Eghhh!

Yesterday, I was to attend a literacy event for elementary school students, an issue came up and i ended up getting there right as it started. I created the poster and was to bring all the supplies for the person i was meeting there. She was freaking out and was disappointed when i showed up late. Not only was i late but i had forgotten a sign in sheet at home. I really hate disappointing/letting down people.  I usually never use the hate word, but this is one thing that i feel strongly about and try my hardest not to do. Last night was a reminder that i am not perfect and there are going to be times in life where i may let someone down and i can't stop it. I try really hard not to, but once in a great while something comes up and it leads to leaving one disappointed. As the night went on, she warmed up to me and was ok with everything because it all worked out. To try and turn the whole night into a positive and not think about it, i over came a fear!

I touched 2 snakes and held one!! Ahhhhhhhh! After moving here and hearing about all the snake encounters, my fear of them heightened. But I went up told them i was scared, wanted to touch it, and did just that. It was the initial first touch that i was afraid of because i didn't know what to expect. I wasn't sure if it was going to react to my touching it or how it was going to feel. You would think that it would be slimy but it wasn't. The one i held was kinda sandpapery. I came home and showed Jesse the picture! He was so proud! I was super proud as well!I think my mom would be proud too! She squirms if she sees a snake on tv, let alone made us go into the amphibian exhibit at the zoo by ourselves because she disliked them so much!

All in all the night turned out well! A ton of people showed up and took what we had to offer, books, literature on reading, hand sanitizers, and pretzels. My poster was on reading and introduced what literacy was. I felt that many people don't actually know what literacy is and might want to learn a little about it. I wasn't even really sure what it involved until my literacy education class last year. There were many booths and free books! It was a nice event and hope they do it again in the future!

Berea Classroom

Here and there, i help in the headstart classroom and this past visit a fire truck came to visit. I can't post the pictures of the kids so here are some of the truck! It was funny. One of the students asked the fireman how they got water into the truck and he said "I'll show you. Walk over here." So he took every one over to the water intake plug. Then he said "Watch," and pulled some levers and then twisted the plug. All of the sudden, a blast of water came out and sprayed all over a girl and a bit on some other kids. She was stunned at first but then laughed. I'm sure she will never forget it! The fireman later said "i knew water would come out but i didn't think it would spray like that." It was great! Everyone laughed!

 

This picture is really great! The little girl on the left clung to the aide the entire time the firetruck was there and would not get down or even close to the firetruck. But at the end after the spraying, the fireman came up, squatted down, and asked "are you afraid of fire fighters?" She said yes, with tears about to run down her eyes. Then the fireman said "i'm not scary, i help you! Don't be afraid of me." Then she said, "yes, i am scared. i've seen them before and i was scared. " This came from a girl that just sits there and stares at you when you talk to her. She doesn't talk much in the classroom and then she blurted this out to the fireman and even shook his hand. It was really neat to see! It's not the best picture in the world but the meaning behind it is amazing!

Conference details!

Here are some pictures from the conference. There were 19 girls i believe. I would say about 1/2 of them had their babies already! The conference began with a lady teaching sign language, which i loved and can't wait to teach my children and help mom teach theirs as well. She spoke for a bit and then we learned some new signs. Then a lady that was also a teen mom spoke about child development. This lasted a good hour. She showed the girls what happens when you shake a baby. She had a doll that had a transparent head where you could see the brain. She shook it and you could see and hear the brain rattling around in the head. She also pointed out that the brain is made of soft tissue and the skull is hard bone and each time the brain hits the skull, it causes great damage. One thing i really enjoyed about her was that she wasn't afraid to say how it was in a sense. I feel that some moms are afraid to say they get really frustrated with their children at times. She said that there had been some times when her baby wouldn't stop crying at getting really stern (not hurting the baby but firm) with the baby and took a step back, said to herself, what i am doing and took a second for herself. She explained that she put the baby in the crib made sure it was a safe environment and took herself to the other room to cool down. The baby was still crying but was safer without her at the time until she could take a second and collected herself. She did this because it was only her at the time. She also said that it would be a good time for another person, if around to come and try to soothe the baby. I feel that if many more people would do this the amount of violence and abuse would decrease. It was great advice. After she was done speaking, the moms decorated their picture in a frame, which had been taken as they arrived. Then we had a delicious spaghetti lunch and homemade cupcakes decorated and baked by a very talented 12 year old! After lunch, they did the merry-go-round, which is where my part came into play.

