15 Years Later...

Of the many years I spent in school, 3rd grade is one that is very special to me. This was the year I began to be confident in my academic potential and in myself. Perhaps, it was because I was finally getting the hang of the English language and because I was coming to peace with the fact that my mom couldn't stay with me in class. Those two things were challenging for me in the previous years. As I look back, it was my teacher who helped me overcome those challenges and to believe in myself.

Mrs. Young. What a wonderful human being, teacher, and superhero. She not only looked out for my grades, but also looked out for my heart. She made me feel welcomed and loved in her class. I remember her always greeting my classmates and I before walking into the classroom. She often had fun and quick questions or facts for us as we shook her hand on our way into the room. One of my favorites was the shirt she would wear to help us remember a lot was two words. The red shirt had an a on the front and lot on the back. As we greeted her, she would point to the front and turn around to show us the back. It was simple, but creative and it worked!

Everyday was a fun day in third grade and a lot of learning took place. I still remember the songs we learned to help us with multiplication. The 9's table song was my favorite. It was to the tune of "She'll be Coming 'round the Mountain." We had a lot of engaging projects to help us learn about the Native American culture and to understand 3 dimensional shapes in math. This was also the year Mrs. Young helped me discover my passion for writing through poetry. At the end of the year, I wrote a poem for her and she told me one day I would become a great writer and even teacher. She reminded me of that poem a few years ago when I saw her at the annual crab feed. 

I don't know about the great yet, but 15 years later and I am a teacher. A 3rd grade teacher. I hope I can take what she has taught me and share it with my students. I am nervous, but also very excited for the upcoming school year. I can't wait to set up my classroom and make lesson plans. I am so excited to meet my new students in the fall. Please pray for them and for me. <3

Thank you Mrs. Young for being my champion.

Let the Children Come to Me...

For the past six months I have had the privilege of working as a Visitation Coach for the County of Napa. As a Visitation Coach, I supervise visits between children who are in the foster care system and their parents. These children are removed from their home for reasons such as neglect, drug abuse, or domestic violence. During a visit, I observe parents' interactions with their children and take notes of what happens during the visit. I redirect behavior as needed from either the parents or the child. At times it seems as if I'm just sitting there and not doing much, but every visit moves something within me. Every time I walk into a visit room, I say a little prayer to myself. I ask God, "Where are you in this circumstance? Help me find You and bless this family."

During the first months of working as a Visitation Coach, I reflected on God's call for me in my career. At this point I had been out of school for 6 months. I had a degree in Sociology and was getting Social Work experience through this part time job. However, my position limited my authority in the case management process for each family. Any question parents ask needs to be directed to the Social Worker in charge of their case. Due to the limitations, I asked myself, "Do I want to go back to school to get my Masters in Social Work? Or do I want to wait to find a full time job with the degree I already have and then see what I want to go back to school for?"

I began looking for full time jobs and looking at grad school programs for Social Work, but the more I looked the more I was confused about God's call. Then one day during a visit, things began to open up for me. I walked into the visit room and said my little prayer. I sat in the back taking my notes and watched as the little girl asked her dad for help with her homework. Dad sat quietly for a second and then said, "I wish you hadn't asked me to help you with the reading because you know I don't know how." The little girl sadly looked down at her paper and attempted to work on the assignment by herself.

After a few seconds, the little girl asked if I could help her with the homework because otherwise she wouldn't know how to do it and she wouldn't turn it in the next day. She said she had a lot of missing assignments. As I got up to help the little girl with her homework, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I began to see how the circumstances of these children and their families affect their education. For many of these kids, education is their ticket out of poverty and the cycle of abuse, neglect, and drugs.

I went home that day with the thought of wanting to make a difference in education for these children in foster care and just children in general in the school system. Education has always played an important part in my life and I had thought about being a teacher before. I remembered that Santa Clara University had great programs through the School of Education. I began looking at the different programs Santa Clara offered. I called the admissions office to get more information about the application process, but kind of left it on the back burner for a while.

A month passed and I found myself on Facebook. There I saw a post Father Jack Treacy had shared about the new Excel Program Santa Clara University would be starting in the summer. This program gives six students the opportunity to receive their Masters in Teaching and Teaching Credential at no cost while serving the underserved children of the Diocese of San Jose. I immediately clicked on the link and fell in love with everything about the program. I attended the info session in January and met the amazing director of the program. She shared with me her experiences of working with foster children as a teacher and I got the goose bumps thinking about the difference I could hopefully make for many kids like them. I didn't hesitate and turned in my application in January. After 2 months of waiting, I got an email with the interview details. The interview was the same day as when Alex and I had booked a flight to Washington to visit friends. That was the only day for the interview, so Alex went  and I stayed for a wonderful interview experience!

And it was worth it!!!!

