As I sit here and reflect on my year, it started out well. I was still working at the YMCA with G and preparing him for Kindergarten. I still had a lot more work to do with him before he was ready to go to school. Work kept me really busy. In May I applied for the Victoria School District to become an Educational Assistant in September. I really wanted to work with children that needed extra help and my profession could not give me what I wanted. Nobody can keep working with special needs children with no benefits, no sick time and 4% holiday pay. I made a hard decision to leave my field when the boy I was working with went to school. Many of my friends have also left the field and gone into the school system.
In June I turned 50 and headed off to Bend, Oregon to celebrate with my good friend Rachel and my friends at the ranch. Rachel was turning 40 so we combined our birthday’s together and I was blessed beyond my wildest dreams. My really good friend who runs Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch took me and her assistant to Sparks Lake. They blessed me so much I had never Kayaking before and they took me to this amazing lake. Sparks Lake was formed when the lavas from Mt. Bachelor Volcanic chain blocked the Deschutes River. The Lake is very shallow to being very deep in parts. It is surrounded by South Sister mountain, broken top and Mt. Bachelor. Around the lake is surrounded by meadow, marsh and wetlands. While I was on the lake I was able to see a bald eagle take a fish from an osprey flying away with it’s fish. THe eagle swooped down and took the fish and flew up in the tree. It truly was an amazing sight.
I also had an opportunity to kayak on another lake called Clear lake. You could see trees from under the lake and even though it was really deep you could see these trees below the water. The lava from an volanic erruption scorched the forest redirecting the flow of the river creating Clear Lake. There is an ancient forest below the lake below very blue in color the lake. Apparently the lake is one of the best spots for divers to come to. Clear Lake is surrounded by the Casade Mountains.
I also got to stay on the ranch in a old box car that is now transformed into a rustic western cabin. At first I was not so sure about staying here as its at the back of the ranch and well I’m a city girl. My first night I lay in bed and listened to the frogs croak on the pond and in the distance I could hear wolves howl. The view in the morning was breathtaking and the sunsets at night were spectular. This was on my bucket list to sleep on the ranch and my friend Tim made sure that this was possible for me.
What an amazing birthday and I was so blessed by the very special friends I have in my life. I came back and watched the boy I worked with make huge strides in his life and graduate from his preschool class and now he’s ready to go to kindergarten. I worked with him for two and and a half years and watched this boy grow and learn in huge strides.
In September I started my new job and I have to tell you that I realized I have so amny more skills then I ever knew I had. I love it and love being able to help children that need that extra help. I realized having a good sense of humor helps so much with bilding trust with the students. I was blessed being able to work in the same school for three months with the same children. I had never worked with a child with autism and got to know one of the children at the school and I loved spending time with him. He made that part of my day so great and I looked forward to our time that we shared. I learned so much from him and all the other students. Unfortunately I don’t have enough seniority and had to leave at the end of school.
I did tell the principal and the staff that I get my seniority and I can come back to that school. It was so nice to feel like I belonged and all the staff and children enjoyed having me in their classes. I told the children it was not goodbye and I would be able to come back and work. I told them other children needed me to come to their school and help them. God used me in the school so much and I was told when I was leaving about how I had such a good positive attitude and always was smiling. I will be back!!!!
The last three months have been really tough for me. My husband left to go live in the US. It’s been hard on me, but even though it’s been tough I have seen God using me at school and with people in my life. He’s looked after me well and has placed many people in my life. I have an exceptional church and I saw people come together to help me in my grief. They cooked meals for me and brought me words of encouragement and hope to me. I’m so grateful for each and everyone of those woman and for the lady that set it all up.
My car died and I was blessed to find an awesome vehicle which I had to find on my own. That was a huge experience all on it’s own but now super blessed by that. Two months ago I had to put my cat down due to heart disease and that was very hard and even through all the pain and grief it helped me draw closer to HIm. Christmas was amazing and wishing you all a Happy New Year. No matter what kind of year you had I paray in those times you choose to turn to te Lord. Draw close to Him, he’s waiting for us. I still have tears occasionally but everyday I have the strength to do what the Lord wants for me to do.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY READERS……………………..THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING ME AND NEXT YEAR I WILL GO BACK TO WRITING MORE.
Beauty from Ashes. 