My part was reading to your children! I think that reading is one of the most important things to teach a child and was super excited to share my knowledge and excitement! Here are some pictures of my board/area! I did give away a car seat through a drawing with some clothes! Each girl was given a red bag with a bunch of goodies!

A few girls went to each booth based upon which color folder they had and were there for 7 minutes. Then they would go to the next one! After the merry-go-round, a speaker came in and talked about her experience as a teen mom and what she did to get where she is today! Finally, the head lady spoke and told her story through a goal setting activity. The girls were to write down some goals. Then they had to think back to when they were little and what they wanted to be when they grew up. They wrote that down at the bottom of the paper. Then they were to do it when they were in middle school and then what they wanted to be now. As time went on they were to add to it. This was to represent how every piece of their life helped them reach their goals. The head lady, told us her story and related each goal and how it related to what she wanted to be when she was younger. An example, she teaches classes on domestic violence, earlier in life she was a teacher. Being a teacher had lead and helped to where she is today! It's hard to explain, but i hope you get some what of an idea! After that, the conference was over. Each girl left with 4 bags full of goodies, and many door prizes! I am hoping they left with a network of other moms to talk to and a confidence in themselves to strive for the best and a happy future with their new family!

My kitten is growing up!

Nayeli is becoming quite the kitten. She is three times the size she was when we got her and a bundle of joy! She sleeps tucked right up to my chest and at times during the night when i am sleeping on my back, i awake to her across my neck. She is like a child. She wakes me up early to play, always wants my attention, and always wants fresh water. She doesn't like the water out of her water bowl so every time i go to the frig she begs for some water from my brita and of course i give in to the cute little meows and purrs. Or i will find her licking the faucet on the sink after i have brushed my teeth or washed my hands. When she does her business, you know. Something that has emerged in the past couple of days is playing fetch. It's the dog in her haha. I will throw her little yellow ball and she'll run down the hall and grab it, play with it, and then pick it up, and bring it to me. Last night, i was lying in bed and she brought it to me while i was lying there! What a cat she is growing in to! Also, her play bite is becoming stronger! Ouch. Soon she will be taken to the vet to be spayed. She doesn't go outside, but i don't want any little surprises if she ever does escape for a period of time, which i am hoping will NEVER happen because i love her too much! I think that she would be too scared and not know what to do or where to go. Also, there is this HUGE black cat that lurks around the apt complex and we have even found it on my window sill. One time the black cat hissed and "barked" at my little kitten (she got scared) and Jesse scared it away by banging on the window and making a bunch of noise. We haven't seen it up there since. But it is still lurking around. One day i was walking up to my apt and POOF here comes a black cat leaping at me. Haha not really that dramatic but it did scare me.

Nayeli likes to sit on the bathtub while i take a shower and wait for me to be done to get her fresh water for the moment. The other day she leaped at the curtain and fell in the tub. She didn't get wet because i was blocking the water, but it made me laugh. I thought cats were supposed to be afraid of water. Well not all cats. My cousins had a cat that loved to swim in their lake. It was such a weird picture seeing a cat swimming through the waves and walking up on the beach!

A recent pic will follow!

What a week!

This week was filled with adventures and new experiences! Monday was filled with volunteering at the hospital, babes and tots, and then getting ready for the teen mom conference on tuesday. Tuesday was the teen mom conference which was amazing. It was unlike anything else (more details to follow). Wednesday I was in the head start classroom all day. Thursday i helped a fellow americorps member with a food drive and then headed to the head start classroom for the rest of the day! Then friday, i had a MIHOW training in Williamsburg. Saturday, i ran my first 5K, which i am super proud to say i completed it and had a decent time considering i haven't been running since May. Jesse and I both ran and we got free pumpkins. I can't wait for the next one! All in all this was a busy but very exciting week! Pictures and details will follow!

