, luckily, most of my credits from my first year in the Ph.D. program counted toward the masters degree). It was a hard decision. My dad once said that getting into the Ph.D. program was the hardest part of the program (I would beg to argue that writing and defending a dissertation at the end was leaps and bounds more difficult, and I think my Ph.D. friends would agree, but I digress...), and he was puzzled as to why I would give this up. I just wasn't loving what I was doing - and I was really missing my days as a student teacher. I was so proud of myself for making this change and following my heart. And, I don't at all regret it. I went on to finish my program and learn SO much about what I really wanted to do.
3. Career: Related to the above... I got a job teaching and later counseling in the same elementary school I went to when I was younger. I loved being a part of the same community I grew up in, and I felt like I was really making an impact - both in my own classroom and in the building as a whole. It was such an accomplishment for me to have people coming to me for advice, guidance, help, support, answers. And, as each group of seniors graduates and comes back to visit for their senior breakfast, I am there, and I love seeing the young men and women that "my" kids have become! I feel like maybe they'll remember me, but more importantly, I know they'll remember things I taught them.
4. Buying my house: When I was 26, I bought my first house. I think that's pretty cool. Since then, the house has been a home for me, my sister, my brother-in-law, my husband, and my kids - luckily, not all at the same time! ;) It's also been the place of many gatherings, including my sister-in-law's wedding, a place for grieving after my mother-in-law passed away, birthday parties, graduation parties, and other events. The porch has been adorned with Halloween decorations, been the backdrop of Banner's first-day-of-school pictures, and has welcomed many guests. The garage opened up to welcome my two babies home on each of their fourth days. The yard has seen its fair share of play dates, games, splash parties, and "construction sites." I love that this home is truly that for me, and for so many others. And, I love the memories we are creating. Although I can't wait to move into a larger, roomier house, it will be so hard to move from this little haven.
5. "Raising" for a Cure: When my mom had just finished her treatments for her second round with breast cancer, my sister and I created and led a team in her honor for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in our area. We helped design t-shirts for our team called Saving Second Base; we invited friends and family from around the U.S. to walk with us and/or donate to the team, and we raised over $10,000! That was 4 and a half years ago, and each year, we have continued to raise over $2,000 at least. This cause is important to my family, to my mom, to me. And, even if we don't raise money each year, I feel a sense of accomplishment just being there to support so many people who have beat this nasty disease. It's my mom's accomplishment to have beaten cancer - twice! But, it's always my greatest privilege to get to watch her stand amongst her peers as a fellow survivor. And if any of the money we raise each year helps save another person's life, then I think we're doing a damn good thing!
*Past posts in this series can be found here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15
No comments:
Post a Comment