In June I will be going back to school to become a teacher! I am so excited and humbled by where the Lord is leading me in life. The Lord said, "Let the children come to me." He is calling me to serve them and I am ready to answer His call.

Special thanks to my parents and family who have always supported my dreams. I would also like to thank my mentors and teachers who molded me into who I am today. I pray to inspire students in the same way many of my teachers and mentors inspired me in and out of the classroom.

He is patient and forgiving...

I can't believe we are already in March. Well halfway through March...AND Lent!

I think I have mentioned in past posts the importance of the Lenten Season for me. Although I have to admit that this year I have not been reflecting as much as I used to around this time. I guess I've been in a bit of a funk, but in the past few days, I have actually taken time to talk with God and share with Him what is going on with me. I have opened myself up to receive His grace and forgiveness. You see I have this thing where when something doesn't go my way, I complain. And if the person to whom I complain to doesn't "agree" with me, I complain some more. And the more I complain, the more frustrated I get. The more frustrated I get, the less patient I am and the people I love the most are the ones who deal with that side of me.

I sat in my room thinking how much I am seen as a person who values family and would do anything for them and yet there I was making them wrong for things they didn't even know bothered me. There I was crying and complaining for little things that did not matter. I was putting all of the blame on others and not taking responsibility for my sins of gossip and judgement. This is hard for me to admit, but not admitting it is even harder because pretending I don't do either of those things is costing me my happiness and loving relationships with the people I care and love more than anything in the world. 

I am thankful for God's patience. Unlike me, His patience is abundant. He is always patiently waiting to forgive. He never tires of forgiving. It is us who tire of asking for forgiveness. That's what was happening to me this Lenten Season. I had so little patience that I couldn't see God's love and forgiveness. 

Although Lent is halfway over, I still have time to practice love and compassion. I know this doesn't mean things will start going my way all of the time and that it won't  be hard at times not to want to complain, but more time in prayer will give me less time to complain!

Psalm 139: 23-24

Search me, God, and know my heart;

try me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015!

It feels like it was just yesterday I was kicking off the New Year with some of my best friends from high school. Four years had passed since we graduated from high school and even with the distance and time we continue to be in each others lives. These girls hold a special place in my heart and I'm glad I got to be with them for the start of a great year! 

The happiness of the New Year continued four days later when my crush handed me the cutest note asking me to check yes or no to be his girlfriend. After months of making him wait, I checked yes and have never been happier. Those who know me well know I've had it tough out there on the battlefield. This guy has made it all worth it and I feel extremely lucky to have him in my life. I spent the month of January getting to know Alessandro. I watched Forest Gump for the first time and finally understood what Alessandro and his roommates meant when they said, "Seats taken!"

Now that Anthony, Alex's best friend and roommate, had forgiven me for not having watched Forest Gump before, we joined forces in February to create operation "tutty fruity." This operation was a plan to distract Alex from knowing about the surprise birthday dinner party we were planning for him. Since Alex loves pizza and Anthony is a great cook, we decided to have friends come over and make their own pizzas from scratch! It was so much fun and the pizzas were delicious. Alex had no idea we were planning anything. In fact, he really thought I had made last minute reservations to Pasta Pomodoro because I had been too busy to do anything else. What can I say? I'm a good party planner. At least I was for the month of February when I also planned a surprise party for my great friend Joe Sarmiento.

He thought he knew all of the details of the party. I mean I did create a fake facebook invite, but Joe didn't give me another option. He wanted to be included in the details of his party. Thankfully, I had the helps of lots of people and we were able to pick out a date that would take him by surprise! The fun continued later in the week when we celebrated Diana's 22nd birthday! Ratchet House broke its record for most people in the house for the longest period of time! #feeling22 #weownedthenight

Before I knew it, March was here and I was in South Carolina for Morgan's wedding! I arrived Friday night just in time for the rehearsal dinner. I was in sweats from traveling all day, but I didn't care. I couldn't believe I was at my best friends rehearsal dinner and she looked gorgeous.  That night we stayed in a a beautiful beach house her parents had gotten for the family and bridal party. The following morning, we woke up early to get ready for the big day! We drank champagne, got our make up and hair done, took pictures, and listened as Morgan read a beautiful letter from her husband to be. The wedding was so much fun and I was so honored to be part of it!

In April, Alex and I participated in the Landmark Forum, which was a powerful experience for the two of us. From the Forum I got that I am a quiet person, but I also got that I have a powerful voice. I got my suffering of trying to live in a world without my grandma and I got that I can honor her by being the woman she wanted me to be- a champion for our family. I can honor her with my actions, with my words, with what I take a stand for. I took on spreading her love and dream for the family.

"I lived"in May as I went on my final Search at Santa Clara. On this Search I got to grow in my leadership as the Back Crew Coordinator. I got to unleash the inner warrior in me! Since Search was the same weekend as Mother's Day, later in the week, Alex drove me to surprise my family. I called my mom to see if she was home. She told me she was at Safeway, so I surprised her there. It made me happy that Alex understood how important family is to me and was willing to take a spontaneous drive to Napa on a school night.