1st hospital visit, babes and tots

Today I started volunteering at the hospital! It went alright. The people training me was a little late but that happens sometimes so it wasn't a big deal. He took me on a tour of the hospital and just showed me a few things here and there. I am meeting him again next monday! Right now i am just volunteering where ever they need me. Then as time goes on and i gain more trust and responsibility i should be placed on the labor/nursery and nicu floor! There were three newborns in the nursery today all girls and one had the hiccups. I can't wait to be able to help with the babies. I really like that i will be familiar with the hospital and can help the moms be more comfortable! I might even be able to give them a tour/visit!

Today, babes and tots was canceled because she was sick. But here is my brochure for the week! It's a trifold brochure this time!

 I am hoping that this will make some people think twice about smoking!

Fall Days!

Days like today make me miss home. The cool crisp air filled with the aroma of fall and the sunsets! Owh how i wish i could go to an apple orchard!

Meeting/Activity with the moms at Madison High

Well, the activity went really well! They all loved making onesies. Walking through the high school brought back many memories of high school. eghh. high school. The girls seemed very standoffish, which i thought they might be. I tried to talk to them and ask them about their pregnancies and babies, but that is something i need to work on. I need to be able to get in the mind set like theirs. It's hard to pin point what they are going through at such a young age and their situations. I have NO idea what it is like to be in their shoes. But i hope to find out what they are going through and learn from them. They were all interested in creating the onesies but not really in what i had to say. I don't think they really understood what i would be doing with them! The next visit, i am going to do a pretend home visit so the girls see what i would actually be doing! I am going to try to make it fun and entertaining! Also, i am going to try an incentive, which would include on your 3rd visit you will receive a basket of goodies for you and your baby! I am hoping i can reach out and share their experiences with them! Here are the onesies they created!

These moms are amazing! I am so proud of them!

Today is the day!

Very soon i will be heading off to the school and meeting the moms for the first time! I am really nervous. I hope they like me and my activity. I could see how they could think it's dumb and not want to participate. But i am hoping they are interested and think it's neat. I'm trying to figure out how i want to approach them with my program. Should i tell them my background and why i want to help, let them know i have always been a caring person, love babies and children, and want to be a part of peoples lives? I'm not sure what i am going to say quite yet. I try to think back to when i was in high school and think of what caught my attention, which was who i liked and who i was going to challenge in band. haha. I wasn't really thinking what am i going to do with this baby growing inside of me or how am i going to pay for diapers etc? The moms are in a different boat and about to instantly grow up and have a child. What are they thinking, what are they going through at school? What is their home lives like? Are their parents a positive role model in their lives? I want to be that positive role model! I want to help them through their pregnancy and be the shoulder to lean on. How do i reach out to teen moms? Will they have the same mind set as say a pregnant 30 year old? I don't think they will just because of the environment they are in and their position in life. How does having a baby in high school affect you? I must say that i am proud that they are staying in school and finishing! I hope they want to create a good future for their new family and stick it out! This is going to be a new and exciting experience which i hope turns out for the best in both worlds! Wish me luck!

Owh yea. The hospital orientation went well yesterday! We went through some paper work and went on a tour of the hospital. I worked in the hospital at home for a total of three years and in between the times of being at school or in France, i missed being in that atmosphere. This past summer, i worked at the hospital and it just felt right! I felt as if i was playing an important role and people could rely on me! I am very excited to be able to take part of a hospital again! At the same time, i will be gaining more experience in a place where i feel at home! My first day is on Monday 8-10 before my babes and tots class. I will be training with another volunteer. Right now, i will be learning the hospital and meeting everyone. As time goes on, i will get placed specifically on the nursery and labor and delivery floor! Wooo!

Next week is the teen conference, The Dream Inside of Me!  Things are starting to pick up!

Babes and Tots take 2

The weekends seem to fly by! Today, i am attending another babes and tots class and super excited! This week the brochure is about resources in the community with a fall twist! I am hoping that it helps someone or they can pass it along to someone that might need it! Also, today is my orientation at the hospital. I am going to be volunteering on the labor and delivery floor each week to gain more experience. I cannot tell you how excited i am to be in that environment and what i will learn! I will also be able to see what a midwife might do and how the labor and delivery floor is maintained! I will also be able to help the mommies with what the experience at the hospital is going to be like and what to expect! As time goes on, i will hopefully gain the trust of the nurses and in return be given more responsibilities. But for now i think that i will be doing miscellaneous things here and there but very excited to know that there is a chance of working with the babies and the mothers in the future!