A Little About Myself

I am pregnant and really swollen in this picture. Oh well. : )

I wrote the following posting for a class I am taking online at Fort Hays State University. I figured since I wrote so much I should share it with my readers so they may have a better understanding of who I am.

I am a mom of three kids. My oldest is 5…yes oldest…so I have three kids under 5 years of age. Tristen is 5, Jakob is 2 and Kellianne is 2 months old. I love being a mommy. I will be married 11 years this December. We did not have kids the first 5 years of marriage and struggled with infertility until I finally just gave up trying then wow one day to my surprise I thought I had the stomach flu that was going around my classroom…except after I threw up, I felt much better?! I took a home prego test and yes the good Lord let me conceive my first child without any fertility drugs…after that I got pregnant three years later with Jakob, and 16 months later Kellianne was conceived.

I am originally a Jersey girl. I grew up in Jersey City, NJ. It is a rough area, but I still love it. There’s no place like home. I grew up looking at the NY skyline everyday…just isn’t the same since 9/11. I joined the Navy out of high school and that is where I met my husband Michael. We were stationed in Gulfport, MS while we both attended our schools. I was married to him by the time I was 19 and he was 23…he got me while I was young.

I was in the reserves by the time we were married so I transferred from NJ to California to be with him. We lived there for five years. During those five years I received my Associate Degree from Ventura College and took about 24 Child Development credit hours. I was a director of a before and after school care center (K-5 during the school year and K-8 during the summer). I loved it and to this day it was my favorite job. However, as with most childcare or teaching jobs, I was paid very poorly. I later quit when I was offered a job on base at the Child Development Center. It was a $3 an hour increase with less responsibility so I took it. I really enjoyed that job as well. I resigned due to pregnancy complications with Tristen.

From there, we moved back to Gulfport, MS. I tried to get a job as a teacher’s aid, but was not hired due to my Jersey accent. My friend was the niece of the lady who interviewed me and said I was a great candidate until she heard me speak. So, I then put in a package with the Navy to go back on active duty. I was picked up and then we were transferred to Norfolk, Va.

Now I am stationed in Great Lakes, IL…but live in Kenosha, WI. It’s about an hour commute for the both of us, but I did not want to live in North Chicago. I actually love the area we live in minus the snow. People here in Wisconsin have a cute accent…like I should talk. Although my accent has died down a lot except with certain words.

I graduated from FHSU this past May with a BGS. I actually attended the commencement 7 months pregnant. I am sure I looked funny in my cap and gown, but I didn’t care…I needed to set an example for my son who was not happy he was going to Kindergarten this September. He was so proud of me…he was jumping up and down as I walked across the stage and they called my name. Now he understands school is not a bad thing…it’s a great accomplishment. Tristen has ADHD and often gets frustrated at anything to do with his fine motor skills like cutting and writing. When he saw that I finished college he decided he wanted to go to school too. Not that he has a choice, but okay. His only request is I go with him…so that got me thinking…hmmm…I was going to take a break from school and then apply to graduate school in a year or so, but I knew getting an MBA is not my passion…I just wanted it for the money. Children are my passion. I loved all of my childcare jobs and I loved my classes. I love my children and I love other people’s children as well. I like the fact that I can relate to ADD/ADHD so well since I too have a child with ADHD. Now I have a better understanding of it and read everything I can about ADD/ADHD.

What are some of my hobbies? Well, I guess making hair bows for little girls, gardening, making babies (lol), and working on my websites www.aparentshelper.com or www.for-parents-by-parents.com or my blog. I just started these sites so they may be a little rough.

Lastly, I want to teach second or third grade. I really love the third grade age group, but I will be happy no matter what grade I start off teaching. I am currently enrolled in the following 5 classes: TEEL 273 VB Professional Practice and Observation, TEEL 202 VB Foundations of Education, TEEL 260 VA Children’s Literature, TEEL 230 VB Diverse Learners, and TEEL 231 VC Human Growth and Development.