After a quarter filled with theology classes, I finally turned in my last college assignment in June. To celebrate before my last week of finals, Alex and I went to the One Republic concert with our friends Celia, Ruggles, Maritza, Vaniah, Victor, and Alyssa in the Campus Ministry van. It was a great adventure and I can't wait for the next time One Republic is on tour! Once finals were over, it was time to put on my graduation gown and walk across the stage to get that diploma! It had been a long four years to get to that moment, but they were some of the best years of my life!! I quickly needed to pack after graduation because I needed to get back to Napa for an interview. It was tough saying goodbye to my friends and housemates. The girls in Ratchet House made a huge impact in my life and I was the luckiest girl to have the best roommate and best friend my senior year. I don't know how I could have made it a SCU with out her! Shout out to Sarah Sabih!

I started my first job after college in July. I worked as an Administrative Assistant helping with payroll and HR for a vineyard management company. Go figure, it's Napa. Fourth of July weekend, my goddaughter celebrated her Quinceanera. She looked beautiful in her dress and wowed the guests with the traditional and modern Valz. In July, Alex and I attended Peter and Samantha's wedding. The ceremony will be one to remember! Also the food and her dress! I felt special being part of their big day!

Weekends were busy in August. Harvest came early at work this year! Thankfully I was able to take time off to visit Sarah Sabih for her birthday in LA. I enjoyed staying at her house and got to meet her adorable grandma. The fair was around in Quincy, which is close to where Alex's family lives. We took a trip to check out the fair and my little brother Chris joined us. Alex showed us around the town and took us to see the animals at the fair. The animals were a part of the fair I wasn't used to when I went as a child so it was neat to be around them this time. 

In September I started my first Landmark Seminar called Causing the Miraculous. I met two amazing women from Napa who became part of my small group. We met once a week for almost three months outside of the seminar to go over the assignment for the week. Those women were such a support to me and it was great getting to know them. 

October was also a very eventful month. I turned 23 and my family and Alex took me out to Pacific Blues for a very nice and delicious meal! A week later on October 23rd this girl finally got her license! I got it just in time for the new job I had taken with the County of Napa as a Social Worker.  It was very different than payroll, but I absolutely love what I do!

Since I got my license, my dad made a joke about how long it would take me to get a car. He said, "So if it took you six years to get your license, we shouldn't expect a car for another six year years then!" Thankfully, with the help of God I was able to get a car in November! I was definitely thankful this Thanksgiving, but not just for the car; my family, my boyfriend, his family, friends, my job. God is good. This Thanksgiving I got to spend it with Alex's family. It was tough at first to decide to go, but spending the holidays together was important to us. I enjoyed learning to play "Up the River, Down the River," a card game his family loves to play. It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious. The day after Thanksgiving, we woke up early to go find Christmas trees. I had never gone to get a Christmas tree. We either put up a fake tree or we bought one from Home Depot. This year, Alex's parents spoiled us and found us the most beautiful tree. Like really, when my mom saw it she had the biggest smile and said, "This is the kind of tree I have always wanted!"

Wow. December was here! Alex and I participated in the Landmark Advance Course, which is the second part of the Curriculum for Living. This weekend was very powerful for us. It opened up a new world in our relationship. We got the importance of what it means to take a stand for others. And again I was reminded of my ability of a leader who is small physically but a giant with her voice! 

Usually when I go with Alex to visit his family, he drives. I mean makes since since I didn't have my license until 9 months into our relationship. However, this time, I drove all the way to the Sierra Valley, which is an hour north of Tahoe. Pretty big moment for me! We helped Alex's mom with the Christmas lights and we were able to get some Christmas shopping done too! Before I knew it, Christmas Eve was here. Alex spent Christmas Eve with my family and was part of the Secret Santa with my siblings. Christmas morning, at 4:30AM he left Napa to catch his flight to Reno so he could spend time with his family too. It was great being able to spend part of the Christmas holiday with him. Two days after Christmas, my parents celebrated their 30th Anniversary. We went out to dinner and then went bowling. It was so much fun seeing how my parents enjoyed their "family" date. That will definitely be something we do more often!

Last night, was a very simple one. Alex and I picked up Chinese food for my family. We stayed at home to enjoy it and then finished off the year playing Kemps, a very fun partner card game I used to play in high school. I'm glad I got to end the year with them! 2014 was a great year. I'm excited for the possibilities of 2015! Thank you everyone for a great year. Sending love your way!

Happy New Year!

This year my dear friend Mercedes Flores lost her dad in November and my great friend Kathryn Hackett lost her grandpa in December. This post is dedicated to their souls and those who left loved ones this year. May they rest in peace in the Kingdom of God. Say hello to my grandma up there! <3