Passion, Motivation and Wisdom

Personal Childhood Web

My father and mother are the most amazing parents that one could ever ask for!  Both my mother and father held me when I cried, taught me, fought for me, protected me, nurtured me, kissed me and instilled core values and provided me direction when I was wrong.  They lead by example through their words and actions on how productive citizens should be.  Both mom and dad instilled the importance of education.  I know they both will be extremely proud once I complete my master’s degree. Most important they taught me the value of faith and religion. They have shown me how to love and be the best mother that I can be!  I am loved me unconditionally and as grandparents they loved my daughter Cailin even more!  My father and mother are the most important people in my life. Even today at 41 they both still provide for me each and every day!  I can never thank them enough. They are both the constant rock and love that I have in my life. I love you dad and mom.   

My mother, Amelia Thomas, was a stay-at-home mom. Being a stay-at-home mom ensured that I was always taken care of.  I was provided with much love and attention.  My mom is kind, considerate and the most giving woman that I know.  When her friends or anyone is in need she is always there to help them.  My friends believe my mom has a special connection to God.  When they have an issue they ask me to ask my mother to pray for them.  Seeing my mother give her all others inspired me to want to dedicate my life career in helping others.  Even today if she sees something that I need she doesn’t hesitate to purchase it for me. My mom does not fear hard work.  If she doesn’t know how to do something around the house she will figure it out.  Many days I may come home and she may have stopped by my house and done the laundry. She provided me with the knowledge I needed to be strong and independent woman. A special memory I have is that every first day of school my mom would bake me a very large cookie. She now celebrates this tradition with my daughter.

My father, Edward Thomas, is the hardest working man I know. He is caring, loving, practical and protective.  My father has ALWAYS looked after me, went to work despite how he felt to ensure his family was taken care of. He never feared hard work and responsibility.  Today he at 73 and continues to work on my house everyday versus just sitting down!  My dad can fix just about anything.  I am very grateful as I don’t know what I would do without him.  My dad as well as my mother provided me with much love and attention. He is a very intelligent man and before google there was my dad!  He is very giving as well and helps others in need.  A special memory I have is that my father despite working full-time never missed not one of my track meets in high school. 

"No I draw Mike"

I currently oversee an Early Intervention Program.  Last week one of my parent educators was completing an Ages and Stages Questionaire (ASQ).    On the ASQ it asks the child to draw a picture of their family.  Once completed the little miss was asked where is your family and she stated "no I draw Mike".  She was asked again to her to draw another picture of her family and once again "no I draw Mike".  It has been many years that I have actually provided direct service work but I enjoy observing from a distance.  The little miss showed that regardless of what was asked she was determined to draw Mike.  In her little innocent mind Mike may have been a "family" member? While narrating about her picture she was asked why he only has one eye? She stated "because he's Mike silly".  I love that this picture allowed this child to express who she felt was a family member and that you are silly if you don't know who Mike is.....   I picked this because a child's mind is a wonderful and creative thing!

Baby Nikki

Pictures of me 3 days to 2 years of age.....

Goodnight Moon.....

My absolute favorite children's book is:

I belive that I read this at least a million times when my daughter who is now 11 was a toddler.  Not that she wanted me to read this book over and over but it was the book I enjoyed as apart of our nightime ritual.  I read it so much I knew the book word for word....  I had such a sense of peace and calmness today while watching the youtube animated version of the book.  Took me back to once familiar place.  Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yu_g5x3ZoQ 

As I remember my mulitude of times reading it I realized that its my favorite even more so now because it brings back some of my most enjoyable bedtime moments with my daugther. In the story you say goodnight to everthing.  I also enjoyed doing my own voice animation especially with the line "goodnight to the quiet old lady whispering hush"....  It's a fun and catchy rhyme that's easy for children to remember.  My love for the rhyming words that I still remember as if it was yestersday makes Good Night Moon my all time favorite children's book.

Goodnight Moon
By Margret Wise Brown 

In the great green room 

There was a telephone 

And a red balloon 

And a picture of 

The cow jumping over the moon 

And there were three little bears sitting on chairs 

And two little kittens 

And a pair of mittens 

And a little toyhouse 

And a young mouse 

And a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush 

And a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush." 

Goodnight room 

Goodnight moon 

Goodnight cow jumping over the moon 

Goodnight light 

And the red balloon 

Goodnight bears 

Goodnight chairs 

Goodnight kittens 

And goodnight mittens 

Goodnight clocks 

And goodnight socks 

Goodnight little house 

And goodnight mouse 

Goodnight comb 

And goodnight brush 

Goodnight nobody 

Goodnight mush 

And goodnight to the old lady whispering "hush." 

Goodnight stars 

Goodnight air 

Goodnight noises everywhere. 

(Harper and Row, 1947)

First Blog

Not sure which makes me more nervous.....  Creating a blog or attempting to remember APA style writing from 1996!  Regardless, excited for this new journey!