Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Twenty Years

It's unbelievable, but this next week marks twenty years since I've graduated from high school! wow. I cannot fathom that, where has the time gone? I cannot even recognize the person I once was compared to the person I am today. A trip down memory lane...

Graduation in 1988

1988-1989 One year of college at our local community college toward a degree in Interior Design - decided that although I enjoy design, I really didn't want to continue as a career working with other people's taste and design

1989-1992 Three years of college at Illinois State University for a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work

Summer 1992 "Moved" to Boulder, CO to look for work while staying with some friends - realized that I didn't want to do Social Work with a Bachelors and was afraid of burn out - cost of living in Boulder very high - unable to find a good job - heard of a nanny position back home - Came back, interviewed, and got the job as a nanny to three children ages 1-4

Fall 1992-1997 Full time nanny for same family, bought a small house, did Christian youth work

Fall 1997-1998 Kids in school full time - took a job as a special ed teacher assistant - continued to watch the kids on school holidays

Summer 1998 Decided to go back to school for Special Ed - received IL tuition waiver for Special Ed

1998-2000 Finished second Bachelors Degree in Special Ed

Spring 2000 Job fair at ISU - first table I sat at was the district where I received a job and still am teaching in

Fall 2001 Licensed in foster care with State

Spring 2001 First foster care placement

Fall 2003 Switched to private agency

Spring 2004 "Bo" placed with me at 3 days old

Spring 2005 "Jakala" placed with me at 3 1/2 years old

October 2006 "Bo" became Braeden officially as his adoption was finalized

November 2006 (Currently Liam) was placed with me at 9 months old

September 2007 "Jakala" became Olivia officially as her adoption was finalized

Years to come... who knows how God will work in our lives to change and become the people we are meant to be

3 comments:

Rebecca said...

LOVE the year you graduated in!!!It was such a great year was it not ;)

Emily said...

I love those trips down memory lane, just to see how far life has taken us!

Julie said...

God is good. What a journey...

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I am a single mom to four amazing kids; each of whom just happen to have been adopted. The first three were adopted through foster care, and we just completed an international adoption from Haiti. Our family has grown through adoption and I am all the more blessed to know each of my children. I worship a mighty God, teach Special Ed, love bargains, and am inspired by Pinterest... come along with us for the ride!


Olivia - 14

Olivia - 14

Braeden - 11

Braeden - 11

Liam - 9

Liam - 9

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Macy - 5

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Hence the title of my blog

Little Did I Know

Little did I know that the road would be so rocky
Little did I know that the trip would take so long
Little did I know that my heart could hurt so much
Little did I know that God is never wrong

Little did I know that love could be so powerful
Little did I know that a dream so far could go
Little did I know that God would place the right ones
Little did I know that my heart, so large, could grow

Little did I know that a dream has it’s own timing
Little did I know that this day would finally come
Little did I know that four souls would be sent to guide me
Little did I know that they would choose to call me mom

But God knew all along and He had a plan to follow
God knew all along that my dream would soon come true
God knew all along that we five should be together
God knew all along that I’d share it all with you